We recently delivered a synchronous learning experience to 800 employees of a global Fortune 150 pharmaceutical company, our largest-ever hybrid learning event. When reflecting on the magnitude of this achievement, we realized that we couldn’t have pulled it off without our core values and results-driven approach.
What are Blueline’s core values?
- Show sincere passion for serving our customers and our teammates
- Demonstrate an enthusiastic attitude
- Be ridiculously responsive
- Give and earn trust
- Be proactive so we can be agile
- Show empathy toward everyone
These values guide our actions and decisions, from how we treat clients to how we work together as a team. All of these values played a critical role in ensuring a seamless and memorable learning experience for an audience of nearly 800 hybrid learners.
Background
This learning event was part of a national meeting and an overarching business transformation initiative at this global company. Blueline’s team helped deliver three ExperienceBUILDERTM simulations to three different groups of marketers—over 600 people in person; 150 virtual. The volume was manageable because ExperienceBUILDER makes it easy for anyone to facilitate.
Picture rooms full of 100 or more learners divided into teams of 4-8 people, huddled around iPads and laptops, learning in context, making gray decisions, and failing forward in a safe environment. Together they uncover best practices and common mistakes, share stories, debate outcomes, and construct solutions to business problems while engaging in healthy competition. Imagine such high levels of energy that everyone remained fully engaged for the entire session—so much so, that senior leaders celebrated the simulation as the highlight of the day.
“This cannot fail!”
Our client trusted us with 2 ½ hours of a two-day agenda for nearly 800 professionals, during which every minute would be scrutinized.
We earned that trust by proactively planning what could go wrong at every point in this synchronous learning experience and creating contingency plans for every possible problem. Some anticipated simple issues, such as mitigating the risk of a single iPad failing; others mitigated more serious challenges, such as a facility-wide wifi outage or multiple AWS regional server failures.
Client SMEs serving as the primary facilitators were given clear instructions in advance. Every member of Blueline’s onsite and virtual teams was up to speed on critical aspects of the sim content and delivery platform so that they could troubleshoot potential issues. Blueline Partner Robert Coates led the effort on-site. He set clear communication protocols with our team in anticipation of everything from simple questions to serious challenges.
Every Blueline engagement begins by exploring each client’s unique challenges and goals, enabling true collaboration on the best solution. Our approach is based on a few key principles, viewed through the lens of our values:
- Engagement with the problem: We don’t sell solutions; we solve problems. We start by uncovering each customer’s unique challenges and what they want to accomplish. Our process often involves challenging deeply entrenched assumptions to find new and innovative solutions.
- Focus on lasting behavior change: Our innovative instructional design places learning in context, inviting learners to navigate ambiguity and fail forward in a safe environment—all of which maximizes engagement, application, retention, and behavior change.
- Leveraging technology that enables solutions at speed and scale: We’re able to design and deliver simulations in weeks (not months). Low-touch facilitation tools and flexible deployment options allow for delivery at scale.
- Commitment to customer outcomes: While we have proven processes that we continually work to refine, we pride ourselves on being agile in response to client needs. Our founder’s mantra is, “We care more about your outcomes than our processes.” That’s as true today as it was 20 years ago.
Our approach has helped us build strong relationships with our clients and deliver solutions that transform businesses. Clients tell Robert, “I appreciate partnering with Blueline because of your deep experience, insights, and willingness to collaborate.”
If you have a business transformation objective that cannot fail, please reach out to begin a conversation.
