DevLearn is one of my favorite L&D conferences, and 2019 did not disappoint. I walked away from the conference buzzing with energy, ideas, and tools to experiment with. Here are my Top 10 takeaways from DevLearn 2019!

1. MY TOP10
TAKEAWAYS FROM
DEVLEARN 2019
SharonLo
DigitalLearning&DevelopmentManager,
HelixElectric

2. Stillwrappingmyhead
aroundthefactthatwe
hadarobotasour
keynotespeaker!
TechnologyandAI ischangingthe
roleofL&D.
Keynote:ArtificialIntelligenceandLearning:ARobot’sPointofView–SophiaTheRobot

3. Meaningfuluse
ofemerging
techlikeAR/VR
HowwillthefocusofL&Dprofessionalsshiftinthenext5years?

4. Thinkabouttheexperienceoftheuserholistically–
notjusttheUIofthetech,butuserexperience
accessingandlearningthetoolandthechange
managementprocessaswell.
Thinkaboutthedependenciesthatcomewiththenew
technology–hardwarecosts,maintenancecosts,
BYOD,SingleSign-On,internetconnection,easeof
pushingupdates,ITresources,etc.
Whenevaluatingnewtechnologies,considerbeyondthetech
(andevenbeyondjustbusinessvalue!)
B
U
I
L
D
S
-Businessvalue
-Userexperience
-Impactonaudience,company,andworld
-Learningmodels
-Dependencies
-Signals
TAKEAWAY #2
Session:OvercometheShockoftheNewandCreateYourEmergingTechnologyStrategy–ChadUdell

5. START TRACKING
Starttrackingtechnologiesevenifyou’renot
lookingtoimplementanythingrightaway.
Think5yearsaheadandworkbackwards!

6. Focusontheproblem,
notonthetechnology
#

7. Utilizedesignthinkingtoperformroot-causeanalysis
EMPATHIZE
• Dayinthelifemaps
• Empathymaps
• Learnerpersonas
• Projectpre-mortems
DEFINE
Whatistherootcause?
• Awareness/Motivation
• Knowledge
• Skill
• SomethingElse?
IDEATE
• Grouping&labeling
• “HowMightWe…”
• FourCategories
• WorstIdea
Session:HowDesignThinkingElevatesAdultLearning–JoleneRowan

8. Session:UsingVisualDesigntoCreateEngagingeLearning–TimSlade
-TimSlade

9. WhattoolscanIutilizeto
maximizeproductivityand
lowerdevelopmentcosts?
TAKEAWAY #5
An8-sideddevicethatconnectstoyourphone/laptopviaBluetooth.
Byflippingthesides,ittrackstimespentontasks/projectstoidentify
trends&increaseproductivity.
I’vebeenusingitfor3weeksnowtotrackhowmuchtimeIspendoncourse
dev/videoproductionvs.meetings,emailsandadmintasks.It’sbeen
extremelyinsightfulandevenhelpsremindsmetofocusonthetaskathand!
Session:Tools,Apps,andOnlineResources:CommunityFavorites–KimBettendorf

10. • Free!
• I’vebeenhearingalotaboutusingAdobeXD
fore-learningstoryboardinginthepastyear.
• I’dliketoexplorehowthiscanbea
gamechangerto(1)rapidprototypeand(2)
makemassvisualdesignandUIchanges
throughouttheentirecourse.
• Howtoembedthisintomycurrent
workflow,effectivelyexportassets
andminimizerework?
• Free!
• I’minspiredtoexplorehowourteam
canusethistoorganizeL&Dprojects
• Trackgoals,projects,tasks,creative
assets–increasevisibilityand
collaboration
• $49/month
• Iwouldliketoleveragemorevideo/animationsin
courseswithscenariosandsimulationactivities.
• Ilovetheideaofquicklydevelopsequencesusing
VyondandexportintoPremiereProforfurtherediting.
Sessions:PrototypingLearningExperienceswithAdobeXD–NickFloro,SophiaBrown| Tools,Apps,andOnlineResources:CommunityFavorites–NatashaGunn,LaurelleBednar

11. • RuleofThirds–Makeitlookunresolved!
• Diversifyshots-Shootafullshotandcropitto
mediumandclose-upduringpost
• Usetextbyitselfinsteadofanoverlayover
image/videotoreducecognitiveload
• Thereisvalueinanunscriptedvideo,especiallyif
thesubjectisaSME
• Phone+Lapelmic=Power!
TAKEAWAY #6: VIDEO TIPS
Session:FilmSchoolforTrainers–JonathanHalls

12. Sessions:GoingBeyondStandardeLearningTools:ExploringCustomHTML5Development–JeffBatt | UsingAdapttoCreateEngagingLearningApps–CathEllis

13. Leverageotherdepartments/existing
resources(especiallySMEs)
SMEsascreators,L&Dasadvisors
Engageeachareaofthebusinessto
contributeandshareknowledge
CreateadvocatesofL&Dthroughoutthe
business
Provideaccesstotools(easy,WYSIWYG
toolslikeArticulateRise)
Implementsupportsystemwithcheck-ins
Setexpectationsforqualityandestablish
workingagreement.
TAKEAWAY #8
Session:TransformingOrganizationalLearning:SMEsasCreators,L&DasAdvisors–SteveBlane, KenMurray

14. TAKEAWAY #9: MARKET YOUR WORK
I’msuremanythatworkwithin
asmallL&Ddepartmenthas
experiencedthis–
You’rethesoleexpertinwhat
youdoandnobodyelsereally
understandswhatitisyoudo…
Itisnotanexcusenotto
share/marketyourwork!

16. Technologyismerelyatool;
Whatisitthatwearetryingtoscale?
(AndhowcanL&Dplayaroleinthistimeofchange?)
Keynote:TechHumanism:ShapingtheFutureofMeaningfulHumanExperiences–KateO’Neill