How do you know if your video content is genuinely resonating with learners, or is it just another piece of corporate training that gets lost in a busy day?

In this episode of The Visual Lounge, host Matt Pierce sits down with Richard Fleming, a seasoned filmmaker and learning designer for his company Sage Media, to dig into what truly makes effective content.

Richard explores the need for videos to make an emotional impact to influence learning and decision-making and why understanding the feelings you want to evoke in your audience is crucial for learning design.

Richard introduces the concept of the self-determination theory, highlighting the importance of fostering autonomy, competence, and relatedness in training design. He also talks about innovative ways to assess content effectiveness, including wearable technology that measures engagement through physiological responses like dopamine and oxytocin levels. Groundbreaking tech like this allows creators to gauge not just if learners are watching, but whether they are emotionally connected to the material.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 – 01:48 Introduction
• 01:48 – 02:37 Richard’s top tip for using video in your work
• 02:37 – 05:17 His advice for people hesitant about working with emotion in corporate spaces
• 05:17 – 08:27 How do we know if our content is effective?
• 08:27 – 11:05 How tech can measure interest and emotional reaction to content
• 11:05 – 16:55 Richard explains the self-determination theory
• 16:55 – 20:31 Why we need to give learners something to do
• 20:31 – 30:01 Short or long videos – which works best in training content?
• 30:01 – 34:45 Speed round questions
• 34:45 – 36:40 What it was like working on a Super Bowl commercial
• 36:40 – 38:00 Why Richard decided to pivot his career from marketing to training 
• 38:00 – 39:07 How to connect with Richard
• 39:07 – 41:09 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/visualstoryteller/
• Follow Richard on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/director.fleming/
• Visit Sage Media’s Website: https://sage.media/
• Subscribe to Sage Media’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sagemedia/