Jun 6 2013

Insightful App

Exciting news – We’ve just released our first iPhone App!

It’s called Insightful – Skills for Business and provides a quick and easy way for busy professionals to gain key skills such as:

Delivering a presentation
Running effective meetings
Coaching, delegating and giving feedback

Unlike other apps that have too much text and theory, we’ve used cartoons, stories and case studies to focus the information and bring it to life.

It’s free to download and is available in the iTunes Store (link) or you can check out the website (insightfulskills.com).

You can explore the free topic (delegation) to get a feel for the app and if you like it there is an in-app purchase to unlock the Business Essentials Pack (the remaining 5 topics – coaching, feedback, meetings, presentations, time) for $8.99US.

We’ll be releasing more topics in the coming months including ones on career, project management, business development and customer service. Anyway check it out if you have an iPhone, let us know what you think and tell other people about it!

Feb 22 2013

Good work isn’t enough

“My experience is that people who achieve the most success share one or more of these qualities…”

Read an interesting article this morning on successful people : Good work isn’t enough

Hmmm I wonder what sort of learning activities could develop / enhance these characteristics.

Sep 20 2012

Ideas are just a multiplier of execution

“To me, ideas are worth noting unless executed”

While getting into the development of an iPhone app I remembered this short post about ideas and execution: sivers.org/multiply

A useful thing to keep in mind as the learning and development industry goes through constant change. It helps me to realise that ideas need to be executed on and while it’s nice hearing about the latest trends and fads, I want to see the execution.

Sep 10 2012

Change of Format

As I’m finding my way in this world of blogging, I’ve decided to make a slight change to the format of this blog.

Instead of just longer posts every 3-4 days on broad learning topics that interest me, I’m going to include shorter posts linking to interesting learning articles and websites that I find.

Sep 6 2012

Frontline Training: Apple Style

I read an interesting article that took an inside look at the training workbook for Geniuses at Apple stores. For those who don’t know the geniuses are the ones at the back of the store who help you with technical problems with your Apple gear. Every experience I’ve had with them has been exceptional, so I was interested to see what sort of training they went though on the customer service side of things.

The article: “How To Be a Genius: This Is Apple’s Secret Employee Training Manual” details a learning program which demands a very controlled, prescriptive approach to the genius / customer interaction. This would come as no surprise to people who watch Apple. They are all about controlling the experience, from physical stores to the curated app store to unpacking your Apple gadget. Continue reading →

Aug 18 2012

Mobile Learning: Burst Coaching App

One of the exciting projects that we have going on at Burst is the development of our performance support app called Burst Coaching.

It’s an app targeted at managers who need a little help with crucial conversations.
So the scenario is that a manager has an important conversation or meeting lined up in 30 minutes where there is the potential for that conversation to go pear shaped. Think performance management, feedback, coaching, delegation, negotiating, really any conversation.

The manager needing some just in time learning, reaches for their ever present iPhone, opens up the Burst Coaching app and has a focused burst of learning that ensures the crucial conversation goes well.

Important steps, questions, success stories, pitfalls and even a short practice will give the app just the right learning for a last minute burst.

We’re aiming for a late 2012 release. Stay tuned for more info.

Aug 10 2012

The Beginning…

As way of introduction, I’m Michael Fearne, the owner of Burst Development. I like to help people learn and I like to find new and exciting ways to do that. At the moment I do this mostly in the corporate world in Australia.

I’ve started this blog to help me and to help you, learn about learning. Continue reading →