There is a lot of confusion about documentation, training materials, e-learning, b-learning and plain classroom training.  This article presents the "Channels" concept, which we developed to cut through this confusion.

Most people agree  that classroom training (where the trainer stands up at the front of a room of trainees) is simply "face to face training".  But what if you take the trainer's slides and print them and hand them out?  Again, most people will be happy that this is still part of 'face to face training'.

But what if you put those slides online?  Does that become e-learning?  No, most people would say that there's more to e-learning than just putting slides online.

Okay, what if you include an online delivery of a recording of what the trainer said along with the slides ... is that e-learning?  And what if it was a written script instead of a recording?  And what if instead of delivering it online, you printed it and gave it to the trainees?  Would that still be e-learning?  B-learning?  Just a textbook?  Would it be reference materials?

Channels

Instead of arbitrarily labelling some material as 'reference' and some as 'training', we use the terms proactive channel™, reactive channel™ and interactive channel™*.  Let's start with proactive channel™.

Proactive channel

A proactive channel is one where delivery time is at the organisation's choosing.  So a training session (where the trainee is told where and when to turn up) is proactive.  An e-learning programme, where the trainee has to completed it by a certain date, is proactive.  An induction video is proactive.

So in our earlier example, the training session is proactive, but handing slides out to people instead is not.  Delivering them online, even with a voice-over, is not proactive, if the trainee isn't forced to read/listen to the presentation.

Reactive channel

A reactive channel is one where the delivery time is at the reader's choosing.  So most context-sensitive online help is reactive ... it only appears when you press the F1 key.  A user manual is reactive.  A quick-reference card is reactive.

What's the point of splitting things into proactive and reactive channels like this?

The point is this: proactive channels are best for concepts and familiarisation, and reactive channels are best for facts and procedures.  

A set of facts - for example, the phone extension numbers of all staff members - is best delivered via a reactive channel, like an intranet.  Delivering facts using a proactive channel is pointless, because people don't remember facts for long.  So there's no point putting the phone extension numbers in an induction video ... people will forget them.

Concepts - for example, that internal calls never go to voicemail - are best delivered via a proactive channel, like an induction video.  There's no point putting this information on a reactive channel like the intranet, because it's a concept they should have before they starting using the system (in this case, the phone system).

We call delivery via a proactive channel "preloading".  So the concept of 'no voicemail for internal calls' is preloaded into the head of each inductee when they start with the firm.  Another concept that might be preloaded is 'all the numbers are on the intranet'.

Interactive channel

So what's an interactive channel?  An interactive channel is where the delivery time is chosen by both the organisation and the reader.  A staff meeting is a possible example of this.

Why a possible example?  Because if at the staff meeting, the manager just talks at the staff, that's a proactive channel.  But where a staff member asks a question, and the manager answers it, then that's an interactive channel.  If either of them had decided not to talk, then the exchange would not have taken place ... so it's an interactive channel.

Other interactive channels include staff suggestions schemes, but only where the staff member gets feedback on their suggestion.  In a quality system, a corrective/preventive action system is interactive ... but only when managers respond to the items raised.

What are interactive channels good for?  Interactive channels are best for attitudes.  By encouraging staff to have input or ask questions, and by responding to them, managers can show their attitude to issues, and staff can influence, and be influenced by, those attitudes.

The traditional way we have shown the three types of channel is in a diagram like this:

Click on the image to see a full-sized version

* The terms 'Proactive channel', 'Reactive channel' and 'Interactive channel' are trade marks of Realisation.  This explanation of the concepts embodied in these terms is the intellectual property of Realisation.  You may not copy or reproduce these terms, or this explanation or any similar explanation without express permission from Realisation.  In practice, we normally grant permission where you warrant that you will always display these terms, or the explanation of the concepts embodied by them, in close association with the name Realisation Consulting, plus the URL of this web site: www.realisation.com.au.