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E-learning for Compliance: A Value Proposition
Does compliance training sound like a nasty
medicine to you? Do you slog through the compulsory courses just to avoid the
repercussions of noncompliance? Does it
seem like you are required to certify your knowledge more often?
Compliance training is growing more
important each year as industries face risk. Certifying that employees know the
rules and they are up-to-date in specialty training is essential. As proof, the
role of the compliance officer has been moving steadily toward the c-suite.
Compliance training is not just to enforce
corporate policies. Licensed professionals are often required to continue their
education. Governments and industry entities create regulations for certified
or licensed professions to ensure that the industry remains trusted.
Teaching to a wide variety of learners means finding a common language and familiar procedures, but it does not mean dumbing down. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that the average U.S. citizen reads at a seventh-grade level. Many experts caution trainers to write for a fifth-grade audience to avoid being misunderstood. Think of books recommended for fifth graders. Do you think anyone reading these novels felt patronized by these authors?
- The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Our challenge as compliance trainers is not
just to teach, but to meet regulations. Sometimes the requirements are specific
and, thus, challenging to design. At Checkpoint
Learning (Thomson Reuters), we create courses that meet continued professional
education (CPE) standards set by each U.S. state that licenses accountants
(CPAs). We are certified to be a sponsor of the industry’s standard bearer, the
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). One course
standard is that study question feedback must be unique for each answer. It is
not acceptable to have general feedback. We write to a level higher than the fifth
grade, of course, as our target audience grasps topics
that many of us agree are unintelligible, such as the U.S. tax code.
While we write, technically review, and
ensure that the course meets certification standards, we also employ methods to
make our courses more interactive; which help to keep the user engaged and
learning. We start with a minimum number of pictures, click to reveal objects,
Flash/Raptivity interactivities, Audio,
and Video by screen count. We then study what knowledge is most important to impart (hint: we also test for that!) and
devise activities that enhance these passages. We strive to include scenarios
and stories (examples), as they resonate with the learner's real experience.
We know that compliance training provides
value for the organization that needs specific
standards to be maintained, and, in turn, that protects both the organization
and the learner. How can we appeal to that learner so that the knowledge is
embraced? Let's segment target audience
this time by career level.
For instance,
executives value broader business aspects, such as shareholder's interest,
addressing legal risk and liability, and employment engagement. Managers look
for efficiencies from standardization, streamlining, and staying current. They also
value a good safety record and an opportunity to increase profits.
Professionals want to stay current in their field to increase their value to
their clients. Efficiencies help them save money, which keeps them
competetive. Employees, too, want efficiencies, safety, and clear goals. I
believe they all want promotional opportunities. Base your examples and
scenarios on your audience's values, and you will have the buy-in you need for
successful compliance training.
Susan Wines, an
expert at eLearning course creation, is associated as an eLearning Specialist
with Thomson Reuters. She finds authors
(subject matter experts), applies instructional design principles to course
content, improves courseware processes, trains internal teams worldwide,
troubleshoots, publishes, and also engages in social media. She is an expert in
HTML, XML usage, interactive learning content creation using flash/HTML5, and
videos—even whiteboard. Susan and her team investigate, experiment, collaborate,
and continually roll out improvements and new products that delight their
customers.
Susan is also
an active member of the Interactive Learning Thought Leaders Panel on Raptivity. You may like to check out her
detailed profile here.
Many thanks to Susan Wines.
Enjoy your reading!
