So, Where does Video Work Well?

In my last post I compared one kind of video training content that I had seen with eLearning. Thinking back I started wondering … in what training situations is video really more effective?

Here are a few examples of where I have seen them used very effectively.

·   To exemplify and therefore help in learning a specific behavior. For example, to teach managers how to give negative feedback or to teach how to conduct a conversation to help someone identify their goals and aspirations.

·    To help people experience certain situations in a simulated environment. For example, before teaching why it is important to first empathize, a video can be used to show what feelings are generated when there is no empathy. A good video can immerse participants in the situation and help them feel the pain. And, this can be a great motivator for learning how not to be the one causing this pain.

·    To help teach a psychomotor skill when it is not possible or is too expensive to provide hands-on training. For example, teaching someone how to maintain a cement kiln. In this situation training can be complete only after hands-on but some amount of initial training can happen through effective use of video.

·    To create awareness of a process. For example, how to handle a customer as they drive into a petrol pump. This course that I have seen was targeted towards attendants at  a petrol pump who were being told about the entire process of handling a customer beginning with directing them to the appropriate filing station as they drive in through to handing over the receipt to them and wishing them a good day as they leave.

In all of the above situations, video was perhaps the most effective method of training and therefore the higher cost of creating such training was completely justified.