By 2018, more than half of internet users will reach first for a tablet or smartphone for online activities, according to the technology research firm Gartner. Additional research, from Bersin by Deloitte, confirms that the internet is the average professional's go-to source to quickly access information to solve problems on the job before consulting formal training resources. These trends signal a critical shift in how associations deliver digital learning: Members want access to content in the moment they need it.

Mobile learning is learning that occurs whenever, wherever, on whichever device. Content access alone is not sufficient. Mobile learning requires attention to different user experiences, considering the features of the device that will be used to deliver it.

Going Native

Think for a moment: From the time I wake up in the morning to the time I go to sleep at night, how do I use my tablet, smartphone, and wearable devices? Chances are, your answers fall into three categories:

• In-time access: using a device to find information needed to complete a task, solve a problem, answer a question, or confirm a course of action
• Discovery: using a device to browse for new ideas, self-initiated study, or informal learning activities
• Communication: using a device to connect, network, collaborate, produce, or post content

Now ask: How do your members use tablets, smartphones, or wearables during the workday to advance their careers? The answers to these questions will help you narrow your priorities for creating the types of mobile experiences that your members will need—or already need.

The key to a return on investment is to design your mobile learning content to meet an immediate need.

After you've chosen one or more delivery devices, there's still one more question to ask: How can you deliver the mobile content that your members need, when they need it, using the native features of the device you've selected? This is "going native." This radical shift requires a departure from posting content that's mobile-friendly and a movement toward designing mobile learning experiences.

Filling "Micro-Moments"

One reason that repurposed and retrofitted content does not create good mobile experiences is that when users swipe a device on, they're usually seeking information or a solution in a "micro-moment." Google coined that term based on research it conducted on user behavior. As the Google report notes, "Our preferences and purchases are shaped in these micro-moments. Ultimately, the brands that do the best job of addressing our needs in each moment will win."

If you want to be there for your members when they need mobile learning opportunities, you have to anticipate the micro-moments that you want to "win." Those moments could take a variety of forms. Here are just a few examples:

• Just-in-time guides: Anticipate questions with a series of easily accessible guides to help learners solve problems or navigate a next step.
• Performance support: Tools and templates learners can use to apply models, processes, or techniques within the context of practice. Don't just tell members how to do it, support successful application.
• Refresher learning: Drip-tips, a weekly case challenge question, or links to additional resources that challenge learners to continue using what they've learned and extend their understanding.
• Proximity-triggered content: Embrace mobile geo-location for learners in the field to unlock place-based content or serve different content depending on where the challenge is delivered. Environmental clues also trigger decision-making cues.

You may have content that can be redesigned for an app or web-app experience, or you may have to produce micro-content to optimize the medium. The key to a return on investment is to design your mobile learning content to meet an immediate need. Ask: What problem will your mobile learning opportunity solve?

Getting Started

Once you have sketched your ideal native user experience and micro-moment priorities, you're ready to whiteboard your mobile learning strategy. This framework and list of questions can help your team to get started:

1. Design your use case:
   • Who will use this?
   • How will they use it?
   • How will you measure impact?
2. Offer what's relevant:
   • What content is necessary now?
   • How will we monitor content freshness and dating?
   • What data will we use to anticipate future micro-moments?
3. Design an elegant user experience:
   • How will we maximize the mobile interface for content access and optimal experience?
   • How will we account for continuity among devices?
   • Are there bandwidth issues that we must consider when selecting media formats?
4. Embrace social features:
   • What level of interaction will we offer?
   • What collaboration opportunities could we facilitate?
   • How can our members partner with us as content producers?
5. Design learning pathways:
   • Once a member accesses mobile learning content, how will we communicate next steps?
   • How will we offer guidance yet maintain the flexibility of discovery learning?
   • How can we use mobile learning to extend live-session and e-learning opportunities?

Mobile learning is not the best choice for all learning content, but it is critical for associations to master to maintain content authority in their industries. By starting small and targeting the in-time support that your members need, you can become their go-to resource whenever and wherever professional development is needed.