How to Train Multitaskers

By Tom Brigham

A friend recently described to me how his 12-year old son did his homework, and I admit I was a little shocked by how much times have changed. The boy would type frantically on his computer with his iPod blaring, constantly shooting IMs to friends, while periodically being interrupted by beeping text messages from his cell phone. Apparently the youngster actually got his work done, but I have no idea how. When I was in school, we had a TV, the stereo, and the (one) family telephone, but we certainly didn’t work with one ear to the phone and an iPod earpiece in the other ear while typing on our MySpace pages.

A 2005 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation of Americans ages eight to 18 found that American children today were using electronic media a total of 6.5 hours a day. But more telling was the finding that they were packing more media exposure into that time due to “media multitasking.” In some ways, these hyperkinetic kids may be more productive than we were, and they’re certainly more computer savvy. However, there may be some unanticipated side effects from growing up immersed in a hive of electronic activity.

A recent UCLA study indicated that the latest generation to graduate college is so absorbed in multitasking while they study that they have the shortest attention span of any generation in history. In fact, a new condition has been identified known as “attention deficit trait” (ADT), which is believed to affect all ages in the modern workforce. This condition, which is becoming increasingly common, makes employees feel perpetually distracted, impatient, disorganized, and overwhelmed by their work.

For a variety of reasons, the last 10 years have seen an increase in productivity expectations for  individual employees, and this has coincided neatly with the rise in adoption of mobile devices, text messaging, and IM usage (see Figure 1). It wasn’t that long ago that I did not even own a cell phone—now I am embarrassed to admit that I feel a bit naked if I leave the house without my Blackberry.

 Figure 1: Blackberry Subscriber Account Base (in Thousands)

Source: RIM Annual Report 2008

What does this mean for workplace learning and performance professionals? If you’re training corporate learners face-to-face, via webinars, or in on-demand presentations, the question is How do you deliver your material in a way that appeals to a busy, distracted, overwhelmed, and often multitasking audience? More important, what techniques can you use to capture and hold the attention span of a group of ADT-prone employees whose thumbs are itching for their mobile phones?

 

Start strong

 

In the first minute of your presentation, your audience will subconsciously decide whether you are offering something brilliant or if they will endure the same old format, starting with “I am so glad you’ve taken the time to be here today. I can't wait to walk you through 78 slides”.

 

To start strong, consider beginning your presentation with a provocative statement (“By this time next week you will want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro”), a shocking statistic (“Eighty percent of all hedge fund managers take naps during business hours”), or a unique prop (“This is an actual machete used by General Douglas Macarthur”).

 

The appearance of monologue is an audience turn-off, but involving the audience right away is a great way to announce an atypical session. The likelihood of multitasking is greatly diminished when you immediately give people something to do. Whether you ask participants to answer a poll question (in a large group) or speak about a topic (in a small group), the initial impression is of a two-way exchange rather than a sleep-inducing monologue. Imagine the immediate engagement that occurs when the presenter starts with a thought-provoking question, such as   “Google employees are allowed to bring their dogs to work. Do you think this would be too distracting or would it increase productivity?”

Think in pictures

Everyone seems to know that a picture is worth 1000 words, but for some reason, the art of displaying ideas graphically is often lost in modern learning presentations.

 

The failure to use graphics effectively to emphasize a point or tell a story in a clear and appealing way is prevalent in most PowerPoint presentations, as well as in content delivered via blogs and wikis. Figure 2 shows the difference between a standard, drab wiki page without graphics and a lively, engaging one with graphics. Notice how the illustrated example on the right jumps out and encourages the reader to investigate.

 Figure 2: Wiki Pages With and Without Graphics

Because standard PowerPoint templates create bullets by default, it is all too easy to fall into the pattern illustrated by the spiritless example on the left of Figure 3. The slide on the right shows how the use of professional graphics, arranged in a simple, clear sequence with a narrative undertone, naturally captivates the audience in a way that stale bullet points do not.
 

Figure 3: The Power of Using Clear, Professional Graphics as Part of a Narrative  

Consider using visuals not only to help illustrate a concept or a process, but also to constantly invite the audience to focus on your presentation by igniting their thinking. In Figure 4, the visual prompts the audience to think and become engaged quickly. Overall, keep in mind that visuals increase the retention of your materials (the brain remembers more of what it sees and hears) and visuals also can help you save time (the brain processes visual information faster than auditory information).  

Figure 4:  Strong Visuals Capture Attention and Decrease Multitasking

Use words—not corporate clichés

When facilitators use expressions like “unparalleled,” “customer-centric,” “win-win,” and the much-dreaded “thinking outside of the box,” the eyes of learners tend to glaze over. Too often presenters revert to using a templated language, devoid of meaning and sincerity. Participants appreciate simple, precise language, the kind you would use with your friends and family around the dinner table. Instead of standard clichés and canned sound bites, be sure to use clear, fresh, and honest language that helps presenters to connect with audiences and keep participants from multitasking while attending a session.

 

Figure 5: Paragraph Using Business Clichés and After Using Clear, Honest Language

Vocal variation

Another reason why audience members tend to fade into multitasking mode is because presenters speak in a monotone voice without variation or adjustment. Can you imagine a symphony being played at exactly the same volume without any pauses or accents, devoid of crescendos and decrescendos, pianissimos and fortissimos? That would be a pretty dull performance, and the same goes for speaking and presenting.

We tend to be attracted to contrast. Watch how filmmakers use this technique; action sequences juxtaposed with quiet scenes or tense quiet moments followed by explosive sounds are standard practice for grabbing an audience’s attention in movies. Similar techniques can be used to make your presentations more captivating as well. Using dramatic pauses, varying the pace, or changing the volume of one’s voice for dramatic affect are all key elements of vocal variation. Some speaking coaches call this learning to “sing” when making a presentation, and this simply refers to the art of expressing emotion and meaning with vocal emphasis and tone.

One way to practice vocal variety is through recording exercises. Using a recording software and a microphone, you can “view” vocal inflections, pitch, and thickness of the voice. In Figure 6, notice how a recording program captures vocal variety visually. Which voice would entice you to pay attention and not tune out?

      Figure 6: Vocal Variety Viewed Using Recording Software

Final word

The four principles described here spring from a variety of disciplines (design, sociology, psychology, and advertising to name a few), and are based on proven techniques for connecting with audiences and keeping them engaged and attentive. Indeed, there is a major disparity between the sophisticated methods used by other groups, such as the advertising and entertainment industries, to connect with audiences and the plain vanilla served up in most corporate presentations. By making full use of these modern techniques, you have a much better chance at capturing the attention of the multitasking generation.