In a war game, you can win a simple battle by sending in the foot soldiers. However, in more complicated scenarios, the sniper is the better bet. Here, VMC Engagement Manager Michael Pruitt talks about how function plays a key role in choosing the right format for digital snacks.
We’ve discussed why we start off creating text-based digital snacks in blogs, the iterative process that follows, and the goal of reaching a critical mass. What comes next is, from our critical mass, we decide which snacks need the fidelity turned up – which ones would be better in graphical, audio, video, or other complex formats. It’s easier to glance at the diagram of an engine, for instance, than to read through a long description of the engine. People also retain knowledge best when information comes in a variety of formats.
Of course, deciding what form a snack takes isn’t arbitrary. The needs of our clients as well as the information consumers drive the delivery types. For example, we had a client in the games industry that wanted to improve the training program for their new hires. As we worked to break down the training program into manageable snacks, it became clear the company struggled with high turnover. Through exit interviews, we learned that employees were internalizing the chaotic working environment and felt they were not successful in their jobs because of it.
Instead of writing down many words that basically conveyed, “Don’t worry about the chaos,” we said to the client, “Let’s create a video of a person working at a desk. Let’s have a war game going on all around that person, and let’s say, ‘Is this how you feel? Great! Because that’s what life is like around here.’” By turning up the fidelity on a snack that required it, the message was conveyed succinctly – and in a way that really resonated with people.
With digital content creation, it’s vital to present information in a format that engages your audience. What strategies are you deploying to maximize the effectiveness of your materials?
Michael Pruitt is an Engagement Manager at VMC Consulting. You can contact Michael at MichaelPru@vmc.com or 877.393.8622.
