Five Rules: Setting the Conditions for Learning Diana Larsen http://futureworksconsulting.com @DianaOfPortland 

For my own individual learning To help others in “formal” learning To coach or mentor For work environments where learning is key Anytime I want to set conditions for learning 

Keep it Alive! Do it for Real Setting First Start Obvious, Stay Obvious Focus on Flow 

Rules Dials Questions 

Keep it Alive! to generate energy 

“Keep it ALIVE” DIAL Human Metrics: Watch for Body Language, Facial Expressions, Emotional Quality, Degree of Engagement, Quality of Self-Organizing for Learning Low Alive • Little/No eye contact • Boredom • Disengagement Highly Alive • Eyes wide open • Laughter • Tears • Play • Full Engagement 

✦ How can I increase aliveness here? 

Do it for Real to expand fluent capacity 

Learning to Build Fluency Fluency, a.k.a: Fluently Proficient Habitual performance Routine, smooth, skillful, ease 

“Do it for Real” DIAL Skill-building Metrics: Watch for Doing, Attention to attaining fluency, Expanding capacity, Increasing capability Low Fluency • Waiting to Learn • Abstractions • Questions re: objections, ‘what ifs?’ & edge cases • Introductions & Exposure to… High Fluency • Fully embodied experience • Implementing • Practicing skilled action • Performing is its own justification 

✦ How can I move closer to doing this for real? 

Setting First to drive learning 

“Setting First” DIAL Learning Environment Metrics: Watch for efficacy in underpinning other “Rules” Poor Setting • Inhibits Aliveness, Fluency, Signal, or Focus • Creates barriers to learning Rich Setting • Reinforces Aliveness, Fluency, Signal, & Focus • Drives learning 

✦ How can I improve the setting to drive and strengthen aliveness, fluency, signal, and flow? 

Start Obvious, Stay Obvious to initiate an sustain action 

“Start Obvious, Stay Obvious” DIAL Signal to Noise Metrics: Signal Strength, Watch for Degree of Friction, Hesitation, Confusion, Ambiguity, Clarity High Signal • Action with regular, sequential “Aha’s” • Full attention • Spontaneous innovation • High confidence • High trust • Questions about safety, performance • Concerns for precision, correctness • Distractions • Confusion • Caution, Hesitations High Noise 

✦ How can I boost the signal and make it more obvious? ✦ How can I add clarity and remove confusion, friction, hesitations, ambiguities, & distractions? 

Focus on Flow to increase proficiency 

“Focus on Flow” DIAL “Bite-sized” Skill Metrics: Watch for small enough to easily consume + big enough to hold interest; Constructive sequence Un-Focused • Too small = boring • Too big = overwhelming • Questions off topic • Drowning in detail Right Focus • Largest “bite” learner can easily absorb & find interesting • Questions about the next “bite” • Progressive, increasing proficiency Bored Panic/ Overwhelm Just right 

✦ How can I better shape the size and sequence of learning goals? 

Keep it Alive! Do it for Real Setting First Start Obvious, Stay Obvious Focus on Flow 

https://leanpub.com/fiverules 

Stay in Touch [email protected] http://futureworksconsulting.com /blog @DianaOfPortland @LearnFiveRules @AgileChartering @FutureWks with Esther Derby, Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great with Ainsley Nies, Liftoff: Launching Agile Teams & Projects