Totara Talks Talent

Host: Matt Linaker

Guests:

• David Dent, Learning & Development Business Partner, Blind Veterans UK
• Maia Miller, Managing Director, Aleph Accessibility
• Steve Barnett, Front-End Developer, Intopia
• Paul Clark, Head of Experience Design, Totara

Episode Overview:

In this insightful episode, we dive into the topic of digital accessibility in learning and development. Our guests—David Dent from Blind Veterans UK, Maia Miller of Aleph Accessibility, and Steve Barnett, a front-end developer specialising in accessibility—explore how to create more inclusive digital learning experiences. From practical steps to improve accessibility to larger philosophical discussions on inclusion, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about making digital learning accessible to all.

We also get a behind-the-scenes update from Paul Clark, Head of Experience Design at Totara, who discusses exciting accessibility initiatives Totara is implementing to enhance user experiences.

Key Topics:

• What accessibility in digital learning really means
• Common barriers learners face and how to address them
• The importance of "baking in" accessibility from the start rather than as an afterthought
• Practical advice for making content more inclusive, even under time pressure
• The future of accessibility and dynamic content adaptation, including AI and user feedback
• How accessibility applies to compliance training and assessment methods
• Encouraging continuous feedback on accessibility from learners

Key Quotes:

• "Is it really engaging content if people can't engage with it?" — Maia Miller
• "If you display it, say it." — David Dent
• "Accessibility is a people problem, not a technology problem." — Steve Barnett
• "Progress, not perfection. Focus on small improvements and keep moving forward." — Maia Miller

Resources Mentioned:

• Aleph Accessibility
• Microsoft Inclusive Design
• Accessibility Insights by Microsoft
• WebAIM
• TPGI Resources
• Deque

About Totara:

Totara develops talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of learning professionals at totara.community to share ideas and collaborate.

In this episode, we're joined by Brendan Kilshaw, Performance Consultant at the Met Office, and Malcolm Taylor, Head of Capability at the UK Health Security Agency.

We delve into the significance of skills frameworks, sharing insights into the process of skills mapping and its importance in measuring competencies. Brendan and Malcolm guide us through the initial steps of setting up a skills framework, including identifying key competencies for various roles, and the importance of customising these frameworks to meet specific industry needs.

We explore the challenges they faced, strategies for successful stakeholder involvement, and how they integrated skills frameworks into their training programs. They also highlight the metrics used to measure skill improvements, the role of technology in tracking progress, and the real-world impact on organisational performance.

You can learn more about the Met Office's case study here and their Totara Partner Catalyst IT here.

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we speaks with Dr. Doug Belshaw, a global advocate for Open Badges.

We delve into the history, evolution, and future of Open Badges, discussing their significant role in professional development and lifelong learning. Doug shares practical advice on implementing Open Badges, whether starting from scratch or enhancing an existing strategy, and highlights how they can effectively engage teams and recognise skills and achievements.

Tune in to discover how Open Badges are transforming the way we value and acknowledge professional growth.

If you'd like to take a free course on how to use Open Badges in your Totara platform you can access a course in the Totara Community.

Storytelling can transform the learning experience, making it more engaging and memorable. This episode covers how to effectively integrate stories into learning design and the impact they have on learner engagement and retention.

Today's Guests:

• Cathy Gillespie: Director and Learning Consultant at Like-Minded Learning Limited
• Miranda Verswijvelen: Senior Learning Designer at Learningworld Design and PhD Researcher
• Sami Chan: Learning Designer at Learning Nexus

Join us as we chat with Cathy, Miranda, and Sami about the importance of storytelling in learning and development. We'll explore when and where storytelling is most effective, how to craft compelling stories for educational purposes, and ways to measure their impact.

In the episode, Cathy mentions a resource from Chris Banks on storytelling which you can access here.

Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

Stay up to date with the latest Totara news, product updates, resources and events by signing up to our newsletter.

In this episode we're reflecting on how to build out an engaging onboarding experience for all your new starters.

First we hear from Harpal Sandhu, a Consultant at Deloitte UK as we learn all about how they collaborated with Totara Platinum Partner Deloitte Belgium to create their Major Programmes onboarding journey.

You can learn more about the project in the Totara Community here.

Then we hear from Sam Taylor and Anna Bishop about how Catalyst It have designed an engaging onboarding program for all their new starters. Catalyst is a founding Totara Partner, specialising in developing, designing and supporting enterprise-grade open source solutions.

You can learn more about Totara at Totara.com

Join us as we explore the exciting yet often challenging experience of starting a new job. We'll delve into the crucial role of onboarding in ensuring that every new employee feels welcomed and empowered to excel in their new role.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the way we work has undergone a seismic shift. With many organisations grappling with the transition to remote, hybrid, or flexible work models, the landscape of onboarding has evolved significantly. Now more than ever, it's essential for organisations to revisit and refine their onboarding practices to meet the needs of a changing workforce.

In these episodes, we'll take you behind the scenes with industry experts to uncover the strategies and best practices that drive successful onboarding programs. From innovative approaches to traditional methods, we'll explore a range of perspectives to help you optimise your onboarding process.

In this episode we sit down with Jill Scott, the People & Organisational Development Director at Atlas Workplace Services, a leading facilities management organisation based in the UK. Jill will share her insights into creating a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success.

In part 2 of this episode we hear from Simon Perry and Vanessa Higby, who are at the forefront of onboarding at NEFLT, a National Health Service trust in the UK. They'll provide valuable insights into how their trust has tailored its onboarding program to meet the unique needs of healthcare professionals. We also dive into how they managed onboarding for the nightingale project during the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Atlas workplace services work with Totara Platinum Partner Hubken Group and NEFLT work with Platinum Partner Chambury Learning Services.

Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

Stay up to date with the latest Totara news, product updates, resources and events by signing up to our newsletter

Join us in this compelling episode of Totara Talks Talent as we delve into the world of impactful learning with seasoned expert, Lori Niles-Hofmann. Lori challenges L&D professionals with a thought-provoking question: "How are we helping the business make money, save money, or mitigate risk?"

As a sneak peek, Lori will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Totara User Conference which you can register for now taking place online on the 21st of February 2024.

During our conversation, Lori introduces the website 'There's an AI for that,' providing a valuable resource for our listeners. You can access it through the link shared in the episode.

Totara is dedicated to fostering lasting employee success. Explore more about Totara at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

To stay informed about the latest Totara news, product updates, resources, and upcoming events, be sure to sign up to our newsletter.

In this episode we’re going to be talking about all the new features available to Totara subscribers in version 18 of the Talent Experience Platform.

You can learn more about the latest version of the Talent Experience Platform in a few different ways:

1) Take a look at Totara's help documentation.

2) Sign up to webinars.

3) Watch webinars on demand at a time that suits you.

4) Take Totara Academy courses, showcasing the new features in detail.

Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

Stay up to date with the latest Totara news, product updates, resources and events by signing up to our newsletter.

In this episode we’re going to be talking about the current trends in the HR Tech and learning and development landscape. We’ll look at where organisations are investing and what you can do now to invest in your people’s skills. We’ll discuss how you can build a talent experience in your own organisation and reflect on ways to avoid a downward L&D spiral. 

Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

Stay up to date with the latest Totara news, product updates, resources and events by signing up to our newsletter.