Reflection – Learning Launch

Challenge   I work at non-profit that provides training programmes for young entrepreneurs at various  levels of expertise. We then monitor the outcome of these courses by tracking individual  entrepreneurs’ progression and advancement in their respective endeavours. After a  number of cohorts passed graduated the programme, we found that their progress became  stagnant. I suggested to my team that we provide more interactive curriculums to engage  the clients better and increase the likelihood of retaining and applying the lessons learned  throughout the programme after graduation.    Selection  I felt that the best tool to use at this stage is a learning launch to test the validity of this idea  while keeping an open mind and understanding that we may need to iterate and develop  other rapid, inexpensive learning launches in order to find the most effective solution for  this problem. I use this tool often when developing innovative solutions as I find that it gives  stakeholders a better, more realistic perspective of what the clients are looking for and their  responsiveness to change.    Application  I gathered 20 trainers, entrepreneurs, educators and business development experts and  other relevant stakeholders in a two-day workshop wherein we came up with an array of  assumptions regarding potential solutions to the stagnation issue. We discussed each  assumption in detail in groups of 5 so that each expert would have the opportunity to  openly express their opinions. Each group was given a flip chart, pens, sticky notes and  markers to create their own visual mind map. By the end of the workshop, the attendees  voted for the ideas they felt would be most impactful on the young entrepreneurs.     My idea of making learning more interactive was voted for and so I was tasked with leading  the learning launch. My colleagues and I worked to develop a matrix for measuring the  success of the learning launch including engagement with course material, ability to retain  information and ability to apply lessons learned in real-life scenarios. Information was  gathered in the form of questionnaires, submission of assignments and by simulating  situations with instructors.    The entrepreneurs in the upcoming cohort of a 6-week course were divided into two  groups. The control group (group A) were taught lessons in the same way they had been  taught in previous years and the test group (group B) received interactive lessons in the  form of gamification wherein aspects of gamification theory in education such as teamwork  and scoreboards were introduced. The implementation of the learning launch was  inexpensive as the software developers within the I.T. unit of the organisation were able to  develop relatively simple yet engaging games for the students. Graphics and specialised  features were created by some alumni of the programme in a show of support for our work.    Insight  The control group (group A) performed more or less at the same level as the four cohorts  before them with significant difficulty in retention and applications of lessons. The test

group, however, performed better especially in the case of retaining information.  Entrepreneurs who were part of this group cited that they found it much easier to recall  information that was taught to them in competitive games that involved teamwork and  scoreboards.    Despite some flaws in the idea such as the effectiveness of an intervention in such a short  space of time, we learned that creating more interactive learning sessions are more likely to  have a positive outcome on students’ ability to pay attention in class and retain information.  Moving forward, I would also like to run the same or a similar learning launch using a more  advanced matrix for impact assessment for more detailed data and insights.    Approach  Due to the relative success of the learning launch, I was able to encourage the CEO of the  organisation to allow us to continue developing and working on this experimental method  of learning provided that the data indicates that the intervention is working. If not, the  team’s agility and learning mindset will be used to iterate and reframe ideas to fit the design  challenge ensuring a client-centred focus.


Reflection – Learning Launch Challenge I work at non - profit that provides training programmes for young entrepreneurs at various levels of expertise . We then monitor the outcome of these courses by tracking individual entrepreneurs ’ progression and advancement in their respective endeavours . After a number of cohorts passed graduated the programme , we found that their progress became stagnant . I suggested to my team that we provide more interactive curriculums to engage the clients better and increase the likelihood of retaining and applying the lessons learned throughout the programme after graduation . Selection I felt that the best tool to use at this stage is a learning launch to test the validity of this idea while keeping an open mind and understanding that we may need to iterate and develop other rapid , inexpensive learning launches in order to find the most effective solution for this problem . I use this tool often when developing innovative solutions as I find that it gives stakeholders a better , more realistic perspective of what the clients are looking for and their responsiveness to change . Application I gathered 20 trainers , entrepreneurs , educators and business development experts and other relevant stakeholders in a two - day workshop wherein we came up with an array of assumptions regarding potential solutions to the stagnation issue . We discussed each assumption in detail in groups of 5 so that each expert would have the opportunity to openly express their opinions . Each group was given a flip chart , pens , sticky notes and markers to create their own visual mind map . By the end of the workshop , the attendees voted for the ideas they felt would be most impactful on the young entrepreneurs . My idea of making learning more interactive was voted for and so I was tasked with leading the learning launch . My colleagues and I worked to develop a matrix for measuring the success of the learning launch including engagement with course material , ability to retain information and ability to apply lessons learned in real - life scenarios . Information was gathered in the form of questionnaires , submission of assignments and by simulating situations with instructors . The entrepreneurs in the upcoming cohort of a 6 - week course were divided into two groups . The control group ( group A ) were taught lessons in the same way they had been taught in previous years and the test group ( group B ) received interactive lessons in the form of gamification wherein aspects of gamification theory in education such as teamwork and scoreboards were introduced . The implementation of the learning launch was inexpensive as the software developers within the I.T. unit of the organisation were able to develop relatively simple yet engaging games for the students . Graphics and specialised features were created by some alumni of the programme in a show of support for our work . Insight The control group ( group A ) performed more or less at the same level as the four cohorts before them with significant difficulty in retention and applications of lessons . The test group , however , performed better especially in the case of retaining information . Entrepreneurs who were part of this group cited that they found it much easier to recall information that was taught to them in competitive games that involved teamwork and scoreboards . Despite some flaws in the idea such as the effectiveness of an intervention in such a short space of time , we learned that creating more interactive learning sessions are more likely to have a positive outcome on students ’ ability to pay attention in class and retain information . Moving forward , I would also like to run the same or a similar learning launch using a more advanced matrix for impact assessment for more detailed data and insights . Approach Due to the relative success of the learning launch , I was able to encourage the CEO of the organisation to allow us to continue developing and working on this experimental method of learning provided that the data indicates that the intervention is working . If not , the team ’s agility and learning mindset will be used to iterate and reframe ideas to fit the design challenge ensuring a client - centred focus .