Mobile Learning And Performance Support: A Match Made In Heaven
Performance support are resources available to the employee at the point of need. It can be something as simple as a job-aid that reminds employees of what they must do, or a simple list of the steps that they need to follow to implement a process. Since everyone has a mobile device these days, they can serve as the perfect vehicle to deliver information to help perform a task or solve a problem at the point of need.
Performance support is usually add-on information or refresher knowledge provided to the learner on a topic. It can be in the form of micro assets such as podcasts, videos, infographics, eBooks, flashcards, and digital job-aids. The increasing complexities in the corporate world have made it necessary for employees to have deep knowledge. Employees need access to updated, just-in-time, and on-demand information to perform their jobs well.
Employees need performance support when they have to remember or implement what was already learned – like when they need to service a machine, need access to updated information, or learn about competitors’ specs. Mobile learning and performance support enable organizations to provide instruction and support simultaneously, which is of great help to present day employees with multiple responsibilities.
With performance support, learners remember the information they need to do their jobs. But remember, performance support cannot replace training. It can only reinforce what has already been learned. To meet this purpose, the content for performance support should be short, contextual, and appropriate to the task at hand. The focus here is to help the learner apply the learning that has been gained through formal training earlier.
The personalized support provided by performance support tools helps employees find answers to their questions and problems within minutes and through a device that is with them at all times. They can use this information to solve a work-related problem or challenge, which may not necessarily occur within the workplace. For example, a salesperson may need to access comparison charts when talking to a customer. Since the solution is available on their mobile devices, the training assumes a personal, real-world context.
Why Is Performance Support Required?
1. Reduces Errors
There are certain tasks where errors may have costly repercussions. For instance, when assembling high-cost sophisticated medical equipment, the service technician has to know the precise steps as making a mistake can damage the equipment. Performance support in the form of job-aids available on his mobile device will act as a quick reference and help him avoid such errors.
2. Offers Updated Information
A salesperson needs to be aware of the latest updates to his company’s products and that of competitors’ to effectively pitch the product to the client. This information can be provided as performance support on his mobile device, to be accessed before meeting a prospective client.
3. Improves Process Training
Employees may find it difficult to remember all the steps involved in complex processes and may need help when executing the process. In such cases, performance support material delivered through mobile devices in the form of ‘how-to’ guides will reinforce the process and help learners carry out the steps properly.
Why Use The Mobile Format For Performance Support?
Mobile devices are the perfect vehicle to provide performance support because they are accessible to the learner at all times. This makes them ideal to provide real-time help to solve a problem or reinforce learning.
Bandwidth issues may occur if employees in remote locations have to access performance support modules on their mobile devices. But today mobile devices can store information in the offline mode as well, that allows employees to access information without being connected to the Internet.
Mobile learning and performance support are made for each other and mobile devices are the ideal vehicles to support learners when they need a quick refresher or require immediate support to solve a problem or answer a question.
