Virtual Training

13Live Switching

The top two complaints from participants about virtual training are:

1. They hate awkward pauses and uncomfortable silence.
2. They don't feel engaged in the learning process. In other words, they feel like instructors, on poor-quality virtual training sets, just talk at them.

Resolving the first complaint is where live switching comes into play. (We'll address the second complaint later.)

Think Like a Television Producer

You are accustomed to experiencing live switching when you watch reality shows and sports on TV, but you probably take it for granted. TV always looks that way, so you hardly notice it.

To understand live switching, think about watching a live sporting event on television. What you experience on-screen is a mix of wide-angle shots, close-ups, reaction shots, overhead angles, and split screens. The point of view is constantly in motion. Yet the switches are fluid transitions—so smooth that you don't think about them. You just know that it looks and feels right.

This is what we expect. Without live switching, the event would be dull, boring, and lack the on-screen action that grabs our attention and pulls us in. The on-screen motion and camera switches break patterns, keep our brains engaged, and discourage us from tuning out.

For exactly the same reasons, switching is just as important during virtual training deliveries, which are essentially interactive live TV shows. In fact, this is why you should start thinking like a television producer ...