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June 2023
Conference / Education / Innovation / Workshop
The new face of learning
Since mid-March, the way we communicate has changed dramatically. Granted, in consulting, the very nature of working in a variety of locations always involved some level of digital communication, but as many professionals around the world moved to working at home, that quickly became the rule, rather than the exception. Colleagues went from impromptu meetings in the office to scheduled check-ins, and calls with clients moved to whatever video platform was available. Certainly, we are all quite fortunate to be living at a time when face-to-face communication is not limited to physical, in-person connections.
But beyond the day-to-day meetings, with most teams operating at a distance, there has been a definitive shift in how workshops and knowledge sharing are taking place. In my opinion, this new face of learning presents an incredible opportunity to reach broader audiences than ever before.
Having worked in communications and marketing for nearly a decade, I recognize the power digital media has had in changing the way people meet and do business. While webinars and digital workshops are not a new phenomenon, the prevalence of them exploded as COVID-19 forced everyone to move activities online. In the past several months, it has been possible to find a webinar nearly everyday, if you have the time.
Mobycon has been contributing to that forum with our Webinar Series, featuring 30-60 minute sessions on a variety of topics we were already regularly delivering in person at conferences or on location with clients. It has allowed us to continue providing expertise while also interacting with our clients and partners. With no clear end to Corona measures in the months to come, we will also look to find new ways to use digital mediums to run workshops and engagement sessions with our clients.
Staying connected, even from across borders, time zones and continents will prove incredibly important in our line of work, especially when we are all traveling significantly less. I see this mainly as a net-positive. Budgets previously set aside for getting consultants on-site can be redistributed to new learning platforms, professional-quality video training programs and workshops can be created, and, of course, there will be less ecological impact on a planet that remains under threat. Learning can be better catered to an audience, and the interactivity of the latest digital mediums means even from a distance, participants can engage meaningfully with their presenter.
Even conferences canceled due to the pandemic are moving to digital platforms, which is actually expanding their traditional reach. Event attendance previously dependent on budget, location, timing, etc., in now accessible by virtually anyone, anywhere. Event organizers who would have been limited in their options for keynote speakers, moderators and presenters no longer are restricted, which has the potential to offer opportunities to new voices that historically may have been overlooked, or simply unable to attend due to any number of other life commitments. At a time when many are crying out for a shift in dialogue, one that is more equitably distributed among women, people of colour and members of the LGBTQ+ community, removing the physical constraints opens the digital stage to entire swathes of new faces and ideas.
The challenge of course is digital fatigue. Many, including myself, find it imperative to step away from the screen outside of work hours to feel like we are disconnecting form the world at least some of the time. But rather than seeing this as a setback, I view this as a chance to create meaningful, high-quality and valuable content. Sessions that build on international ideas to help us share what we have learned on a much more global scale.
We all experience the world differently. If location is no longer a barrier to learning from and about each other’s experiences, just imagine the possibilities!
Stay tuned to Mobycon’s digital learning opportunities by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on social media @mobycon. Check out our YouTube Channel to see previous webinars.