About Andrea

For the past 15 years, I have been designing training programs, change management initiatives, and user support systems for large ERP implementations, particularly SAP. Most recently, I've been working on training programs for the propane industry. As VP, Instructional Design Services for Dashe & Thomson, Inc. I see myself as a translator, taking complex ideas and systems and making them easy for a learner to understand. In my free time, I enjoy reading, medical lectures, belly dancing and regular visits to my massage therapist.
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The Snowball Effect: Documentation and Training for Global ERP Systems

The Snowball Effect: Documentation and Training for Global ERP Systems

by on March 14, 2012 in ERP Training, system implementation training, Training Development

Once upon a time, a major manufacturing company implemented SAP to handle all of their North American operations. Several years passed and the company implemented new SAP modules and fine-tuned existing modules. Everything was working well and they were getting a good return on their system investment. Finally, it was time to start bringing the wonder of SAP to the company’s global operations.

The company was smart and planned a phased global implementation over several years. First they went to countries south of the border where a different language was spoken by many. So, the company scribes (Instructional Designers and Documentation Specialists) and their SMEs created materials in their native tongue and sent them along to another company to translate into the 2nd language. But alas, the screen shots were still in the 1st language! The translators did not know SAP and the scribes did not know the …

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Gamification in Workplace Learning: The Role of Play

Gamification in Workplace Learning: The Role of Play

by on October 20, 2011 in LCBQ

This month, the Learning Circuits Blog is back with its first “real” big question since Tony Karrer took a break from managing the blog. In the new format of a different industry thought leader managing the blog each month, Ben Betts is up to bat for October. Mr. Betts  is the Managing Director for HT2 and his big question for this month  is “Does Gamification Have a Role in Workplace Learning?”

Let’s start with the simple answer. Yes, it does. Gamification definitely has a role in workplace learning. Too bad this topic is not nearly as simple as yes or no…but the interesting stuff never is.

So now for the more complicated answer. It still starts with yes, but only if the gamification serves a purpose other than “all the cool kids are doing it.” I’ve been thinking about this question since it was posted a couple of weeks ago. It quickly dawned …

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The New and the Troublesome: Suggestions for the LCBQ Hot List in 2011-2012

The New and the Troublesome: Suggestions for the LCBQ Hot List in 2011-2012

by on September 22, 2011 in LCBQ

Tony Karrer is taking a break from the Learning Circuits blog big question of the month (#LCBQ).  Good for you, Tony!  There’s alot to be said for stepping off the merry-go-round for awhile to let your stomach settle or even to enjoy a different ride.
In Tony’s place, the LC Blog will invite thought leaders and industry experts to post and manage their own LCBQs on a weekly basis, starting next month. With that in mind, the big question for September is “What issues and trends do you think are having a major impact on the industry—and should be on the hot list for the LC Blog to tackle?”  It’s a good question, and I am happy to share my thoughts. Let’s start with a few issues I would like to see addressed over the next year and then move on to trends.

Issues

  1. Globalization: Increasingly, we are seeing corporate

    2. …

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Instructional Design Lessons from the World of Theatre

Instructional Design Lessons from the World of Theatre

by on August 22, 2011 in Instructional Design, subject matter experts, Training Development

For more than a decade in the late part of the last century (I get a kick out of saying that) my life was theatre. During that period, I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Acting and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing for the stage. I acted in and/or directed over 75 plays, in both academic and professional theatres in the Midwest and on the west coast, won awards in both disciplines, taught classes, and was moderately successful at supporting myself in a very tough industry.

Alas, while I loved the theatre and this part of my life, a point came when I was no longer happy with the financial return on my investments of  time and creativity. The stability and salary of a “regular” job became more appealing and I quickly found myself employed by a consulting firm focused on SAP training and change management, while …

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eLearning and Fun: Two Words Not Normally Seen Together

eLearning and Fun: Two Words Not Normally Seen Together

by on July 20, 2011 in eLearning

Over at the Learning Circuits blog, the big question for July is “How do you make eLearning fun?” They are not asking for much there, are they? As my grandmother used to say, Uff Da…

Before I write myself into a tips for fun eLearning quagmire, I think it would be prudent to back up a little bit and ask “Should eLearning be fun?”  My answer to that, in classic consultant fashion, is it depends. It depends on the topic, the audience, the organization and a myriad of other considerations. If you are creating an eLearning course on interpersonal skills, then sure, it can and probably should be fun. On the other hand, if you are creating a course on end of life considerations for terminally ill patients, fun is likely not the appropriate treatment for that subject.

Now, subject matter, audience, and organizational issues aside, I do believe that all eLearning courses should …

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