Beyond the Feature Episode 29 - Instructional Design for Technology Training

Beyond the Feature Episode 29 - Instructional Design for Technology Training

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I bring my background in educational leadership to the technology training conversation and the research-backed case I make for doing training differently is hard to argue with. Employees forget 90% of what they learned in a week. Videos over 6 minutes dramatically underperform. Story improves retention 22 times over standalone facts. Microlearning modules have completion rates four times higher than traditional long-form courses. This episode unpacks why traditional technology training consistently fails (cognitive overload, context collapse, the single event model), introduces the research nuggets that should change how every organization builds training, explores scenario-based and cinematic instructional approaches — including the Copilot training series Dr. Jones is currently building as a live application of these principles, and closes with five practical changes any organization can make immediately. Key knowledge nuggets from this episode: 2-6 minute optimal video length (MIT and corroborating research). 22x story retention effect. 37% cognitive overload reduction from microlearning. 200% retention improvement from spaced repetition. 80% vs 20% completion rate differential between short and long-form training. The Merrill First Principles of Instruction framework. Learning in the flow of work. The generational design reality. The Learning Pyramid principle (active beats passive decisively) is well validated. The Copilot training series as a live application of every principle covered. Resources mentioned: Copilot and Microsoft 365 training resources — olympusacademypress.com and Olympus Academy Technology training and cloud strategy consulting — AuditSolv Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #technologytraining #adultlearning #cognitiveload #instructionaldesign #microlearning #beyondthefeature

Beyond the Feature Episode 28 - Telling Your Data Story

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I make the case that the problem with most data reporting isn't the data, it's the story. Covering the core principles of data storytelling (story before visualization, narrative arc, know your audience), a walk through the full tool landscape (Excel and PowerPoint, Power BI, Canva and Magic Charts, AI tools for plain-language data analysis), how to choose the right chart type for the right insight, and how to add the meaning layer that transforms a chart into a story, this episode gives listeners a practical framework they can use on their next report regardless of their technical level or the tools they already use. Key takeaway: We are twenty-two times more likely to remember a fact wrapped in a story. Data without a story is just noise. The tools have never been more accessible. The limiting factor is knowing what story you are trying to tell before you start building. Resources mentioned: Microsoft 365 tools — Excel, Power BI, Copilot (part of existing M365 subscriptions) Canva and Canva Sheets with Magic Charts — canva.com AI tools for data analysis — ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot M365 and productivity workflow books — olympusacademypress.com Online courses — Olympus Academy Cloud strategy and data reporting consulting — AuditSolv Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #Datastorytelling #datavisualization #PowerBI #Excel #communication #beyondthefeature @auditsolv

Beyond the Feature Episode 27 - The Power of Outlook Rules

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I make the case that your inbox doesn't have to be managed manually, it can manage itself. Using practical, immediately actionable examples of Outlook Rules, this episode walks through everything from the brilliant CC folder trick (create a folder for CC emails, pin it to the top, and let your rule route copied emails there automatically so your inbox only contains direct communications) to rules for newsletters, VIP senders, keyword flagging, automated system notifications, project folders, distribution lists, invoices, after-hours replies, and attachment management. The episode closes with a look at Quick Steps, Outlook's one-click manual automation system, and a clear philosophy for building a rule system that reflects how you actually work. Key takeaway: Rules are not a set-and-forget system. They are living instructions that, when built thoughtfully and maintained periodically, transform your inbox from a place where noise and signal compete for the same space into a curated environment where what's in front of you is there on purpose. Resources mentioned: Microsoft 365 workflow and productivity books — olympusacademypress.com Online courses — learn.OlympusAcademy.net Microsoft 365 strategy and consulting — AuditSolv.com Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #emailmanagement #microsoft365 #Outlook #Outlookrules #productivity #emailtips #beyondthefeature @auditsolv @microsoft365

Beyond the Feature Episode 26: Microsoft 365 Accessibility Features and the People they Serve

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I take a different kind of look at Microsoft 365, not at governance or governance tools, but at the accessibility features built into the tools everyone is already using. Through personal stories, concrete examples, and an honest conversation about who these tools are really for, this episode covers Immersive Reader and its full toolkit, Dictation and voice-driven work, live captions and Teams accessibility features including sign language mode, the Translator and language support tools, the Accessibility Checker for content creators, and the broader ecosystem including Narrator, Magnifier, Focus Mode, and AI-powered alt text. The through line: Microsoft's mission to empower every person and every organization to achieve more means every person, including the more than one billion people worldwide who live with a disability, and the many more who experience temporary, situational, or invisible challenges that these tools are designed to address. Most people have never opened these features. Most people don't know they're there. This episode is about changing that. Resources mentioned: Accessibility features in Microsoft 365 — built into your existing subscription Microsoft Accessibility resources — microsoft.com/accessibility Microsoft 365 books and courses — olympusacademypress.com Organizational accessibility and inclusion consulting — AuditSolv Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #AccessibilityMatters #Microsoft365 #InclusiveDesign #Empowerment #TechForGood #ImmersiveReader #BeyondtheFeature

Beyond the Feature Episode 25 - The Power of Clean Data

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I make the case that clean spreadsheet data isn't just an organizational nicety — in the age of AI, it's the prerequisite for every tool your team is investing in to actually work. Using real data on the cost of bad data (Gartner, IBM, McKinsey), the 1-10-100 rule, and practical examples of what happens when Copilot, Power BI, or ChatGPT meets a messy Excel file, this episode walks through the five qualities of clean data, the six most common spreadsheet problems and why they happen, and six practical steps any team can take to start building a clean data discipline — starting this week. Key takeaway: Garbage in, garbage out has never been more consequential than it is right now. AI amplifies your data — which means it amplifies both its strengths and its problems. Resources mentioned: Microsoft 365 and Excel books and courses — olympusacademypress.com Online courses — learn.OlympusAcademy.net Cloud and data strategy consulting — AuditSolv.com Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #dataquality #spreadsheets #AI #Copilot #PowerBI #excel #beyondthefeature #microsoft365 #productivity