Where Training Results in Performance
“I use proven and effective design strategies and modern learning theories to ensure that every training package I design is effective, efficient, and produces the desired results.”
Mark Neder
The focus on Neder Instructional Design is on human performance and performance centered design. This ensures that the training and knowledge management systems I design are targeted to the business goals of the company and the learners’ actual performance needs. I always avoid training for "training's sake” and focus on helping the learner improve their performance.
Mission:
My mission is to improve the performance of the workforce through innovative training and performance support. We work closely with our customers to find the true performance needs of the workforce and then create effective performance support or a training curriculum to help employees meet and exceed the company’s performance expectations.
Values:
Select each item.
Integrity
Collaboration
Innovation
Innovation
I have found that there is often more than one way to do things if we break out of entrenched mindsets and look past the obvious solution. I strive to push the boundaries of training and performance support using both innovative design strategies and delivery mechanisms.
Collaboration
I work closely with my customers to discover their training needs and then I create innovative and unique solutions to eliminate the performance problems. I welcome all input from project sponsors and stakeholders and work hard to ensure their vision is realized in the final product.
Integrity
Integrity is the cornerstone of any lasting relationship. I value honest and transparent communication with my customers that ensures that everybody understands the training need and proposed solution.
Instructional Design gives us special insight into how to present information to people for a specific purpose. We use this expertise to create effective websites for small businesses. Our website design goes beyond marketing and helps a small business to support the information needs of their customers.
If the training curriculum or performance support I create does not translate into some type of performance change in the learner, then we have failed in our mission. Effective and useful learning will always result in some type of performance change in the learner.
Select each item.
E-learning has become a very popular way to provide training to audiences that are large or graphically dispersed. E-learning ensures that the company’s message, policy, process, or regulatory requirement is consistently presented to all employees in a timely manner. I use proven design and development strategies to create effective and interactive lessons that target the learner’s actual knowledge and performance needs. I can help develop a lesson that your company has already designed, or design and develop a lesson specific to your training and performance needs. If your company is ready for mobile learning, I can tailor the lesson so that it can be completed on a smartphone or tablet.
Often the performance needs of a company require more learning opportunities than one course can provide. I can coordinate and design multiple related lessons to create a curriculum that provides the learners with a complete learning experience. A well-planned curriculum helps companies establish a more effective learning and can strengthen the career path of employees.
Typically, performance support is not seen as training but it may result in learning. Performance Support provides the necessary information “just in time” or “at the moment of need.” I excel at two forms of performance support; Job Aids and Knowledge Management. Job Aids provide immediate and tactical support for specific functions or processes. Knowledge Management provides the performer with a repository of information that they can use to research and complete their job tasks.
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
INSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Needs Assessment
Any effective training system begins with an accurate assessment of the training need and the work environment. This includes an understanding of the business goals for the training and the characteristics of the audience. An accurate needs assessment will result in a lesson goal statement and supporting instructional objectives.
Task Analysis
Effective training information depends on understanding how people do their jobs and how they use information at their jobs. Task analysis enables me to target the content to the business and informational needs of the company and the learner.
Content Analysis
Content analysis is considered the core of instructional design by most training professionals. The careful organization and presentation of information and knowledge is essential for effective training systems.
Project Management
As with all development projects, project management is as important as exceptional design. A clear understanding of all phases of project development is an essential aspect of successful training system development. Effective project management keeps the project on track while informing stakeholders of the progress and status of the effort.
Content Creation
Creating content in today’s business environment requires the use of tools that allow for rapid development and rapid prototyping. We use development platforms that allow us to quickly implement non-linear interactive training such as Articulate Storyline. We also use development platforms that allow us to simulate the application that is the focus of the training such as Oracle’s UPK, Articulate Storyline, or Adobe Captivate.
Content Update
Any effective training system must be designed so it can be easily updated and modified. Using a modern development platform enables us to achieve the goals of SCORM; reusable and updatable content.
Quality Control
Quality control is a critical component of lesson development. The lesson content must be checked and verified with subject matter experts and stakeholders. Once the lesson is developed, testing must be completed. This includes a grammar check, user interface consistency, navigational functionality, and interaction functionality. When the lesson is hosted on a Learning Management System, the lesson’s ability to communicate with the LMS must be verified.
Project Management
Once the training project enters the development stage, (which may parallel the design state in an Agile design effort) it is essential that an effective project manager keep all the human and media resources working together effectively. This includes ensuring that the stakeholders sign off on each iteration of the project. The manager must also ensure that quality control systems are working properly during the entire project.
I have created numerous lessons for past clients and employers. Here is a small sample of my work. Additional samples are available upon request.
Select a button to view the sample in a new window or tab.
Depth of Field Introduction
This short lesson introduces the concept of depth of field for people new to photography.
Yamaha QL5 Introduction
This lesson is designed for sound board volunteers who will run sound using the Yamaha QL5 soundboard.
Samples of Lesson Interactions
This example shows several types of enhanced feedback and interactive scenarios. Place holder text is used in these examples.
Personal Message Video
View a short video where Mark Neder describes his passion for Instructional Design.
© 2022 Mark Neder
