This episode we're giving the channel over to one of our favourite podcasts, Video Learning Lab. The podcast is hosted by Kevin Alster, who runs an innovative video learning company called Synthesia, which uses lifelike AI-generated avatars as presenters. We're going to feature Kevin as a guest on the Learning Hack very soon, but in this podcast he interviews John. Kevin wanted to know what he'd picked up from running his two podcasts about how best to design learning. They also explore John's insights gleaned over the years from working in communications and also in the creative arts (he was in a top ten band, had a novel published and wrote and appeared in a series of comedy mini-musicals on Channel 4 in the UK). Due to a technical glitch the interview here is a bit truncated, but if you desperately need that last 5 minutes, you can listen to Kevin's channel on YouTube or Spotify – links below.   Key Takeaways:

• Instructional design can get in its way with an extremely narrow focus on instructional design principles.
• L&D has a marketing problem. We should always try to excite the desire for people to listen/complete our entire learning program.
• Learning can channel a marketing mindset by tapping into creativity – not only in how we structure content, but also by how we deliver it. If you're putting learning into video, that is a creative act and you should think about how you're engaging learners.

Get the extended episode on Kevin's channels:

• YouTube: http://youtu.be/K_bCZEaQbRI
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/63vvFB7DpWr6eacW0qjR9X

Follow Kevin

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinalster
• Website (Company): https://www.synthesia.io/
• Website (personal): http://kevinalster.wordpress.com/
• Email: kevin.alster@gmail.com
• Twitter: @Kalstere

Contact John Helmer

• Twitter: @johnhelmer
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/
• Website: https://learninghackpodcast.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LearningHack