Milestone 1: Early Ideas

For this milestone, we need to create an initial proposal for a design challenge that we’d like to work on for our thesis project. Some questions for us to consider as we’re developing our ideas include:

  • What topics and issues are of interest?
  • What are strengths and experience you might draw on?
  • What technologies, roles and/ or other aspects of the fields of learning and technology bring you the most joy? 
  • What are 5 jobs you want to apply for after graduation?
  • What is missing from your portfolio and/ or skill set that would help you professionally?
  • What thesis project type most appeals to you and aligns with things you hope to accomplish?
  • Are there organizations you might wish to partner with? What are next steps for exploring this relationship?

Brainstorming

In considering my prior work experience, education, and graduate project portfolio there are a few of those questions that stand out more than others.

What topics and issues are of interest?

The vast majority of my work experience focuses on some element of employee development, onboarding, and advocacy, which is an area that I feel strongly about. So as I begin to think of potential projects, I know that I want it to somehow connect back to the broader category of employee learning and development. I also find myself gravitating towards projects that help the learner build meaningful connections with each other and the material (e.g., something that can build a community or can have a profound impact on the learner). In addition to developing employees, I also enjoy working on projects that focus on the field of technology and that can help empower women in the workplace.

What are strengths and experience you might draw on?

In addition to my work experience related to the field of employee learning and development, I’m also very comfortable with developing prototypes and coding proof of concept designs. I already know that I want my thesis project to be design-based and so I can rely on my UX and coding skills to assist with the developing that design.

What technologies, roles and/ or other aspects of the fields of learning and technology bring you the most joy?

  • Learning design – goals, objectives, and tasks
  • UX methodology – wireframes, testing, user surveys
  • Coding – back and front-end development

Initial Ideas

Coming into this first semester of thesis I had two ideas that I wanted to focus on, both with an overarching theme around employee development.

My first idea is to design a platform that supports employee learning and development based on the 70-20-10 model where 70% of employee development happens through on the job experiences, 20% is through developmental relationships, and 10% is from coursework and training. In my personal experience working and coaching employees, I’ve found that it can be challenging to know where to begin when looking for in-role growth opportunities. Sure, 70% of development happens on the job, but what specific tasks or actions can be taken to make a regularly assigned duty an opportunity for development? If I pursue this idea further, I would focus on that 70% and provide tangible activities and reflection assignments that employees can complete to gain new skills and development key competencies. There is still much that needs to be worked out with this idea, but some other aspects to consider include:

  • User survey that generates a proposed development path
  • Pre-defined development paths for use in mentoring relationships
  • Reflection assignments to reinforce learning (survey and self assessment?)
  • Include competencies and skills based on training and development industry standards (look to Korn Ferry Leadership Architect, Gallup CliftonStrengths, etc)
  • Include a degree of gamification by adding point values to tasks so users can “level up” as they complete development challenges

My second idea is an extension of a project I completed in the spring for my Social Media in Learning Environments class which focused on creating a social learning platform for women working in technology to collaboratively build their knowledge and create a community of practice (see an early draft of this design). Although my final project for the class set a target audience of women attending a coding bootcamp, for the purpose of my thesis project I would expand this to be women in technology and redesign some of the features I originally included to better support the wider target audience. Some lingering questions I have about this idea include:

  • How do new users become a member of this community? How is identity verified?
  • How strict would it be supporting only women in technology?
  • Do similar platforms already exist? Are they doing it better?

How Might We…

I translated my initial ideas into how might we statements so I can better focus on my research and the direction of my thesis project.

  • How might we better support self-directed professional development in the workplace?
  • How might we better support women working in technology?
  • How might we better support women transitioning into a tech-based role?
  • How might we inspire innovation in professional development?
  • How might we reimagine professional development?
  • How might we create learning opportunities in the workplace?

Milestone Self-Assessment

Read through my M1 self-assessment

Next Steps

  • More brainstorming
  • Further refining ideas
  • More research!

More Brainstorming

The following is an assortment of ideas that have come up during my research, in conversations with others, and as I continue to reflect and refine my thesis project.

  • Check references from Enos, et al., (2003) article for more reading and/or authors to look into
  • Research the Campbell Leadership Descriptor
  • Michael Lombardo (of Lominger) has other books and articles on learning and development… also check on Kolb and Kotter
  • From Deloitte 2019 HCT report, look more into the idea of moving from an LMS to an LXP (could fit well with app idea)
  • For refining target audience, reconsider target audience and specific skillset to development; should this be for new and aspiring managers?
  • Look into Aguinis, H. and Kraiger, K. (2009), “Benefits of training and development for individuals and
    teams, organizations, and society”, Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 60, pp. 451-474.
  • Look into Di Milia, L. and Birdi, K. (2010), “The relationship between multiple levels of learning practices
    and objectives and subjective organizational financial performance”, Journal of
    Organisational Behaviour, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 481-498.
  • Comparison between knowledge vs knowing and management development vs management learning?
  • Organizational vs supervisor support for learning
  • Read chapters 10 & 11 of Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen

Note: All content and designs related to my thesis project are copyright pending. Do not publish or use without explicit permission.