Tablets: The Next Big Thing in a To-Go Size

First, it was smartphones. They made e-mail and (depending on your carrier) internet browsing instantaneous, allowing people to communicate with anyone from anywhere and always be connected. Now, tablet devices have upped the ante. E-mail, presentations, media, videos, internet and the capability to create documents are all literally at your fingertips – and not to mention, totally portable.

But as a creative agency that does a lot of eLearning and web-based training, we started to ask ourselves how tablet devices impact the future of employee training, eLearning, and communication? In our view, the impact is huge. First of all, employees can now partake in online seminars, training and courses from just about anywhere. They don’t need to be sitting at a workstation with a computer that’s physically connected to a network to participate. Therefore, with tablets, information and courses are more mobile as well as more flexible. No longer are training courses bound to the office chair and a desk. This has significant implications for many of our clients, including those in the automotive, construction and technology industries. For example, imagine an auto dealer that is being trained on a new model launch. Rather than sitting in an office learning about a hard-to-operate feature of a vehicle and then going out to practice on the vehicle, they can literally sit in the cockpit and take the training, pairing learning with trial. This is a scenario that will increase learning comprehension and retention significantly.

In addition, tablets can also be used during presentations because they have the capability to be “drawn” on. A stylus or pen (most even allow you to use your fingertip) comes with some tablets and creates a virtual “board” out of whatever is on the screen and allows it to be temporarily or permanently modified for editing or presentation purposes-perfect for a facilitator-led training. Instead of being stuck with a simple PowerPoint presentation, the trainer now has a bevy of resources literally at their fingertips.

Basically, tablet devices pack a lot of punch in something that’s small, portable, and as easy to navigate and use as a regular computer. They have the power to change the way business presentations, communication, and online training and eLearning are executed, making everything faster, more personal, and…well…just more effective.