Is video always the best way to teach something? Video has transformed the world of workplace learning and still makes up a huge part of it today. Just about any workplace, big or small, can create training videos with minimal cost. But it doesn’t always make it the right tool for the job.

In this throwback episode of The Visual Lounge, host Matt Pierce revisits a conversation with Jonathan Halls, author and head of his own company as a workplace learning and talent development consultant.

Jonathan breaks down the three questions to ask to determine whether video is the right medium to use and his take on why overly polished content isn’t always necessary. We get a little geeky about learning science to explore how learning actually occurs in the viewer’s minds and how this shaped Jonathan’s whole mindset on training content.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 – 01:08 Why we’re revisiting this episode
• 01:08 – 03:56 Introduction to Jonathan
• 03:56 – 04:52 Jonathan’s quick tips for using video in workplace learning
• 04:52 – 06:04 The mindset shift Jonathan recommends
• 06:04 – 09:24 Three questions to ask to decide on a learning medium
• 09:24 – 14:47 How to provoke learning with video and why “learning” requires context
• 14:47 – 18:06 Where video is most effective in the learning journey
• 18:06 – 22:38 Do learning videos need to be overly polished?
• 22:38 – 29:41 Jonathan gives a quick breakdown on why he wrote his book
• 29:41 – 33:14 Speed round questions
• 33:14 – 34:30 Jonathan’s final take
• 34:30 – 35:55 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhalls