You can handle the truth, which is that most briefings won’t be made into Hollywood movies. While selling tickets may not be an enterprise's goal, comparing presentations to a film can suggest improvements.

Specifically, view the graphics and fonts as supporting cast members, key points as the actors, and tell a gripping story to the audience! As an attention getter, the image on the left takes a movie poster and reworks it, such as using "Story Crews" instead of "Tom Cruise."

To build to a climax, I'll share an example that shows how I make presentations memorable. When I was asked to present Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) refresher training at Fort Leonard Wood, their Equal Employment Opportunity Office provided me with slides that would do better marketed as tranquilizers than as providing training.

Have a look at these by clicking this link if you don't believe me.

Notice the first syllable of the word "briefing." Yes, that’s right: brief, which is a four-letter word no one would curse anyone for using more often.

Therefore, to streamline, I converted what could be compared to a Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) slide deck down to more of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Since this was a "refresher" session where the audience was familiar with much of the content, I made a "Workplace Jeopardy" game, which prompted participation, built on prior knowledge, and generated spontaneous discussion on required topics. What made my training exciting and a UAV is that I only had to moderate as a game show host instead of delivering a lecture.

You can launch this revised training or UAV by clicking this link or the image above.

Referring back to the "A Few Good Slides" picture, your name may not be Jack, but I can help you to also, "Make it fun!" and sell your points. Speaking of "Story Crews," whether delivering on-stage or producing behind the scenes, I'm a valuable crew member who can make training in your department more riveting.

Resolving Performance Problems

The graphic at left is modifed from a blog about Questionmark Perception^TM, an application that I used for test item analysis while working for Regence as an e-Learning Developer. The problem I discovered in working for the Army and Marine Corps, however, is that the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) did not produce a thorough item analysis report that could be used to easily determine which questions needed revision (no phi coefficient or index of discrimination are provided).

However, Dr. Andy Gibbons, chair of Brigham Young University's Instructional Psychology and Technology department and one of my design heroes, always advocates “design within constraints.” What he means, and what I accomplished in this case, was to capitalize on existing assets in order to accomplish learning objectives.

In this case, I plugged statistics available from Blackboard into psychometric evaluation formulas that I developed into a test item analysis spreadsheet tool (based on index of discrimination, distractor performance, and item difficulty). Then, analyzing learner test results from this tool, I provided recommendations to decision makers regarding why specific test items, in the words of Greg Pope from Questionmark Perception^TM, needed to "be improved (sent back to development), discarded, or left as they are because they meet all the criteria for being included in an assessment."

Clicking the image at the left or on this link will capture my spreadsheet tool, which has data and test item analysis recommendations applied to post tests from the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) School Reserve Component Captains Career Course Phase 2.

Revamping and Rebranding to Improve ROI

Yes, I realize that Dreamweaver is the name of Adobe’s web development application, not a company logo on a van for free-loving flower children. However, my remixed graphic depicts how, where needed, I challenge common assumptions and revamp workplace processes in order to improve ROI.

CBRN Soldiers depend on scientific instruments, which are often commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment, to assess hazardous situations. As such, training for the CBRN School must address whether to purchase training for COTS equipment, develop this training internally, or combine in-house with externally-developed training. When I arrived at the CBRN School, I found that decision-makers lacked tools to quickly and logically analyze whether to purchase COTS training from contractors or stay within DoD, which was costing time and resources.

Therefore, after interviewing SMEs, I helped develop a “Quick Look” that analyzes costs of training for DoD in-house versus contract courses for COTS equipment. To enable comparison for contractor- versus DoD-produced training, this tool graphs and sums up costs for initial training, estimated costs for the first year and subsequent years up to five years. Built-in assessment criteria also account for other key factors like equipment complexity and density of fielding.

While I have not produced an application or solution as widely implemented as Adobe Dreamweaver or a Volkswagen van, the tool described has enabled the CBRN School to become more aware of ROI performance metrics and achieve cost savings. Further, this example shows how I ask crucial questions and organize complex information concisely, which makes me an asset to cross-functional teams. I have the ability to revamp current processes and devise retrofitted, or even entirely new approaches in order to improve ROI.

Defending HazMat Training From Being "AKO’ed"

Army Knowledge Online (AKO), apparently, is the best-of-breed content management system (CMS) among DoD contenders. While I haven’t examined each DoD service’s CMS solutions individually to pick a winner in this enterprise bout, I can say that SharePoint, another CMS that the Army has available, could be a more powerful delivery vehicle. It has more easily integrated Web 2.0 document tracking, sharing, and even social features to drive knowledge management under its hood. For example, with plugins that are not free, it could become a learning as well as content management solution.

However, while I evangelize optimal solutions, such as the open source Drupal (used to build this web site), I find solutions with or without technology that optimize existing systems' potential.

In spite of AKO's limitations, DoD has crowned AKO to become Defense Knowledge Online (DKO). I have prepared for this transition and become skilled at using AKO/DKO effectively to disseminate needed information.

For example, CBRN Soldiers are receiving nationally recognized certifications in Hazardous Materials during various CBRN School courses. However, these certifications have annual renewal requirements, and I incorporated a site using CSS that interested individuals can find either by searching within AKO or from within the CBRN Knowledge Online, a frequently accessed CBRN knowledge center in AKO. The site I implemented has become a widely used training resource.