In this blog we will showcase why the templates are such a useful tool to help you create your interactive scenario learning content – plus we show you the most straightforward of the template styles in action – the Linear model.

Crafting tailored scenarios for your learners’ specific training needs can be a daunting prospect. However help is at hand! ThingLink has unveiled an array of adaptable Scenario Builder templates, poised to be the ideal start to creating e-learning or corporate training material using branching scenarios.

When you start to design scenarios on ThingLink, you’ll be shown four distinct models ready to act as your blank canvas. You can then seamlessly swap out our placeholder content with your own text, questions, branching, and media, making customization easy. Of course – if you prefer to start your content from scratch, you still have the freedom to craft your unique scenario your way.

With the added power of the super-helpful new built-in AI content creation tools, the challenge to craft simple or intricate learning scenarios becomes much more manageable. These scenario builder templates are your secret weapon for developing diverse employee training experiences with interactivity built-in. Whether your primary objectives revolve around fostering new skills, amplifying existing ones, or elevating employee engagement and retention, these templates will become invaluable.

How do you use Scenario Builder?

For an introduction to Scenario Builder and why it’s the perfect tool for creating immersive learning experiences, watch this short video intro:

What exactly is Scenario based Learning (SBL)?

Explore the foundational principles behind Scenario-Based Learning in this informative introductory blog post: What is Scenario Based Learning? Learn why it is so popular as a method of instructional design, and why it’s ideal for compliance training, safety training, soft skills training and more.

You can also watch all of our Scenario Builder content on the dedicated playlist here, including our masterclass webinar, where we build a whole scenario from scratch!

Explore the simplest of our new Scenario Builder templates: Linear Scenario

The most basic of the scenario builder templates is the Linear Model. Here’s an example of what it might look like in action. We have created an online course in Understanding Bias which takes the learner through the types of bias. They then have an exercise to complete to identify what bias is being demonstrated in a series of true-to-life situations.

Want to replicate these images for your own course? Use our free Canva background template for the images we used in this above course on Understanding Bias.

However a linear template could be used to deliver any type of training! Our Certified Creator Course is a great example of the linear scenario model in action!

What else can you add to the linear template?

• Incorporate gamification principles into your learning journey with elements such as completion badges and points earned as learners progress.
• Make it more challenging by integrating formative assessments with questions at various stages. These questions challenge learners to provide the correct answers before advancing, employing a conditional transition. If an answer is incorrect, the feedback gently nudges learners to backtrack and review the material or reconsider their response. However, unlike the more complex escape room model which is another alternative template offered to creators, here, the wrong answer yields a uniform, generic message, without individual consequences. There are no decision points which can steer you down an alternate path or transport you to another scene or text.

• In all models, you can add as many media items as you want. Remember these can be any type of ThingLink! An interactive image, video, 360 image/video or 3D model. Your media can also be an entire virtual tour – or Guided Tour! Here is a guide to the 6 blocks that can be added to any scenario.
• Plan your scenario structure with our handy free Canva whiteboard template.
• Create a virtual learning environment: Use 360 tours of different rooms/areas/environments to introduce each in sequence. Great for onboarding!

What other types of scenario template can I choose?

There are three other types of scenario model for which we have created these handy templates. These are:

• Escape Room – as demonstrated in this linked blog.
• Simulation Scenario – take a look at this blog to see this in action!
• Self-Exploratory – which we explore in this blog post here.

For a full round-up of all four, see our new Scenario Templates PDF guide.

What are the benefits of Scenario Builder for training content creators and learners?

1. Tailored Training Solutions: With Scenario Builder, crafting and adapting training materials in-house is simple. This means you can effortlessly cater to the unique training needs of different departments or individual employees. Quickly address competencies and skill gaps by identifying knowledge deficiencies and updating your entirely customized scenario-based learning content within minutes.
2. Versatile Training Approaches: ThingLink enables the creation of online training courses and learning materials that can flexibly accommodate various training methods. You also have the flexibility to embed a wide array of apps and integrations, expanding the diversity of content you can offer.
3. Convenient Scheduling: Design a training schedule that harmonizes with employees’ other commitments. ThingLink’s online learning packages can be conveniently completed from the comfort of home or during daily commutes. Real-life situations and environments and real-world problem-solving can be recreated and explored safely – anywhere!
4. Comprehensive Learner Insights: Take advantage of built-in statistics features to assess and monitor each employee’s progress. This empowers you to closely track individual performance and milestones. Set training objectives, measure outcomes, and fine-tune the training process as needed. See how employees respond to decision-making in a challenging situation.

No matter the learning outcomes you have in mind, and the specifics of your employee learning objectives and needs, Scenario Builder is purpose-built to assist you in crafting immersive and captivating training resources – from bite-size micro-learning, all the way up to entire courses and training programs. Plus, with the introduction of our new templates, the process of creating impactful courses and modules has been further streamlined for your convenience.

Connect and engage with fellow creators

For more ideas, use cases and inspiration on content creation, join our communities on social media! Twitter / X ThingLink or ThingLink Education, LinkedIn Community and ThingLink Education Facebook Group. 

Why have we developed these templates?

Crafting the ideal scenario for your learners’ or organisation’s specific training requisites can sometimes present a challenge. So we’ve introduced a diverse range of scenario templates that offer the flexibility to duplicate, modify, and tailor them to your unique e-learning or training content.

As you embark on creating your scenario, you’ll encounter four distinct model options. Effortlessly substitute our placeholder content with your preferred text, queries, branching paths, and multimedia elements. But if you prefer to start from scratch, you can still fashion a completely customized scenario without our templates.

For a summary of the 4 new models: Linear, Escape Room, Simulation Scenario and Self-Exploratory, download this PDF of the new Scenario Templates which gives you full written guidance. Or why not catch up with our comprehensive webinar where we build a scenario from scratch! You’ll find it on our dedicated Scenario Builder playlist on YouTube.

When combined with ThingLink’s innovative built-in AI content creation tools, these scenario builder templates streamline the process of constructing either straightforward or multi-branching scenarios. These templates prove invaluable for crafting a spectrum of employee training materials, whether your primary training objectives involve acquiring new skills, refining existing ones, or boosting employee engagement and retention.

Why Use ThingLink’s Scenario Builder to create elearning and training?

To see why Scenario Builder is considered such a useful authoring tool for building immersive learning experiences, watch this short video intro:

Want to know more about Scenario based Learning (SBL)?

Read more on the fundamentals of Scenario-based instructional design in our introductory blog: What is Scenario Based Learning?

Focus on: The Simulation Scenario Model

This multi-branched template provides learners with a realistic depiction of the ultimate or collective outcome resulting from their decisions or choices – all within a safe environment. Perfect to reinforce compliance training or for real-life situations where safety is a concern.

For instance, when used in medical training, students engage in diagnosing virtual patients by assessing the symptoms presented. The patient’s condition dynamically evolves, either deteriorating or improving in response to the student’s decisions, thereby offering a true-to-life simulation of real-world medical practice.

The branching types of scenario all incorporate soft skills such as decision-making, problem-solving and critical thinking which replicate real-life situations. However in contrast to the Escape Room model, in this scenario template, learners continue to progress whatever choices they make. Unlike the escape room model, there are no categorically “wrong” answers that force learners to backtrack and try again for the correct answer during the intermediate phases. Instead, learners encounter choices, each with distinct consequences, steering them along diverse paths as they advance. It is the closest to the “choose your own adventure” concept from which Scenario Builder was conceived!

The examples are just a basic starting skeleton for all the different model types. 

• In all of the templates we have created for you, you can add as many media items as you want. Remember these can be any type of ThingLink! An interactive image, video, 360 image/video or 3D model. Your media can also be an entire virtual tour of an environment or place! Explore the media block and the 5 other Scenario Builder blocks in this handy ThingLink!
• Create a virtual learning environment: Use 360 tours of different rooms/areas/environments to introduce each in sequence. Great for onboarding! no 360 camera? No problem! Simply use our free tool Pano to 360 to instantly turn any panoramic image into an immersive photosphere.
• In the branching models, you can add as many or as few branching levels as you require.
• Need an extra helping hand with planning your scenario? Why not use our super useful free Canva whiteboard – here’s the link to the template!

See it in action!

To see the Simulation Scenario model in action, below you can explore an example we have built to demonstrate. This very short corporate training elearning course (sometimes called microlearning) demonstrates how a learner can find our what sort of leadership style they tend towards. In this example, they also have the choice to move back and see what different outcome they would have reached if they had made different choices.

If you would like to recreate the style of base media we have used in this course below, you can download the free Canva template to copy!

What other outcomes can you use in this model?

There are three primary variations that can be implemented with this model:

1. Range of Outcomes: In this variation, each final outcome presents a distinct scenario.
2. Binary Result: Alternatively, you can opt for a binary outcome, for example pass or fail, or the patient recovers or they do not – simplifying the end result.
3. Point Accumulation: Another approach involves assigning points to each choice made at every decision point. This adds an element of gamification for learners. The cumulative points can then determine the overall outcome. For instance, the points accrued may result in passing or failing, choosing between a refresher or repetition, or moving on to the next module. Interestingly, in this scenario, it’s possible for two learners taking different paths to accumulate the same number of points.

What other scenario templates can you use?

• Take a look at another of the templates: the Linear model at this blog.
• The Escape Room template – as demonstrated in this linked blog.
• The Self-Exploratory template – which we explore in this blog post here.

Why do training content creators use Scenario Builder to build courses?

1. Tailored Training Solutions: Scenario Builder offers a hassle-free way to tailor your training content. You can effortlessly tweak, duplicate, or refine it all in-house. This means you can cater to the unique training needs of each department or even individual employees by swiftly adapting to their competencies and skill gaps. Pinpoint those knowledge gaps and swiftly bridge them with fully customized scenario-based learning content that’s updatable in mere minutes.

2. Versatile Training Methods: ThingLink empowers you to craft online training courses and learning materials that accommodate a variety of training methods. Plus, you can seamlessly integrate a vast array of apps and tools into your ThingLink training content, instantly expanding the possibilities of content delivery.

3. Flexible Scheduling: With ThingLink, you have the flexibility to create training schedules that align with your employees’ other commitments. Our online learning packages can be completed from the comfort of home or during the daily commute to and from work.

4. Insights into Learner Progress: Harness the power of built-in analytics to monitor and assess individual learner engagement and progress. Keep a keen eye on their performance and milestones, enabling you to set training goals, measure outcomes, and fine-tune the training process as needed.

Your helping hand in training content creation

We wanted to design Scenario Builder to be the easiest method of crafting immersive and captivating training materials and online courses in a real-world context. And we developed our new templates to further streamlined the process, making it even more straightforward to develop highly effective employee training programs – whatever your training and learning outcomes!

Connect with and inspire your fellow creators!

For more ideas, use cases and inspiration on content creation, join our communities on social media! Twitter / X ThingLink or ThingLink Education, LinkedIn Community and ThingLink Education Facebook Group. 

We’re excited to unveil ThingLink’s new Scenario Builder Templates – the latest in a range of assistant tools to help you create amazing interactive training and learning content!

We know it can sometimes be tricky to know which type of scenario to create for the specific training needs of your learners. So we have developed a versatile range of scenario models that you can clone, adapt and edit to create your own bespoke elearning or training materials. The four types of model will appear when you start creating your scenario. Simply replace our dummy content with your own text, questions, branching and media! But don’t worry – you still have the ability to build your own bespoke scenario from scratch if you prefer!

Used in tandem with ThingLink’s super-helpful new built-in AI content creation tools, you’ll be able to create simple or branched learning scenarios in no time! These scenario builder templates will be invaluable for creating all types of employee training – whether your main training objectives are learning new skills or enhancing existing ones, or even increasing employee engagement and retention.

Why Use ThingLink’s Scenario Builder to create employee training?

For a recap or an introduction to Scenario Builder and why it’s such a fantastic tool to create immersive learning experiences, watch this short video intro:

Want to know more about Scenario based Learning (SBL)?

Read more on the fundamentals of Scenario Based Learning in this great introductory blog: What is Scenario Based Learning? Here’s our handy PDF of the new Scenario Templates!

Why do training content creators love Scenario Builder?

1. It addresses your specific training needs: Training created with Scenario Builder is easy to update, clone and edit – all in house! This means that you can provide for the individual training needs of each department, or even individual employees, by easily and quickly responding to their competencies and any employee skill gaps. Identify knowledge gaps and address them effectively with completely bespoke scenario-based learning content that can be updated in minutes.
2. Flexible Training Methods: Online training courses and learning materials built with ThingLink can accommodate multiple training methods. You can also embed a huge range of apps and integrations into your ThingLink training content – which instantly widens the range of the type of content you can provide.
3. You can create a training schedule that fits around employees’ other commitments. Online learning packages created with ThingLink can even be completed at home or during the commute to/from the place of work.
4. Learner Metrics: In-built statistics features allow you to analyze and monitor the progress of each individual employee, letting you keep track of individual employee performance and milestones . Set training goals, measure the outcomes, and adjust the training process as required.

Explore our new Scenario Builder templates

1. Linear Scenario

The most basic of the scenario builder templates is the Linear Model. Here’s an example of what it might look like in action. We have created a sample Onboarding course for new employee training. This employee onboarding template would ensure that the onboarding process is smooth for all new team members. It demonstrates how a structured onboarding initiative could be delivered, ensuring that new hires understand company values, policies and culture.

However a linear template could be used to deliver any type of training! Our Certified Creator Course is a great example of the linear scenario model in action!

You can add an element of gamification with completion badge and points along the way. You can also add formative assessment via questions at any stage which challenge the learner for the correct answer before they proceed (a conditional transition). The wrong answer message can suggest that they move backwards and review the material again or reconsider why their answer may be incorrect. However unlike the escape room model (below), they are given the same, generic wrong answer message – there is no individual consequence for that choice. It does not take them down a different branch or to another scene/text. 

Here’s another example below which could be used for employee training.

2. Escape Room Scenario

The escape room is an ideal employee training template for a huge range of learning outcomes and subject areas. You can embed a wide range of training materials into the escape room scenario, and only by answering a series of questions correctly can the learner “escape”. It adds an element of gamification to any learning or training process and is particularly effective when used in team training. Here is an example in action below.

• Only one answer is correct at each decision point – at each wrong turn they have to face the consequence of their choice, ie they are taken to another scene or text which shows or explains the consequence of their choice. They have to return to that decision point until they escape. 
• The goal with the escape room format is to escape as fast as possible. In ThingLink you can add a timer to your scenarios – ideal for virtual learning environments which replicate real-life time-critical situations.
• Additional information/learning points/tours can be added before each decision point to give context. However the format/pattern is the same: each choice will result in EITHER a correct choice (moving forward) or an incorrect one (moving back to the choice block). 

Here’s another example of the escape room format in action below!

3. Simulation Scenario Model

• This model allows you to demonstrates the ultimate or cumulative consequence of the learners’ actions or choices to them.
• For example: In medical training, students diagnose virtual patients based on symptoms presented. The patient’s condition worsens or improves based on the student’s decisions, offering a realistic simulation of medical practice.

As opposed to the escape room model, the learner keeps moving forward regardless of their choice. There are no “incorrect” answers (ie a step back) at the intermediary stages, unlike the escape room. There are simply choices which have different consequences and send the learner down a different path. Here’s an example in action below.

Three are three main variations on this model. The result could be: 

• Range of outcomes. Each final outcome is different.
• A binary result. Pass or fail, or the patient does/does not recover etc. The example below “Survive the Middle Ages” shows this in action!
• Each decision at each stage accrues points. The total points accrued could determine the result eg they pass/fail; they either do a refresher/repeat or they move on to next module. In this scenario, as opposed to 3.1, it could be possible to accrue the same number of points as another learner who took a different path.

4. Self-Exploratory Scenario Model – with or without assessment

This is a tour-based scenario model where the choice of which topic (branch) to explore first is left up to the learner – based on what learner is most interested in or feels they need most help in. In a way it’s similar to the linear model, but just has multiple branches, with no further choices or decisions.

Here is what it could look like in action:

Learners are able to go back and forward and explore different areas as they choose. Jumping back is a CHOICE – not a consequence. There are two variations:

Simple self-guided: can be ended at any point and the learner does not have to explore entire scenario. “What would you like to learn about today?” They can then go back and explore a different path or revisit what they have already explored.

Self-guided with summative and/or formative assessment: The learner can choose to repeat a section, or the entire scenario, or not. They are prompted to explore all of branches before attempting assessment. 

Whatever your employee training initiatives and requirements, Scenario Builder has been designed to help you create immersive and engaging training materials. And the new templates now make it even easier to create effective employee training programs.

Whether it’s onboarding new hires or upskilling veteran employees, a structured employee training plan is crucial for any business who values its employees and helps them reach their career goals.

Whether you’re revamping your existing training program or starting a new one, ThingLink’s Scenario Builder Templates will be the cornerstone of a successful and effective employee training journey. Dive in and see just how easy it can be!

Connect and Collaborate

For more ideas, use cases and inspiration on content creation, join our communities on social media! Twitter / X ThingLink or ThingLink Education, LinkedIn Community and ThingLink Education Facebook Group. 

The online training revolution is here!

For anyone who needs to create employee and workplace training, there are now a range of easy-to-use and cost-effective online content creation platforms that they can use. And almost all of these incorporate AI in different ways. From easily-editable templates, copy suggestions, and AI-generated presenters who can read your script perfectly without any need for edits – they can all help you to put your content together easily and quickly, even if this is your first course. Each of these platforms saves you time at every step of the creation process, resulting in enormous cumulative time savings.

Anyone can create immersive training content

Using this new generation of tools and platforms, we believe that it really is possible for ANYONE to create their first immersive and engaging online training module from scratch in five days.

We’re going to show you how, with a simple step-by-step guide, using accessible and easy to use platforms such as ThingLink, Canva, D-ID, and ChatGPT.

We know that bespoke site-specific training content and images can be vital for workplace training. So we have included instructions on how to create immersive virtual training simulations using 360 images of your own real-life work environments, using nothing more complicated than a smartphone.

At each step we show how using AI tools can save you hours each day in creating, editing and formatting your content to create slick and professional-looking training for your organisation. Each of the platforms in our 5 day action plan has been designed so that anyone can use them with no prior experience or know-how. You won’t believe how easy and FAST it is to create your own interactive training content once you have the right tools!

The benefits of delivering online employee training

Online training, or elearning, allows employees to access on-demand training materials from any location, at any time, and often even via their own mobile device. This means that it’s easier for staff to fit training sessions into their busy schedules and family commitments. Virtual training also allows for personalized learning experiences, as it can be tailored to the individual needs of each employee, enabling them to learn at their own pace and focus on areas where they need improvement.

Online learning should ideally incorporate interactive and engaging formats, such as videos, quizzes, and simulations. Interactivity has been shown to enhance skills and knowledge retention amongst learners and is now seen as invaluable for effective workplace training.

In this blog we summarized recent research into the effectiveness of training using VR and AR.

Online training is cost-effective training

Training is an unavoidable and ongoing cost for any organisation. From inductions for new hires, upskilling sessions, soft skills development and employee engagement for the current workforce, to refresher courses for those coming back after parental leave, illness or a career break – employee training is an ongoing cycle which can be draining on resources.

As well as the costs of training delivery itself, costs of in-person training can often include additional expense such as travel and venue hire. Ensuring that onboarding and compliance training is delivered as needed whenever any new employee joins the organisation, rather than more economically delivered as a group, can increase costs even further.

The beauty of online training courses is that they are generally vastly cheaper than in-person training. The approach that we have outlined in this blog is incredibly cost effective for even small organisations, and when scaled to larger ones, can make annual cost savings to the tune of thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. Importantly, there is no need to invest in costly employee training software, learning programs or training platforms. Indeed the broad functionality of all the apps and platforms we list here means that they can usually be used across an organisation for other purposes, particularly marketing-related activity.

Create online training programs in-house for increased flexibility and responsiveness

In rapidly changing work environments, for example where legislation changes regularly, virtual training provides an effective and efficient way to keep employees updated with the latest skills and knowledge. If your training is created in-house, you can easily and instantly edit and update your training materials without the need for costly and time-intensive authoring by a third party supplier. When training modules are created and hosted in the cloud, this also means that changes are made instantly – everywhere.

However, creating online training from scratch can be an overwhelming proposition, particularly if you have a tight timeline in which to create and deliver training courses.

The good news is that by familiarising yourself with easy-to-learn, user-friendly AI tools and other digital platforms, ANYONE can streamline the creation process to create their first training module in just five days.

For this illustration, our example training material will be the first part of an onboarding course for new starters at a large organisation. But the same process could be used for any kind of training course for any size of organisation. Let’s get started!

A day by day task list to build your own online training from scratch

Day 1: Define your objectives and create an outline or roadmap for your online course content

Start by deciding and outlining your training goals. What do you want your employees to learn from the training? What skills or knowledge should they finish the course with?

Based on these specific goals or objectives, create an outline of the topics to be covered in order. This outline will serve as your training content roadmap whilst you create your course, and can also be used to introduce the course to your trainees at the start of the course!

Your AI helpers: At this stage, you can use ChatGPT, Jasper, Bard – or any similar generative AI copy tool to help you create your objectives. These tools are incredibly useful for generating lists and sparking inspiration.

In action: Here’s an example of how quickly ChatGPT can generate a list of topics to include in your training course. Our example is an onboarding or induction course, so we asked ChatGPT for a list of possible objectives. (Fullscreen to see the detail.)

Top tips: It’s important to be specific when writing your prompts, to give the AI tool as much detail as possible from which it can generate a helpful, relevant and useful list. Of course you can go back and regenerate if it’s not quite right, and then use this first pass as your basis to edit and refine your ideal course roadmap. You can ask ChatGPT (or similar) to generate more detail for each section, or you can populate the finer details yourself.

Finally, decide on the media you’ll use to explain each objective or topic. This will depend very much on what your course involves. But for most subjects, as well as written content, this should ideally include videos, images, or even virtual environments. In our example, we are going to use all of these, to demonstrate how easy it is to create and combine different formats of training content.

Day 2: Gather any images and write your scripts for your training

Written content

You can use ChatGPT or another content creation tool to help on day 2 too.

You can also use AI to:

• Suggest examples, best-practices, scenarios
• Provide curated lists, such as top tens eg use cases
• Re-write text in different formats. For example, re-write bulleted information points in a question and answer format, as a quiz, or even in verse to help staff memorise important points!
• Re-write your content in a different or brand-specific tone of voice

Visual content

As a benchmark, your training should include images and video for interest and freshness. If necessary you can use stock imagery. Ideally however, your visuals should be taken from real-life as much as possible – particularly when demonstrating or introducing a site or environment.

Immersive 360 visuals of your environment

For an immersive and truly engaging experience for your learners, and to allow them to explore their specific work environments during training, 360 imagery is unbeatable. However until very recently, it was difficult to produce 360 images of any work environment without expensive 360 cameras.

This is where ThingLink’s Pano to 360 tool is invaluable! In short, Pano to 360 allows you to take a panoramic photo on your smartphone – of any environment, inside or outside – and create a fully immersive 360 image. This can provide an accurate replication of a real-world environment which is ideal for induction or safety training. The example below was created in this way.

Watch the video below for a brief overview of how it works. Alternatively you can read our launch blog here. Better still, visit our site here and try it for yourself! It’s completely free and unlimited – and you don’t even need a ThingLink account to use it.

Day 3: Create your engaging branded visuals with Canva

Now you’ve written and collected the text and images for your course, it’s time to start working on the overall design!

Anyone can use Canva, the online graphic design tool, to help create visually appealing and high quality training materials – even with no design experience! In Canva you can choose from the thousands of templates available, for all types of training content – and customize them according to your brand and training requirements.

It’s even easy to create videos from scratch with Canva’s huge range of templates to help you get started. However for your first course creation, you may prefer to begin by simply using it to develop and apply a consistent branded visual style across all your training materials. Use the same color palette, fonts, and design elements to create a cohesive look.

Remember your road map from Day 1? You can use Canva to design this into a roadmap that can be used in the course welcome and orientation section! Take a look at our example below for how this might look. We used the Teal Blue Employee Onboarding Template which we chose in the video above.

For lots more inspiration on how you can use Canva to create branded content, see our blog Ten free templates for ThingLink and Canva.

Day 4: Use D-ID to speed up your training video creation

D-ID is a platform that specializes in creating hyper-realistic video content using AI. Utilize this brilliantly simple tool to generate lifelike, AI-driven videos of trainers, without the need for actual filming and editing. Here’s a video below that took less than a minute to generate!

If you are creating an entire online employee training program and using video introductions or explanations, D-ID will truly save you days worth of recording and editing time! The video we created above ,which we will now embed into our training environment, was created in just a few clicks! See below for a demo of how quickly it can be generated.

With D-ID you can also:

• upload your own images, to create a video of yourself or another colleague presenting the information;
• generate a bespoke avatar of your own by using their text-to-image portrait generator;
• upload text in 119 Languages, along with a variety of accents and speaking styles
• upload a voice recording for the avatar to “read” out;
• choose from a range of expressions or styles for the avatar. Some you might like to choose for training are cheerful, excited, friendly or hopeful;
• choose from a range of backgrounds for the avatar to stand in front of, which could for example be chosen to match your organisation’s brand colours, or help with visual accessibility.
• Top tip: Canva now features a D-ID integration, meaning that it’s even faster to incorporate your videos into your visuals!

Day 5: Use ThingLink to wrap up all your training content in a virtual tour or branched learning scenario

ThingLink empowers you create virtual tours, virtual environments and branched learning scenarios with interactive images, videos, and 360-degree content. Upload your Canva visuals to ThingLink and add clickable multimedia tags that display text, images, videos, or links.

Your interactive ThingLink content can then be used to create a learning scenario, using the super simple Scenario Builder tool. The path that your learner takes can be branched or simply linear. Simply upload your images, videos and 360 images into ThingLink, add your tags to make them interactive, then use these individual scenes to build your scenario.

The great news is that you can even use ThingLink’s inbuilt AI tools to help create your tags, re-write text and even suggest questions and branches for your scenario! Check out ThingLink’s AI YouTube playlist here with 30 second shorts explaining all our super-handy AI content creation tools which will save you even more time!

Sample training content created using the AI-powered platforms above

Explore the short onboarding example below to see how we have created part of a training module using the platforms and content we have covered above.

Alternative ways to present employee training in ThingLink.

Interactive 360 images are so useful and versatile that they can be used to create virtual field trips, virtual exhibitions, even escape rooms for gamification of your training. Here are some examples of where ThingLink been used for staff training in the tourism and hospitality industry.

• Using ThingLink to create Virtual Tours in the Tourism Industry – a case study

• How to Create Virtual Training Environments for Students

ThingLink Guided Tours

Another way to present training in ThingLink is with new Guided Tours. Explore this example of employee safety training below!

FAQs

We have a tiny training budget! Isn’t it expensive to invest in AI content creation tools?

The tools we have listed above have a range of pricing models which are suited to organisations of all sizes. The fundamental aspect which unites them all is their ease of use, meaning that you don’t have to outsource your training content creation to 3rd party supplies – you can build everything in house!

Do I need to host my training materials on an e-learning platform?

No. Whilst it’s true that interactive learning created with ThingLink can be shared on any Learning Management System (LMS) or Learning Experience Platform (LXP), it can also be shared via Microsoft Teams, or even with a direct link or embed if you prefer.

Our training materials are confidential. What about security?

Security is vitally important to us. ThingLink supports SAML, Microsoft logins, Azure Tenant ID and Ping Identity for user identification if you require it.

Simply the fastest way to create immersive online training and elearning!

Hopefully we have demonstrated that creating truly tailored and engaging online employee training in just five days is feasible for anyone. By using the systematic approach outlined above, you can quickly develop a really immersive, personalized training solution, whatever your training needs. All you need is the right tools! Happy creating!

Looking for more training and elearning inspiration?

For more inspiration, make sure you’re following us on social media. In particular, please do join our Facebook Education Group and our LinkedIn Community.

Increased accessibility

The main benefit that online learning provides is the potential to provide education to individuals who may not have had access to traditional learning opportunities for a wide number of reasons. Whilst any system that is entirely dependant on the speed and reliability of an internet connection will never be entirely accessible to all, advancements in technology are making online education increasingly more accessible globally. In many areas with limited connectivity, the majority of learners access distance learning via mobile devices rather than laptops. Educators and trainers will start to create much more mobile-optimized content for this reason.

Focus on: Increased accessibility in higher education

Accessibility has many facets. One aspect of remote learning is that, unlike traditional classrooms, online programs can be delivered either in real-time or as asynchronous lessons. This benefits of this for learners are enormous and were one of the aspects highlighted in the research published by Dr Adam Jeffrey et al in their paper “Thinglink and the Laboratory: Interactive Simulations of Analytical Instrumentation for HE Science Curricula”
You can read a summary of the findings as well as a case study here.

Another benefit of creating high quality online learning materials is that they can provide access to otherwise inaccessible locations and sites. In the ThingLink case study Virtual Field Trips for Post Grads, we showed how an academic at Queen’s University Belfast was able to increase the number of students on his course when providing virtual international field trips for the first time whilst coronavirus restrictions were in place.
Further reading for Higher Education: How to ncrease enrollment with a virtual tour of your college or university campus

Online learning can provide more personalized learning

Online platforms can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to analyze learner data and provide personalized e-learning experiences. This includes adaptive learning paths, customized content, and tailored feedback, catering to individual needs and learning styles.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

These technologies have the potential to transform online learning formats by creating immersive and interactive environments. VR and AR can simulate real-world scenarios, allowing learners to practice skills and explore concepts in a more engaging and practical manner. For training in high-risk environments where safety is paramount and equipment is high-value, this is a highly cost-effective learning method that ensures students are up to speed before being placed in the real environment for the first time.
We summarise some key findings in this paper: How effective is training using VR and AR?

Blended Learning will become far more commonplace

Blending online and offline learning approaches is becoming more prevalent. The future may see a combination of online courses and in-person experiences to create a well-rounded educational experience. This approach can provide flexibility while still offering hands-on, face-to-face or collaborative activities. There are some innovative learning environments that incorporate the best elements of VR and in-person learning, creating a collaborative virtual classroom. Igloo Vision for example provide in-person immersive spaces for engaging shared virtual reality experiences.

Gamification will continue to play a key role in online learning

Incorporating game elements into online learning can enhance engagement and motivation. Gamified learning experiences often include rewards, challenges, and progress tracking, making the learning process more enjoyable and encouraging learners to stay motivated. One example of this approach is the growth of online and virtual escape rooms which we covered in our blog How to Make a Virtual Escape Room.

Growth of collaborative learning

Online learning platforms are increasingly integrating features that foster collaboration among learners. This includes discussion boards, group projects, and peer-to-peer learning. The future may see further enhancements in these areas to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing. In this blog we showed how schools across Hungary collaborated online to create a joint virtual exhibition together.

Microlearning and bite-sized content

Short, focused lessons or microlearning modules are gaining popularity. This approach provides learners with easily digestible content that can be consumed in smaller chunks, fitting into busy schedules and catering to short attention spans.

Skill-based and lifelong learning

Online learning is well-suited for acquiring specific skills and knowledge, enabling individuals to upskill or reskill throughout their careers. The future may see an increased emphasis on skill-based learning, catering to the evolving needs of the job market and supporting lifelong learning journeys.

Recognition of online learning will increase

Online learning is increasingly recognized and accepted by employers and educational institutions. The future may witness the development of standardized and universally recognized credentials for online learning achievements, ensuring their value and credibility.

In summary: what is the future of online learning?

The covid-19 pandemic certainly brought online learning to mainstream attention and put traditional education under the spotlight. A blended approach that combines the best aspects of online and offline learning is likely to be the most widely adopted model in the future – one that is collaborative, gamified, personalized and highly accessible.

For more insights and innovative use cases by our global community of content creators, why not join one of our social media groups such as the ThingLink LinkedIn community?

What is Learning and Development?

Learning and Development (generally shortened to L&D) refers to the process of employee development where staff gain new knowledge, new skills, and behaviours. The main aims of L&D are to improve the competence and performance of team members, to enhance their capabilities, and to prepare them for future challenges and opportunities. It involves creating a culture of continuous learning, from onboarding new hires, upskilling and reskilling – by which employees can keep up with the changing demands of their roles. It can be delivered in many different ways and may include any combination of training programs, mentoring or coaching. Learning methods can include formal classroom training, e-learning or digital learning, on-the-job training, workshops, seminars, conferences, webinars – and other initiatives.

The Benefits of Learning and Development

The benefits of learning and development in the workplace are numerous. It improves the knowledge and skills of employees, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction. It helps businesses nurture a culture of innovation, where employees are encouraged to come up with new ideas and solutions. It also enhances employee retention, as employees are more likely to stay with an organization that invests in their career development. Overall, it results in improved business performance from a well-informed and focussed team.

Implementing Learning and Development in the Workplace: A Four Step Process

To effectively implement learning and development in the workplace, it is essential to have a L&D strategy that aligns with the organization’s overall business strategy. Regardless of the size of your organization, this will generally rely on four main steps.

1. The first step is to identify the skill sets and knowledge that employees need to acquire, both to achieve their career path goals and contribute to the success of the organization. What (and where) are the skill gaps that need filling in order for your organization to fulfil its overall business development plans? What are the training needs of both current and new employees?
2. Once these have been identified, the next step is to develop the individual learning objectives that will meet these needs. Will these be developed in-house by an L&D team? Or implemented by outsourced providers? Will it be mainly in-person, online courses or a blended hybrid? What will the timeframe be for this development and delivery?
3. The next step is for this team to design, create and deliver a range of learning activities that cater to the diverse learning needs of employees.
4. It is essential to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your learning strategy, and make necessary adjustments to improve their impact. How has the learning experience been received by learners, their colleagues, their managers? Is it having the intended effect, and if not, why? What could be changed?

Common challenges you may encounter in implementing L&D

Be prepared: implementing any L&D program in the workplace is not without its challenges. The most prevalent of these is your organizational size or budget constraints. Your organization may not have its own human resources department, and the cost of outsourced employee training and development programs may initially seem prohibitive. To counter this, it’s crucial to factor in the long-term benefits that we covered above. Results may not be immediate, but they will be long-lasting.

Another common challenge is resistance to change, where some employees may be resistant to acquiring new skills and knowledge, or altering the way they have carried out their role for some time. It is essential to address these challenges by involving employees in the planning process and demonstrating clearly how L&D can benefit the personal development of the learners as well as help meet the business goals of the organization itself.

Learning and Development: A critical component in developing your organization

It’s clear that learning and development is a critical component of the success of any organization. By investing in the professional development of their employees, organizations can improve their productivity, innovation, employee engagement and retention. With a thoughtful and targetted approach, a well-implemented learning and development strategy can be a powerful tool for organizations of any size to achieve their business goals.

Interested in reading more about training and development?

This selection of blogs below cover a range of topics within corporate training and elearning, and contain some impressive examples, user-generated content and how-tos for creating interactive materials.

• How to create an effective online diversity and inclusion training programme
• Virtual training environments in the energy sector
• Virtual teambuilding activities and employee training games
• Five great examples of online employee training materials in healthcare
• Online customer service training for employees
• Employee leadership training resources

The benefits of diversity training for organisations

Organisations of all sizes should aspire to creating an equitable and inclusive workplace, where all team members can thrive regardless of different backgrounds, socio-economic status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.

Effective diversity training programs help to ensure that all staff feel respected and accepted by their co-workers while promoting an inclusive culture and inclusive behaviors. The bottom line for you as an employer is that creating an inclusive environment like this, where employees feel valued and respected, will assist both with attracting strong candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, and with staff retention.

What does diversity training cover?

Diversity, equity and inclusion training programs (or DEI for short) can cover an enormous range of issues and subjects. These may include such areas as cultural diversity, unconscious bias (eg racial bias) and sensitivity training.

Identifying your own specific workplace diversity training needs will help create more relevant and meaningful learning outcomes

Establishing clear and relevant learning objectives and anticipated outcomes is essential for the success of any employee training course, and a diversity program is no different.

Individual companies must decide the particular types of diversity training courses they require, to ensure that the training is realistic, useful and relevant to their own setting or environment. It may be that the location or nature of your organisation means that certain workplace diversity issues are more commonplace or problematic than others.

Key learning: Creating realistic scenarios based on real-life environments and specific situations will mean that the training you provide will be instantly more relatable, understandable and more easily applicable for all employees.

The benefits of using ThingLink’s Scenario Builder for employee training

Scenario Builder is the simplest way to create realistic and authentic virtual learning environments that perfectly mimic your company culture and the environments where your employee learners might find themselves during their working day. This has a number of benefits:

• It allows them to practice decision-making and problem-solving skills in a safe and low-risk environment.
• It allows them to explore the potential consequences of their decisions via branching scenarios that take them along a different path depending on the choices they make.
• Scenario Builder is a particularly useful tool for diversity training as it allows the learner to experience a situation or environment from a range of perspectives which are different from their own. This can give them an insight into how their own behaviour can be perceived from a different viewpoint.

Scenario Builder allows you to:

• Create questions which will prompt reflection and promote understanding among learners.
• Easily create realistic virtual environments at low cost with images, 360 images, videos or 360 videos captured in your own work spaces.
• Assess employee knowledge within the employee training scenario.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of your DEI training materials; using built-in metrics to assess and perfect your diversity and inclusion training.

Video: How to create a scenario for employee training

Further information

The three blogs below are a really helpful introduction to Scenario Based Learning and should provide further inspiration for creating your own course.

Scenario Based Learning for Corporate Training

How to Create Scenario Based Learning Experiences

5 Great Examples of Scenario-Based Learning

An employee training plan is simply an outline of the key skills, competencies and knowledge that your staff require to fulfil their job role(s). The key purpose of any employee training plan is to enable your team members to learn new skills, and develop those, within the workplace. It is likely that even the smallest of businesses will require a number of different training plans depending on individual employees’ skills and the key competencies required in your particular business sector.

Any well thought out plan should outline the overall goals for training, the timelines involved, and a guide as to how staff will go through the training process, whether that’s in-person or online.

Why is an employee training plan important?

By providing team members with effective learning that meets their individual needs, the best types of employee training plans help ensure that staff are well-prepared for their job role. It also prepares them to tackle any changes and updates in the workplace and sector. In addition is means that any skill gaps can be identified and remedied.

Developing staff training is a time-consuming process. It’s a good idea therefore to create a set of employee training programs which between them will encompass all the potential training needs of your current and future employees. These can then be used as the basis of employee training templates for new team members who may join in the future – and adjusted as necessary of course.

The benefits of an employee training plan

For employees

Providing a training plan boosts employee confidence, enabling staff to be better equipped to handle new challenges on the job. It can also help employees identify potential career goals and make an active decision about how best to reach them.

For employers

In turn this will lead to a higher level of job satisfaction amongst confident and competent team members. You are likely to see a higher rate of employee retention from staff who feel they are valued and receiving the training they need.

Being able to demonstrate that you provide new employee training and that you put a high value on upskilling your staff will help attract the best candidates for any new roles you advertise.

Overall, in providing the right training for your employees, you will boost employee performance and are far more likely to reach your business goals more quickly.

What should a training plan include?

Your training checklist should incorporate:

• An initial training needs assessment; this should help you identify your training goals. What are the knowledge gaps in your organisation? Consider that there may be short-term goals that can easily be met with training, as well as long term initiatives that your training can help with.
• An outline of the types of training sessions you plan to provide. These should incorporate a range of alternative training methods – acknowledging that there are many different types of learners. Consider how the training will be delivered: will it be instructor-led? Will training courses be outsourced or provided in-house? Will training materials be delivered in person, online, or blended? Perhaps there will be an aspect of ongoing mentoring provided as part of the plan?
• Metrics and milestones for measuring progress. As well as metrics for each individual module, it’s also essential to identify milestones within the training program so that each employee’s progress can be tracked.
• Don’t forget to provide ongoing assessment of the learning outcomes and training objectives that you decide upon. These may change over time as your organisation grows or your business changes and evolves.
• Your employee training plan template should also include some sort of structure that provides ongoing support and feedback wherever necessary. What do your staff feel about the training? Is there anything they would change or anything they feel is missing? Provide a platform for them to feed back into the training plan. This can be anonymous if that would make staff feel more comfortable in submitting responses.

Employee onboarding for new hires

Ideally, new employees should be able to hit the ground running with the key information they need to do their job – which may include company policies and company structure as well as key skills, knowledge and competencies. Therefore a clear onboarding process for new hire training is one of the most important employee training plans that you can create. Make your onboarding plan easy to visualise with an interactive roadmap or timeline like the one below.

The perfect way to present and embed your employee training plan

This New Joiner Induction Roadmap above is a clear visual representation of an example training schedule which sets out the steps in order with information embedded in rich media tags. This type of roadmap can in fact be adapted and used for all types of employee training plans. Links to the training modules can be embedded in the interactive tags and tests and assessments can be easily incorporated. Explore our examples below for more use cases where employers have created training with ThingLink.

Have you considered diversity training?

Another key element of employee training is DIE or diversity, inclusion and equity training. This helpful blog covers What to include in a Diversity and inclusion training plan.

Further examples of employee training using interactive online learning

Here are some more examples of how these employers used ThingLink to create training for their employees.

• Fingrid creates virtual safety briefings with ThingLink
• Norelco use virtual learning environments for safety training of electricians
• Using virtual tours to create online customer service training
• Scenario-based learning (SBL) is quickly becoming the industry standard for corporate learning or workplace learning and development. Learn more in this blog all about Scenario Based Learning for Corporate Training

But if you don’t have a dedicated human resources department, why not consider creating your own training courses that meet your organisation’s specific needs? Creating realistic, engaging and relatable online training materials that place scenarios and situations in your workplace is easier than you think! It also means you will have a suite of online diversity and inclusion training materials that be delivered anywhere, any time!

Why provide diversity and inclusion training for employees?

Implementing an effective diversity and inclusion training program is essential for any organization. In creating a safe and respectful workplace environment that fosters true diversity and inclusion you are far more likely to attract a diverse workforce with a wide range of skills and experience. Employees will be better equipped to understand different backgrounds and cultures while also being more aware of their own biases – which can contribute towards building stronger teams. You are more likely to achieve higher rates of staff retention and employee engagement if you foster an inclusive culture that nurtures a sense of belonging in staff members from all demographics. It will mean that any communications and content produced in-house is more likely to be inclusive – saving time on content checking.

Develop clear goals and objectives for your training course

The first step in developing your inclusion and diversity training program is to clearly define your goals and objectives. What do you want your team members to learn? How will they be able to apply this knowledge in their day-to-day work? By setting clear goals for the training, you will more easily be able to design the structure of the training itself.

Designing a training course for an inclusive workplace

Once you have established these clear goals for your training, it’s time to create the outline of your course. This should include topics such as: cultural competence, unconscious bias, and micro-aggressions. It should also cover topics related to sexual orientation, gender identity, religious beliefs, disabilities, race/ethnicity, and ageism. The goal of the curriculum should be to highlight to employees the importance of diversity and inclusion in creating a safe, respectful and diverse workplace and an inclusive environment.

Creating the materials for your training course

ThingLink Scenario Builder is an easy to use online tool that allows you to build branching logic into authentic learning experiences that simulate real-life situations, decision making and problem-solving. It’s easy to learn and use with no design or coding skills required. Learning analytics provide insights into unique learner journeys and performance. And most importantly for your bottom line, it saves costs in content production, translation and logistics. Watch this quick 2 minute video for an overview.

Accessible training

In using online training learners can access the material at a time and place that suits them. It can be completely self-paced. For improved accessibility, ThingLink features built-in language and reading accessibility with native Microsoft Immersive Reader as well as a web accessibility player viewing mode. For more information on ThingLink’s accessibility features please see this support article.

You can easily upload images, videos or 360 media taken in your own workplace and use these as the base media for the scenes in your scenario. In this way, in common with the best diversity training, it will allow you to illustrate examples of how your employees can incorporate specific cultural diversity & inclusion into your everyday company culture. For a more in-depth explanation of how Scenario Builder works, watch the 12 minute intro below.

Diversity and inclusion certification

Using scenario builder you could also provide your own diversity and inclusion certification once learners have completed the training. This could count towards professional development credits or be integrated into a wider organisational certificate program.

Case Studies

Take a look at some of these examples of ThingLink being used to create training materials in corporate organisations and further and higher education institutions.

• Online customer service training at Gradia with ThingLink
• HyGGe Virtual School uses Scenario Builder for Wellness technology training
• Fingrid creates virtual safety briefings with ThingLink
• Norelco training diversified with ThingLink
• Scenario Based Learning for Corporate Training

Fingrid has created an interactive on-demand tour of 30 substations using 360 photos. The tour makes it easy for new employees to familiarize themselves with the premises and with the safety and work tasks of the substation. The solution saves time, money and the environment, since staff no longer have to travel hundreds of kilometers for orientation.

At Norelco, the training for industry changers have been upgraded with a virtual learning environment to support site orientations. The work steps and instructions of electricians have been compiled into a clear learning resource with ThingLink. With the help of instructional videos, staff can familiarize themselves with the work steps via distance learning at their own pace.

What are the benefits of a virtual learning environment?

• Videos, 360 photos, 3D models, virtual tours, links and pictures of the instructions are combined into a clear whole.
• Essential information is easy to find, which provides an accessible and easy user experience.
• A clear learning environment especially supports industry changers who have no previous experience in the electrical industry. Everyone gets the same basic information.
• You can also familiarize yourself with the work independently at a time that suits you as it is entirely web-based. It can even be accessed via any mobile device. This saves travel costs and working hours for the employer.
• In local training, it is easy to repeat the work phases of the learning environment. In this way, the trainer can focus on providing hands-on support in crisis situations.
• You can get to know the facilities and work stages anywhere and anytime.
• Logging in to the course content remotely enables different materials to be distributed to different target groups. This facilitates, for example, the training of employees outside the company.
• ThingLink training materials can also be downloaded and used on the company’s own servers or learning management system (LMS).
• Scenario-based learning can be used to practice, for example, fire alarm situations with VR headsets. The decisions made by the user move the story forward. Scenario-based learning allows the trainee to learn from mistakes safely in a virtual environment.

How do you create a virtual training environment?

1. Fingrid’s virtual safety briefings save time and the environment

Fingrid created a virtual tour of 30 substations from different parts of Finland. About 300 employees use these online learning training materials. The virtual learning environment has solved what was previously a serious challenge, namely that orientation staff and new employees had to travel tens or hundreds of kilometers to the substation.

Fingrid’s own staff, service providers and maintenance staff benefit from the learning space created with ThingLink. Fingrid produced targetted and specific materials that meet their needs for each target group. The self-study materials have enabled familiarization even in exceptional circumstances, for example during quarantine.

The seamless integration of the ThingLink virtual learning environments into Fingrid’s existing systems and learning platforms is important in terms of participation and monitoring of learning results. Thanks to the integration of ThingLink, orientation modules can be automatically logged in Fingrid’s HR system when completed. This also saves time for HR staff, who no longer need to record the performance scores separately.

The virtual tour makes it easy to get to know the substation.

 “ThingLink has been perceived as a very good tool – a modern-day application that improves safety and significantly clarifies moving around electricity stations.”

Veijo Siiankoski, Fingrid

You can read about Fingrid’s virtual safety training in more detail here.

2. Norelco’s virtual learning environment facilitates the training of electricians

At Norelco, a virtual learning environment was created, where videos, instructions and links presenting the work steps of electricians were assembled into a clear whole. In the past, the challenge in training new employees was that not everyone could see the work steps shown by the job advisor. It was also challenging to remember the steps and visualize the whole, if the methods were not reviewed several times.

Now the work of both job counselors and new employees has become easier, when all relevant information can be found in a structured way in the same learning environment. It’s easy to repeat the work steps from the videos during your own work and, for example, the pictures taken from the most important pages of the instruction manuals can be found in the link of the video by clicking on the info tag. Every year, this “virtual classroom” made with ThingLink makes the daily life of at least 40-50 employees easier.

A screenshot from a video where the duties of an electrician are reviewed.

“The learning environment makes it possible to start learning the profession faster than before, when you can watch the material even if the guide is not there. The learning curve at the beginning is steeper than before.”

Ari Hämäläinen, Norelco

Read more about Norelco’s learning environment here.

3. Scenario-based learning process simulates high-risk situations

Scenario-based training platforms simulate real-world problems, for example acting in an emergency situation at a power station. In the virtual world, employees are able to practice decision-making under pressure and cooperation with other employees in real-time. This can be done via chat forums or on Microsoft Teams. In this way, employees are even more ready to solve real-world problem situations.

Companies in the energy sector are looking for easy-to-use tools with which the creation of path learning experiences can be done quickly.

The clear view of ThingLink’s Scenario Builder tool helps in building learning paths, and in the scenarios you can use versatile media from 360 photos to 3D models. The scenario and the learning experience develop based on the choices made by the learner. With 360 photos, videos, 3D models and infotags, you can create a realistic problem situation that the learner can solve – also with VR glasses. Questions and multiple choices move the story forward.

Learn more about ThingLink’s Scenario Builder tool here and in the short video below.

Virtual reality (VR) training – the evidence

Virtual training environments and VR learning are being used increasingly in online learning and blended learning environments. But what is the evidence that they are effective? We have summarised recent research in this download: How effective is training using VR and AR?