Video Sharing for Learning: Focus on Why before How
I just finished reading an article entitled Managing Multimedia written by Elliott Masie in the July 2010 issue of Chief Learning Officer Magazine. In this column, Masie states that there has been an increase in the use of video sharing as a corporate learning methodology, claims that one of the major challenges is how to store and provide access to video clips, and lists several functions that learning leaders would like to see as part of the video sharing systems, such as tagging and rating.
Although I have no argument with anything that Masie says in his article, I do propose that Masie and other observers of this trend often overlook the most important aspect of video sharing. They are writing so much about how to implement video sharing for learning that they minimize the critical answer as to why video sharing can be an important learning strategy. Granted, Masie does provide a list of four items that he refers to as “the learning power of short videos with focused stories”, which states that it 1) enables the blend of context and content, 2) provides a voice for customers or people “in the field”, 3) increases the range of best practices, and 4) provides an “illustrative method of delivering content”. However, every one of these items reflects a benefit specific to the learning process, not actual results.
I think the most important question – and the one that should be asked and answered first – is whether the “early adopter” companies are seeing actual business results from implementing video sharing in their organizations. If they are, then there is evidence that video sharing is more than just a cool new toy for learning leaders and employees. And if learning leaders have a justifiable rationale for investing in video sharing, they can create a persuasive business case and maximize the chances of leadership support and funding. Then they can worry about how to capture, codify, and deliver the video clips.
We know from our own research that companies are, indeed, seeing direct business results after launching video sharing platforms. After analyzing interviews with several companies, we are seeing trends, particularly in the improvement of customer service and the increase of sales. It seems that employees who are invested in the success of product sales are jumping into the video sharing process with both feet, uploading and accessing clips about customer service best practice, sales success stories, and information about product features and use. In one interesting situation, a sales representative (on his own volition) recorded himself explaining the features of a product in Spanish and uploaded it to the shared space. Another sales representative from a different geographic area immediately discovered the video clip, and by showing it to a customer who could not speak English, was able to close a sale that very same day.
I propose that these results are what really matter. Yes, the technology is exciting. Yes, we intuitively believe that video sharing, if done well, can enable pertinent content delivery quickly and effectively. However, let’s not jump on the bandwagon without remembering our charge. As we do with all learning initiatives, we need to think about the business needs and goals first, and then determine if video sharing is the right solution – not choose video sharing as a solution and then figure out how it can support the business needs and goals.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by JPLLearning, Luke Kempski. Luke Kempski said: Video Sharing for Learning: Focus on Why before How – http://tinyurl.com/2u7mgs9 – great oppt for further CorpU research [...]