Letter to subscribers

Some of us favor push marketing (letting email nudge you to come back here to look at something) and others like pull (the content is here whenever you come and get it.)

Every two or three months, I send an email to the push people, those who pressed thebutton.

The rest of this post is the email they’re receiving today. (I prefer the “Notify Me” option myself.)

The initial era of eLearning has officially ended. Sometimes it worked very well; many times, it was a disaster. January was the first time I’ve heard thought leaders acknowledge eLearning’s massive failures publically. From now on, it is not useful to declare first-generation eLearning ineffective. We know that. Now the job is to make things better. Some people are doing exciting things.

In the not-distant future, enterprise apps are going to swallow eLearning in the Global 500. Sam Adkins has written the definitive research in this area, and it’s for sale at the Internet Time Store. Sam and I intend to produce better research than the major research houses at a fraction of the price. Take a look at the free samples.

Lance Dublin’s and my book, Implementing eLearning, is selling well, in part because it’s written in plain English, not HTML. Lance is offering eLearning Tune-Ups to get stalled programs back on the road. We work together on the more extensive engagements. I’ve posted some pre-edit “unexpurgated” chapters of the book’s website.

The eLearning Jump Page got a total makeover, returning to its roots as my personal research page. This latest version has more and better links than previous incarnations. Underneath are two dozen explanatory pages on things like Metrics, Implementation, Knowledge Management, and Design. Check out the Center for Visual Learning. Google indexes the entire site. That’s how I often find things in this labyrinth I’ve created.

Europe beckons. Later this week I head to the UK to keynote an eLearning conference. The week thereafter I’ll be working with Didaxis Group in Paris on culture programs. I’m selling the European eLearning Directory in the store. There is such incredible opportunity — so long as we don’t initiate a war that makes even America’s allies hate us.

My home page has morphed into a real-time blog because the world seems to be moving faster and faster. The metronome of business is a blur. Speed trumps just about everything. Half-baked but timely information has more value than tardy certainties. Expect more focus on change and less on eternal truths.

Someone recently expressed surprise that I write white papers, give speeches, train sales people, and develop strategies for a fee. The recession is a blunt instrument. You need something done? I have excess capacity. Call me.

I’m collecting anecdotes of eLearning’s greatest hits and worst fiascos. I’d love to hear from you.

Peace be with you.

jay

Posted by Jay Cross at March 11, 2003 05:09 PM | TrackBack