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• The PC process we’re referring to here is a performance analysis model (e.g., Gilbert’s Behavioral Engineering Model).

• The ADDIE process is an instructional design model. ADDIE stands for Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate.

In regards to the question posed above, it’s the “A” step that creates some confusion between these two processes. The tasks in this “Analyze” step include: clarifying the instructional problem, establishing instructional goals and objectives, assessing the audience’s needs, examining learners’ existing knowledge, and considering the learning environment, constraints, delivery modalities, and timeline.

Notice that the focus here is on “instruction.” That focus presumes that instruction is the solution to a performance problem. Indeed, sometimes it is. How do we arrive at this conclusion? We arrive at it through the PC process.

Let’s break down the distinctions between the PC Process and ADDIE “A” in the table below:

1. Establish common ground. What business-relevant goals do you and your client have in common? Start by acknowledging a shared interest.
2. Focus on results, not emotion. What are the action steps necessary to accomplish the business and performance results that both you and client can agree upon? Rather than becoming angry or exasperated, simply think about the end result and how to accomplish it. Then, you won’t have time for emotions.
3. Influence through reciprocity. What might this client want that you can provide? Reciprocity helps you to influence your clients. If they, for example, afford you the time to conduct a thorough needs analysis, you could reciprocate by providing them with the statistics that help them sell their ideas more effectively to their manager.
4. Inquire and Listen.  Never put words in another person’s mouth.  Ask their thoughts.  Listen to their concerns.
5. Attune and Facilitate.  Step into the other persons shoes and imagine what it may be like to be in their position.  After you “see from their eyes”, facilitate a problem-solving discussion.  State your understanding of the other’s concerns and move towards a resolution.

• Gaining Access

• Building Credibility

• Fostering Trust

• Develop visibility by offering to serve on corporate initiatives where we will interact with these individuals

• Ask an existing client or colleague who regards us favorably to provide an introduction to the new client

• Offer to share our research with this new client in an area that he/she may be interested in—research that has business value

• Demonstrate that we possess knowledge of their business—and more importantly, skills in helping to make their business more successful by developing their employees. We can do so by sharing what we know about the client’s business priorities and describing to the client how partnering with us will help him/her satisfy those priorities. We can sell clients on the value of our skill set and services.

• Be a good listener. Ask probing questions about projects currently underway or new projects the client envisions in the future. Listen; then, discuss our unique skill set with the client as we offer to assist with new or existing projects. We may also want to share examples of our work with the client.

• Seek clarity and confirmation on the client’s expectations of us, and—at the same time—share our expectations of the client. We can voice our assumptions and have the client voice his or her assumptions as well. We can do so honestly, openly, and frankly.

• Meet or exceed the client’s expectations. In doing so, we’ll build credibility and foster trust.

• Get to know the client personally, as well as professionally. Work is one dimension of the client’s life. What matters to the client outside of work? We can take an interest in all facets of the client’s life.

by Rich Mesch



I’m an excitable boy; I admit that. I’m so fascinated by the possibilities of new tools and technologies for learning, that I ponder why everybody doesn’t just jump on the bandwagon. And that’s why, when I read Karl and Tony’s book, I naturally gravitated towards the sections about adoption of new technology. Learning in 3D covers a lot of ground, but I appreciate the pragmatism of the authors to consider the inevitable question: now that we’ve established the effectiveness of the approach, how do we actually get people to do this?

I know of one large company that attempted to implement a Virtual Immersive Environment (VIE) strategy—very smart people doing very smart things. But despite that, their first effort was rocky. Why? Well, in brief, because they tried to do everything all at once. The audience had difficulty coming up to speed so quickly (What’s an avatar? Why do I have one? How do I get in the room? How do I sit in this chair? Why can’t I hear the presenter?), got confused, and frustrated. The fact that the software hit some technical snags didn’t help.

The nice thing about the book is that it’s sort of a “Radical’s Handbook”—if you read it carefully, it’s all about overthrowing the status quo and putting a new learning regime in place. Well, okay, that’s a bit extreme; in fact, a lot of what I like about it is that it recommends a sane, rational, structured way to adopting a new approach—the kind that won’t make people run screaming.

So while the book is full of killer content, there are some sections I was naturally drawn to. Barton Pursel’s section on Designing Learning Spaces in VIE is great. It reminds us that any capability or platform is simply a tool; you need great design to create a valuable learning experience. He makes a great point about the affordances of virtual worlds, those qualities that allow users to perform specific actions. Even though virtual worlds are realistic some things (such as travel) are actually much, much simpler—good design leverages those features. In fact, he makes a lot of the same points I used to make about simulation in general: just because you can make the environment just like reality doesn’t mean you should.  You want to focus on those things that create a great experience. As learning professionals, we need to focus on those things that make Virtual Immersive Environments unique, such as:

• The ability to visualize, move, and explore in 3 dimensions

• A persistent environment that you can manage and return to

• The ability to collaborate in real time

• The ability to create (and co-create) content (at least in some platforms!)

• The ability to create an avatar that reflects your own persona, and not just what some programmer told you that you could have

Perhaps my favorite sections are the ones on Enterprise Adoption and the aptly named chapter called Rules from Revolutionaries. These sections focus on the biggest challenges ahead of us: if we believe in this stuff, how do we bring it to our stakeholders? How do we get corporations to see this as a business issue, and not just as a cool new toy. The advice here is perhaps the most valuable in the book; implementing VIEs is a business decision, not a learning decision. Ultimately, a lot of people need to be brought to the table. The most successful corporate adoption of VIE capability that I’m aware of followed the recommendations in this section nearly to the letter. Read this section carefully—this stuff works.

by Rich Mesch

 I was so excited when Karl Kapp and Tony O’Driscoll invited me  aboard the blog tour, I took the liberty of inviting some friends to  the party. So today, you get 4 for the price of 1, as we have  multiple perspectives on Karl and Tony’s book, Learning in 3D. Joining the conversation today are regular contributors Dr. Dawn  Francis and Sherry Engel, as well as a guest contributor, ace  instructional designer Robin Harmony.

 I’m grateful to Karl and Tony for beginning to define what has  largely been an undefined learning space. Much as Clark Aldrich did  years ago for the crazy-quilt space that was Simulation, Karl and  Tony have begun the process of transforming 3D learning from  “emerging technology” to “learning strategy.” Good, good stuff  and I’m thrilled to be part of the process.

 Click this link to purchase the book at a 20% discount using code L3D1. No financial interest for me or my organization, but why shouldn’t you save some money?

On to the posts!

• The caller mistakenly perceives you as an order taker who will satisfy his request through a transactional exchange.

• The caller mistakenly perceives your learning organization as the Wal-mart for Training Needs.

When immersed in a 3D environment, a person is cognitively encoding the sounds, sights, and spatial relationships of the environment and is behaviorally engaged. The person becomes emotionally involved and behaves and acts as he or she would in the actual situation. When this happens, it allows the learner to more effectively encode the learning for future recall and provides the cues needed to apply the experience from the 3D world to actual on—the—job performance. In short, 3DLEs are the ultimate “learning by doing” platform. They can provide a “fun” environment for working together, as well as an environment filled with stress and surprises. 3DLEs can mimic the actual work situation and cause real physical reactions from participant such as increased heartbeat, laughter, and perspiration.