Going Viral – A Job Aid Reflection

“Daniel, the job aid you designed went viral.” –My Leader

In today’s world, hearing something you helped create ‘went viral’ can elicit two distinct reactions: 

-       Elation that people are consuming something you worked really hard to bring to light or

-       Fear that you’re getting criticism that cuts deep.

Luckily, in this case, it was the former. Training going viral isn’t something you hear often. While I took a moment to bask in the satisfaction that our audience saw utility in an intervention I pitched and helped launch, I also took some time to reflect on why this piece of content was so well received. Below are my thoughts:

1.     Distributed at the right time.

This particular piece of performance support was “just-in-time” and fit within the ecosystem of communication and marketing in which the end-user coexists. Timing was everything.

2.     Simple yet comprehensive.

I often tell aspiring instructional designers that they need to put the designin instructional design. Having great partnerships with the stakeholders on this project helped distill enough detail while remaining true to the interventions’ purpose as a job aid.

3.     Connected directly to a need.

Participating and being engaged with the business helped me see around corners and fill in a gap that for business reasons wasn’t going to be addressed. I knew the target audience, understood the stakeholders’ strategy, and closed a gap that resulted in this viral moment.

Go Viral for the Right Reason

The lesson here? Participate. Don’t take orders. No one asked for a job aid, but designing and developing one was a clear win for the business.