The shift has arrived, and video is King!
You may or may not be shocked by this but not enough trainers are creating videos to help the people in our organizations. We, as educators in the Adult Learning world, have a responsibility to help our organizations move forward and we are not doing enough to practice this craft.
The big question is why aren’t we running with the platform? Why are posts like this one still needed? It seems we are aware video is important and critical, and we even admit that people in our organizations would most likely prefer video to other learning methods used. However, we hesitate to turn on the most accessible video tool we have, our phones. In many cases, we are downright frightened of our video cameras. It seems for a lot of people, video is a skill that is unreachable.
Where does this fear come from? Fear of failing? Fear of looking bad and losing credibility? Fear of creating something really bad that people will hate?
Well, here’s something I’d like to share with you – Video is like pizza, even when it’s not great it’s still pretty good. Especially if you are focusing on short videos to help people do their jobs better, faster, smarter. With a little practice and fear swallowing, you will become skilled with the camera and people will love you for bringing pizza to the party.
(Jump down to the bottom of this post if you just want tips, the Learning Rebels video checklist, and info about this months book “How to Shoot Video that Doesn’t Suck” giveaway.)
Why focus on video versus other training methods?
Let’s admit to this – we knew it was a small world, but now it’s even smaller thanks to the internet. Now, with video, it’s even smaller and easier to connect offices and people in remote locations. Consider the power of ensuring people in your organization receive the same messages or same information on processes or procedures. Videos have the ability to break down silo’s and allow for sharing “just-in-time” information, this is a real benefit.
Now, let’s talk cost. Not only is video time-saving, but it’s also cost-effective. We all know it’s expensive to ship people across cities and states for specialized knowledge. It’s shame on us when we know a video, that has been thoughtfully produced, can be implemented instead. This means company information or training knowledge can be reached by the exact people who need it (when they need to have it), which is perfect if your business operates in remote locations that provide logistical challenges.
No Excuses!
In this day and age, there is simply no excuse for not producing video for the workplace. Here’s the cool thing…you don’t have to be solely responsible for video production. There is oodles of talent out there! Let the user-generated productions take center stage. Now, some people have control issues. It’s hard to place video creation in the hands of someone else. “What if they mess up? What if they give out wrong information?” But what if they don’t? What if your user-generated initiative is hugely successful? We can “what if” ourselves to death. “What-if’s” are similar to the “Yeah, but’s” that seem to plague us. But sometimes we just have to the thing. The thing the business needs, the things people require.
People are on the move, and podcasts and videos are the way to go. The modern workplace is a busy environment and taking time out of a person’s daily routine for extra training, places them under additional unneeded pressures. Ultimately causing the company potential productivity loss. This is where video succeeds and some older training methods fall flat.
Why you need to get out there and practice now.
Remember, the goal is not to make the perfect pizza. We want to move it from pizza that is just okay, to pizza so good you want to save it and eat it for breakfast the next day. You know what I’m talking about! Therefore, keep in mind:
- “How-to” videos can be easy to produce. In most cases, you don’t need to lug around special lighting equipment. With enough practice, you can shoot and edit your “how-to” videos in one day.
- Keeping videos short and informative, (and accessible) means they are most likely to be used. This is the goal, to help people…and videos help people!
- Video creation allows you to build a knowledge base faster and more effectively. YouTube is nothing but a big fat video knowledge base. Start building your video knowledge platform. You can easily create private platforms for your organization using wistia or vimeo.
- Versioning is easier. If your video is short, it’s relatively simple to record another video with the updated information and send it out through the business interwebs.
- And let’s just say it. In many cases, people would rather watch a video than take a class. I don’t need to take a class on how to use email. Just show me the videos of how to use Gmail versus Outlook. Why create a class when you can create a video that is sustainable and easy to version?
Yes, video can be tricky, and it can time consuming, and it can try your patience…and…and…and. So? What are you going to do about it? Are you going to pretend that video cannot exist for the people and the business? Or are you going to get out there and do something to help the business and people succeed? It’s up to you.
Let’s get down to the practical stuff!
4 general rules for “how-to” videos:
- I know this will seem obvious, but make your video self-contained. A “how-to” video should explain something from beginning to end. As in this Tasty video about Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (Seriously, yum!) in less than 2 minutes, they show us a beginning-to-end demonstration on how to create this simply yummy breakfast.
- For the most part, keep videos right-sized. YouTube no more than 7 minutes. This is about telling a short story about how to do the thing. Not the history of the thing, or the inception of the thing, just how to do the thing.
- There is no pressure to be picture-perfect. As stated, people just need help. The only hard and fast rule here is to try to be sure your audio is clear.
- Use captioning. This is the technique used in the Tasty video above, there is no voice-over to worry about, no narration that might be out of sync. The captioning tells the story
Tips to keep in mind:
- You are telling a story. Even if it’s an interview or a “how-to” video. It’s a story.
- Stories should have a beginning, middle, and end. Think about your goal for the video.
- Experiment with soundbites. You may want to take some video and then try your hand at editing by adding narration.
- Experiment with captioning. Lots of people watch videos with the sound off, captioning gets the message across.
- Write out your plan. But don’t stress. Some of the best videos capture the unexpected.
- Leave room for the serendipitous. Don’t box yourself in, this is practice so have fun!
Help has arrived!
- Here is a short explainer video, giving you three tips to producing a better video
- Here’s another short video on equipment to turn your smartphone into a movie making machine! (You can purchase the pieces mentioned here)
- 5 Best editing apps for Andriod
- Of course, if you’re an iPhone user iMovie is the way to go. If you are not familiar with iMovie, here’s an intro to help you out.
- My latest newsletter had video tools and other helpful ideas: Check it out here!
- Be sure to check out the Learning Rebels shopping page to help get you started with the right equipment.
10 Ways to Practice EVERY WEEK!
In order to grow proficiency, you have to practice the skill. This means whipping out your video device, be it a smartphone or an actual video camera. Make an effort to practice several times a week. Remember, you have to model the behavior. If you expect others to practice and learn new skills – so do you! Here are some practice suggestions:
- Grilling dinner, interview the cook
- The dogs playing chase, practice getting different angles
- The kids playing chase, play the narrator
- Your daily walk, what are you seeing? Get close-ups.
- Show the world how you organize your workspace. Deliver tips.
- Before and after video. Weeding the garden. Practice your storytelling technique or captioning skills.
- The big rain storm! Perfect time to play with the editing features for lighting.
- How to make ice cream. Practice fast motion techniques. Try this cool editing app: Filmora
- Try moving pictures of your last training class into a promo video: Use Adobe Express
- Have a GoPro? Try taking video while you ride your bike.
There you have it. Now, you have no excuses. You have some tips, some tools, some ideas for practice. Are you going to go out there and practice your craft, or are you going to add another “Yeah, but…” to your list? You’re a rebel – #LetsDoThis
In honor of our video themed post, April’s book giveaway: “How to Shoot Video that doesn’t Suck“!
Of course, I had to base this month’s giveaway on video related topics. Get ready to share your video’s or tips as an entry to win this book. Even if you’re a new to all this video stuff, you can still enter by sharing your favorite “how-to” video. This can be from how to navigate the Chicagoland Tollway to how to make the perfect Mai-Tai (happy vacationing).
Good luck!
Make a video. Cool.
I don’t know how. I’m interested and I know why I’m interested, and that it’s probably true that my business/process/product could use one, but I don’t know how.
Where do I start?
Well, first of all I’m going to go over all of the “new words” about video with you. This way you will “understand” when you hear them in relation to the actual “production process”.
This solves the linguistic impoverishment challenge that exists when learning something new, or when entering a new learning environment.
Before we touch a camera here’s a few other things you need to learn. Let’s build that path.
Let’s build a “stroyboard.” Do you remember what this is when we reviewed the new words?
“Yes.”
Build, build, build.
Ok, now that we know the story we want to tell, let’s build a shot list. Do you remember what that word means from our talk about new words?
“Yes.”
Ok, remember that we are no t making War and Peace.
Digital learning does not mean learning on your phone. It means bringing learning to where the employees are. It is a way of learning – not a type of learning. Lastly, we need to design learning modules instead of whole courses.
So now – let’s build the modules/chapters to your story.
Let’s find the ARC.
All of this needs to be done before anyone picks up a camera.
About me.
I am a retired Cost Accountant who worked in manufacturing companys and built Bills of Material and Costing Processes for (sometimes) very complicated machines and devices. I interviewed engineers, purchasing agents, shippers, the floor employees, welders, painters and parts department personnel. All of this resulted in the building of the story about the cost of the product. Now we appied G&A costs, shipping costs and other overheads to come to the real cost. Doing all of the above to find the “cost” of the story is no different.
People and businesses know “why” they need video in their lives. They just need to know how to build it to put it there. Pointing the camera is now not the challenge they thought it was.
Shannon. I enjoy your insight to learning.
Regards,
Brian Steeves
It was because of you that I learned to use a camcorder to record video clips, and to use Camtasia to compile those clips into a video, and to search for and find background music. I made a video in less than a day, and it’s a darn good video all these years later. You were early on this bandwagon, and thank you for pulling me aboard.
Thanks Tricia! We often forget that sometimes stumbling and figuring things out is a big part of mastery. You can’t master a skill unless you have first stumbled and made a discovery. You are great about learning from those accidental discoveries!
I don’t know how old the author is (a millennial perhaps), so she might not remember this, but this piece could have been titled, Video is Making a Comeback, or something. In the 1970s and 80s, video WAS king in training programs (e.g. McDonald’s or any number of big companies used it to train their employees).
It was only about 15 years ago that elearning turned everyone’s heads. Now it looks like video or a blend of elearning and video is in vogue.
Also, video is not a catch-all solution. It definitely works better in some learning situations than others. For example, to show someone how to make a hamburger (i.e. a physical procedure).
Other knowledge and skills might be better instructed through more interactive methods, such as elearning, which allows learners to practice and learn from their mistakes.
Remember, video is still a passive experience!
and also… 😉
You’re most correct, video is NOT a catch-all solution. Which is the other side of the argument. This is no magic wand. Learning technology tools are not a one-size fits all. It takes a blended solution to really bring learning “stickiness” to life. It’s a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll…
A little video, a little project development, a little collaborative working, a little elearning…it all depends on what the learning outcomes are supposed to be. The training delivery method MUST align with the learning outcomes first and foremost. (Of course, those must align with the business goals, different topic of discussion). It doesn’t make sense to create a video-based program for performance support if the people aren’t allowed to use video (say in a secure environment). Just as having learning embedded in a mobile app will not be ideal if people cannot access wifi where they work.
We must know the context of the problem before we start throwing shiny objects at it, and too often we don’t. Then we end up with a solution, be it video, elearning, web-based or whatever, that doesn’t help – but creates barriers.
Thanks again for the comment and the engagement!
Hi Jim,
Thank you for taking the time to comment. I’m a baby boomer actually, and I do remember the PILES of videos that were a part of new hire orientation. Why is that those videos were always viewed in what seemed like a windowless basement or overflowing storage room? I digress.
To your point – I guess it’s a matter of semantics. Yes, that was video, but video on a VHS tape or CD ROM/DVD. The power and abilities are far different now. So I’m seeing “video training” and “video for training” as two different things. Nuanced difference but different. Video has the power for providing learning reinforcement and performance support as we’ve never seen in the past, and the resurgence plays a valuable part of the trainer’s toolbox.
There’s a place for single-use “micro-video”, user-generated video, as well as longer form that may belong as part of a blended learning curriculum. My point here, is that some in the industry are quick to dismiss the power behind video, because they think it’s too expensive, too hard or complicated, or that video cannot properly address a learning outcome. To which I would say – there is a place in your strategy for video, all it takes is opening up the mind and trying. #allthethings