RemembeRing FoRwaRd

Using Emotion and Storytelling to Increase Learning Retention

Photo: Ractapopulous on Pixabay

intRoduction

• Currently at Acrolinx (Project Management and Training)

• Formerly Boeing (Technical Writing and Knowledge Management)

• Also previously high school math teacher and Communications Officer U.S. Navy

• Interests: Emotive Analytics, Technical Storytelling

• Technically Eclectic @techniceclecticwww.technicallyeclectic.com

who

• Instructional designers (because this is the IDL SIG)

• Technical content creators (because this is STC)

• Any situation where • you are explaining or transmitting information • to an audience or user• who needs to learn or remember something• to accomplish a task • after training is complete or the words are read.

what

• Introduce the theory of remembering forward, a concept from Impossible to Ignore: Creating Memorable Content to Influence Decisions by Carmen Simon, PhD

• Provide value.

• Share ideas to implement in your own situation.

For content to be effective, it must affect people’s emotions.

The best way to affect emotions is through storytelling.

Even in technical content.

Photo Pixabay

what might be missing…

Photo Wikimedia Commons

a timely RemindeR

Photo: Kevin on Unsplash

“PeoPle act on what they RemembeR,

not on what they FoRget”

Carmen Simon

what haPPens next?

Photo: Skeeze on Pixabay

tyPes oF behavioR

Reflexive• Subconscious• Stimulus-Reward

Habitual • Routine

Goal-Oriented

• Willing to change our minds in light of new information.

why memoRy is imPoRtant

1. The brain is a predictive engine.

2. We look to the future to extract value for our present actions.

3. We share content with audiences now, for them to remember and act on later.

a choReogRaPheR oF delayed intentions

Photo: Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash

We share content here

They remember and act here

Notice cues

Search memory

Execute intention

(if rewarding enough)

Credit: Carmen Simon

noticeseaRchexecute

Photo: Clark Young on Unsplash

We share content here

They remember and act here

Notice cues

Search memory

Execute intention

(if rewarding enough)

Credit: Carmen Simon

meta-summaRy

• Do I have cue-memory-response? • Squishy yes. Learning objective is to raise awareness and

thought. • Assessment is measure by how people think and feel, rather

than any action or changed behavior that might occur as a result of what we discussed today.

• Am I changing reflex, habit, or goal-oriented behavior?• It depends. There isn’t a large reason to change as a result of

this one experience, unless it overlaps and enhances a goal or habit someone already has.

• What memories are you leaving with?• Story-ful pictures, examples, and a timeline

thankyou

Photo: Ractapopulous on Pixabay

Linkedin.com/in/allieproff

allieproff@gmail.com

@techniceclectic

www.technicallyeclectic.com