How to Use Technology in Training

Real-world advice for making tech actually work where the work gets done. Tech can speed things up —or get in the way. It all comes down to how you use it. Here's what works out in the field, where the signal drops, fingers are muddy, and time is tight. 1. Use Tools Built for the Field Don’t force office tools into the dirt. Use mobile-first apps that work offline, with big buttons, fast inputs, and simple screens. If it needs training, you’ve already lost most of the crew. 2. Train for the Job, Not the Features Skip the 40-minute software tour. Show people how it saves time, helps them get home earlier, or keeps things off their plate. That’s what sticks. 3. Sync Every Day If it lives only on someone’s phone, it didn’t happen. Make daily syncing part of the routine—end of day, every day. No excuses. 4. Shoot Photos Like Proof Photos aren't just nice to have—they're insurance. Make them sharp, timestamped, geotagged, and useful. Don't rely on memory when the questions come later. 5. Protect Your Devices Tablets break. Batteries die. Plan for it. Use rugged cases. Keep battery packs in the truck. Set up charging stations on site. No one’s taking notes on a dead screen. 6. Set Up Before You Walk Get your maps, layers, and forms loaded before you step on site. Saves time, saves frustration, and keeps you moving. 7. Standardize Everything Everyone doing it their own way = a mess. Use templates. Use defaults. Make it fast and foolproof. Clean inputs mean clean reports. 8. Add Context “Complete” doesn’t cut it. Add notes. Snap a photo. Drop a pin. You need to tell the story—not just check a box. 9. Make Tech Part of the Kit It’s not extra. It’s standard gear. Just like a hard hat or tape measure. If it’s optional, it’ll get skipped. 10. Look at the Data Don’t just collect it—use it. Review reports, spot trends, catch issues early. A week of delay caught now is better than a month of cleanup later. Tech doesn’t solve problems by itself. It amplifies what you put in. Sloppy inputs? You’ll get confusion faster. But used right—tech can help be the bridge between jobsite reality and project success.

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 + 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂��𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴? 🏭 Virtual training is transforming how industries approach complex operations. From mining to aquaculture, immersive simulation combined with live IoT data is transforming workforce development. Companies like Minverso are proving that plant process simulation isn't just about training — it's about creating safer, smarter operations across entire industries. 🎯 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: ➡️ Immersive plant simulation — Practice every stage of complex processes virtually ➡️ Real-time IoT integration — Live data feeds from actual equipment and sensors ➡️ Zero operational risk — Learn dangerous procedures without real-world consequences ➡️ Faster learning curves — Visual, interactive training vs. traditional methods 🌊 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: ➡️ Aquaculture: Simulate fish farming operations & water quality management ➡️ Mining: Practice equipment operation, safety protocols, emergency response ➡️ Manufacturing: Train on production lines, quality control, maintenance procedures ➡️ Energy: Simulate power plant operations, grid management, safety systems 🤖 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿: 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 When VR training connects to real-time plant data, trainees experience: ➡️ Actual equipment performance metrics ➡️ Real environmental conditions ➡️ Live system alerts and responses ➡️ Decision-making with real consequences (virtually) Why this matters: Traditional training teaches theory. VR + IoT teaches reality — without the risks, costs, or downtime of on-site practice. The future of industrial training isn't just virtual. It's virtually connected to the real world, creating workforces that are prepared for anything because they've already experienced everything.

You can't shortcut competence, but you can speed it up. Repetition is what turns slow into smooth, and smooth into fast. When you skip the reps, you build speed on a shaky foundation. That’s why immersive simulation in VR is so powerful, it creates space for deliberate practice without real-world consequences anywhere anytime 24/7/365. If we want clinicians to perform with confidence under pressure, we need to give them the power to own the process and have access to practice, not gate-keep the technology behind locked doors and a sign in sheet. This technology is more mobile than ever, let them practice on their own time. You wouldn’t require students to keep their books on campus, locked in a cabinet, sign-out required to read and study, would you? No, you want them learning at home, dog-earing pages, and highlighting text. VR headsets = A study tool Competency doesn’t come from knowing what to do through divine intervention. It comes from practicing until it becomes instinct. Here’s how to build that kind of fluency: ➥ It’s simple, let the students take simulation home. #Accessibility. ➥ Use VR to simulate real pressure every day. ➥ Keep your curriculum, keep you sim labs, and high stakes sim. Layer on top, VR sim at home. ➥ Track growth by tracking reps. And use AI for contextual assessment. Want better learners? Let them learn on their terms, on their time. The technology is here. Watch them bloom into competent professionals right before your eyes. What part of your program needs more time in the simulator? #clinicaltraining #immersivesimulation #medicaleducation #vrpatients #simulationtraining #competencybasedlearning #healthcareeducation #XRinhealthcare #futureoftraining

On Monday, I had a moment that made me realize that the responsibilities of L&D professionals will continue to evolve rapidly. I recorded a walk-through video using Google Gemini 2.0. It helped me insert a video into Camtasia, which is not too bad for performance support. Today, I asked Gemini to create a five-minute training lesson. Listen to the interactions. (Thanks, Marjan Bradesko, for the inspiration!) What happened next was a glimpse into the future of corporate training. Google Gemini understood my context, provided visual guidance, and adapted its instructions based on my responses. More importantly, it showed me how close we are to AI-powered training systems. Imagine this scenario scaled up: Your employees need to learn a new software platform. Instead of traditional eLearning, they interact with a multimodal AI that: ◾Watches their screen interactions in real-time ◾Listens to their questions and frustrations ◾Generates custom tutorial videos on the fly ◾Provides hands-on practice scenarios ◾Adapts its teaching style based on their learning patterns The core technology exists today: ◾Real-time screen analysis ◾Natural language understanding ◾Dynamic content generation ◾Behavioral pattern recognition ◾Adaptive learning algorithms What's missing? Gemini controls the screen to highlight areas/objects, create practice assets on the fly, automate lesson scheduling, and connect to platforms to coordinate and track these activities. But those barriers are falling fast. This means L&D professionals need to start thinking differently about their roles. We're moving from content creators to human/machine performance analysts. SLOWLY. Our value won't be in creating standard training materials but in designing the frameworks and scenarios that AI will use to generate personalized learning experiences. The implications for corporate training are enormous: ◾Just-in-time learning that works ◾Truly personalized learning paths ◾Real-time skill assessment and adaptation ◾Immediate application of knowledge ◾Continuous performance support that evolves into deeper learning I've spent 30 years in L&D, and I've never been more excited about our field's future. The tools we're seeing today are just the beginning. What do you think? How are you preparing your L&D strategy for this shift, or is it more of the same for 2025? Are you already experimenting with AI in your training programs? Drop a comment below. ---------------------------- Want to learn how to implement this multimodal functionality? I'm holding an AI Intensive program at the end of January. Link in the comments.

After helping 50+ universities set up VR labs I’ve seen one truth. Immersive practice changes everything! Today, I’m sharing my 2025 tips on using VR for training—all based on real student outcomes. (Save and repost this for your faculty ♻️) 1️⃣ DANGEROUS SCENARIOS (Safety Imperative) → If it’s risky in real life, practice it in VR first. → Slash liability, boost confidence with hands-on simulations of high-stakes procedures. 2️⃣ IMPOSSIBLE SCENARIOS (Rarity Solution) → Expose students to anomalies they’d encounter once in their career—in VR, they can tackle them again and again. → Clinical or engineering oddities? Let them say “I’ve done this before!” 3️⃣ COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TRAINING (Failure Advantage) → Complex skills demand mistakes to learn. Let them fail big in VR—no real-world consequences. → Every expert was once a beginner who messed up (a lot). VR just makes it safer. 4️⃣ EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT (Budget Saver) → Don’t risk a $1M MRI or $25K flight simulator. → Replicate pricey hardware in VR to save on repair costs and maximize practice time. 💡 Implementation Checklist: 1. Focus on learning goals, not fancy gadgets. 2. Integrate VR seamlessly into your existing curriculum. 3. Train your faculty—lack of educator buy-in is a VR killer. I often recommend DICE for 95% of the institutions I work with—solid gold, seriously. Pro Tip: Track performance metrics for every VR module. This data becomes powerful proof for funding, accreditation, and continuous program improvement. I’m here to help you make the jump from classroom theory to immersive reality—minus the stress. Virtual handshake 🤝 and cheers to effective, future-proof VR in higher ed! P.S. Ask me anything about higher ed VR implementation :) #virtualreality #edtech #vr #highereducation #vrtraining

We've rolled out AI-powered training to thousands of frontline workers. Here's what we've learned 👇 AI in training sounds exciting - until you try to scale it across multiple locations and regions. We've been there, we've helped teams do it, and along the way we've picked up some valuable lessons. Here's what we've learned from real-world rollouts. -- 𝟭. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 Frontline learners don't need to know *how* the training was created - just that it's relevant, quick and easy to access. AI should work behind the scenes to remove friction, not add more tech complexity. 𝟮. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵, 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 Most companies already have great content - it's just locked away in PDFs, binders or slide decks. AI can turn that into mobile-ready microlearning in minutes. 𝟯. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 You don't have to overhaul your entire training program on day one. Start with one priority area (like onboarding or safety) and use AI to speed up delivery and improve consistency. 𝟰. 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 - 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 People want to know how AI-generated content is created, reviewed, and kept accurate. Use tools that are grounded in your own materials and expertise (not the internet's), and give teams the ability to review and refine. 𝟱. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗴𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 Even the best AI tools need strong implementation and support. Look for a partner - not just a product - who can help you roll out AI thoughtfully, answer questions, and provide best practices from other teams like yours. -- Scaling AI in frontline training isn’t about tech for tech’s sake. It’s about enabling better, faster learning at scale - with the right foundations in place. If you’re considering the shift, or already experimenting with AI, I’d love to hear what you’re learning. What’s working? What’s still unclear?

63% of employees say their company’s AI training isn’t good enough, according to TalentLMS. That’s a call to action. As AI adoption accelerates, one of the most impactful steps leaders can take is preparing teams to use these tools with confidence, and those who get this right design training as a catalyst to spark new ways of working. The most effective training programs I’ve seen share three qualities: they’re role-based, hands-on, and ongoing. 1️⃣ Role-based training helps AI adoption stick. When employees leave with three or four clear ways to apply AI immediately, those practices are far more likely to become part of daily work. 2️⃣ Hands-on beats hypothetical. Confidence grows fastest when instruction is concise and paired with time to experiment in low-risk settings. Learning by doing makes adoption real. 3️⃣ Training isn’t one-and-done. Quarterly or biannual sessions, with updates as tools or capabilities evolve, help teams feel supported and ready to keep pace. When training is structured this way, employees feel empowered to use AI, and that’s when it starts to truly transform how work gets done. #AITraining #AIEnablement #LearningAndDevelopment #EmployeeTraining #Upskilling

Bridging the Digital Divide: Why Training is Your Best Transformation Tool That moment of asking a colleague, "How do I even change this feature?". That initial bewilderment perfectly illustrates the chasm between grand Digital Transformation ambition and operational reality. We pour money into AI and analytics, but if our people lack the familiarity (the training) that technology becomes an expensive paperweight. True transformation is a human endeavor, not just a tech one. In the article, you will learn how to: ✔️ Analyze the critical oversight of adopting sophisticated AI platforms and analytics dashboards without equipping teams with the necessary skills, leading to integration issues and wasted financial investment. ✔️ Understand why traditional, feature-focused training falls short and how this gap impedes operational excellence and is a critical cybersecurity vulnerability. ✔️ Implement targeted training programs for AI collaboration, emphasizing human oversight, and launch robust, practical data literacy initiatives across all departments. ✔️ Revolutionize training design by building programs around real-world scenarios, using a blended learning approach, and treating workforce development as a strategic, ongoing imperative. Stop viewing training as an expense or a compliance checkbox. It’s your most strategic investment. Investing in comprehensive, human-centric upskilling directly translates into unparalleled operational excellence, better customer experiences, and robust risk mitigation. Let's collaborate to build a workforce that is not just prepared for the future but actively engaged in shaping it. Reach out Digital Transformation Strategist today to explore how we can partner to tailor a transformative training strategy that empowers your people and drives your organization's success.

𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🚀 Are you noticing a gap in your team’s digital skills as your organization ramps up its digital transformation efforts? Let’s be real: the digital landscape is evolving at breakneck speed, and without the right skills, your employees might struggle to keep up. This gap isn’t just a small glitch—it’s a potential roadblock that could prevent your company from leveraging new technologies and staying competitive. If you ignore this issue, your company risks falling behind competitors who are quick to adapt. You'll miss out on the efficiency, innovation, and growth that come with being a digital-first organization. But here’s the game plan: integrate comprehensive digital literacy and transformation training into your Learning & Development (L&D) strategy. Here’s how to make it happen: 📌 Identify Key Digital Skills: Start by mapping out the essential digital skills your team needs. Think data analysis, cybersecurity, digital marketing, and emerging technologies like AI and IoT. This isn’t just about tech-savviness; it’s about future-proofing your workforce. 📌 Custom Training Programs: Develop tailored training programs that address these specific skills. Use a mix of e-learning, workshops, and hands-on projects to cater to different learning styles and ensure practical application. 📌 Leverage Internal Expertise: Tap into the knowledge within your organization. Encourage experts to share their insights through internal webinars, mentoring programs, and collaborative projects. This not only builds skills but also fosters a culture of continuous learning. 📌 Use Cutting-Edge Tools: Employ the latest L&D technologies to deliver your training. Interactive video paths, VR simulations, and AI-driven personalized learning paths can make the training more engaging and effective. 📌 Measure and Iterate: Implement metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of your training programs. Use feedback, performance analytics, and skill assessments to continuously refine and improve your L&D strategy. By embedding digital literacy and transformation training into your L&D strategy, you're not just enhancing your employees’ skills; you're positioning your organization to thrive in the digital age. (Note: The picture is from a Microsoft training event in Toronto from 2005!) Ready to lead the charge in digital transformation? Share your thoughts and strategies in the comments below! ⬇️ #DigitalTransformation #LearningAndDevelopment #FutureOfWork #DigitalSkills #Innovation #Training #EdTech #CorporateTraining

Training staff to understand what Generative AI is good for, to use it skilfully, and where to apply it in their work mitigates risk, improves quality, and boosts productivity. Let's unpack that...   Understanding how Generative AI works, what it’s good for and not good for, helps staff to avoid falling into over-reliance and to maintain their critical evaluation of AI outputs. Without understanding the tool staff become likely to apply it in ways that lead to work quality issues and potentially introduce compliance risks. Like having a hammer and seeing every problem as a nail, not understanding the limitations of any tool creates problems. The skill to use Generative AI may seem intuitive, after all it’s a natural language user interface, but just like any manager of a team knows - providing unambiguous instructions, knowing what you want and expressing it clearly, is an important skill. Further to this, we've been teaching people to reduce everything to keywords to give computers instructions and use search engines for decades, with Generative AI we must consciously break this lifetime habit and give instructions like we would to a junior member of our human staff. As an aside: thinking of Generative AI as a junior member of staff is a useful mental model as it leads to improved clarity of inputs and avoids uncritically accepting the outputs. Usage scenarios are important to have in mind when training staff so they can see where Generative AI is directly applicable to their work and inspire them to find new usage scenarios. I've seen first-hand with many organisations how important training is. The diagram and table attached summarise what I found: ❌ Understanding and skill but without guidance on where to use the training is just a waste. Staff either forget or simply disregard what they were taught. ❌ Understanding and the opportunity to use it, but without the skill to use the tool properly leads to frustration as staff struggle to get the AI to do what they intend. Staff may give up on using Generative AI and miss out on the benefits or just struggle to create quality output. ❌ Skill and the opportunity to apply it without understanding the limitations of the technology leads staff to introduce errors and bring poor quality content into their work. ✅ When you train staff to understand the technology, develop skill in its use, and apply it to clear use cases within your organisation then you will unlock the wide-ranging benefits of Generative AI across your workforce. To address this Microsoft have published lots of great adoption resources that can help you navigate the training and onboarding of Copilot Chat into your organisation. Combining a secure, trusted, privacy preserving platform for Generative AI with some basic staff training means you can mitigate the risks and start getting the benefits of this revolutionary technology sooner. https://lnkd.in/g_4win3P #Microsoft365 #CopilotChat #Microsoft365Copilot