ST Bureau
Singapore
Singapore based Jam Factory provides
learning and enablement solutions to businesses and professionals. The company
believes in an integrated learning approach that is interactive and engages
learners. It leverages technology to enable learners to Learn, Experience and
Engage, providing Training that Sticks!
learning and enablement solutions to businesses and professionals. The company
believes in an integrated learning approach that is interactive and engages
learners. It leverages technology to enable learners to Learn, Experience and
Engage, providing Training that Sticks!
An empowered employee is an effective
employee. Jam Factory enables businesses to enhance their workforce through
training and development.
employee. Jam Factory enables businesses to enhance their workforce through
training and development.
In an exclusive interview with Startup
Terminal, Yvonne Soh, Co-Founder and
Production Director of Jam Factory provides more insights about the company
and future goals.
Terminal, Yvonne Soh, Co-Founder and
Production Director of Jam Factory provides more insights about the company
and future goals.
Excerpts:
ST:
Tell us more about Jam Factory.
Tell us more about Jam Factory.
Jam Factory is based in Singapore and
initially was only focused on app development and corporate training workshops.
We have recently launched a digital learning platform called Noodle Factory –
we have been working on that for about a year. My husband and I are the
co-founders, and we have a small all-female team who is absolutely awesome in
terms of energy, creativity and dedication to making the world a better place
through better learning programmes.
initially was only focused on app development and corporate training workshops.
We have recently launched a digital learning platform called Noodle Factory –
we have been working on that for about a year. My husband and I are the
co-founders, and we have a small all-female team who is absolutely awesome in
terms of energy, creativity and dedication to making the world a better place
through better learning programmes.
ST:
How training programmes and “off-the-shelf” training courses offered by Jam Factory
are helping organizations in effective and strategic talent management?
How training programmes and “off-the-shelf” training courses offered by Jam Factory
are helping organizations in effective and strategic talent management?
A lot of training programmes only
focus on content but rarely take into account the learner’s context and the
learner experience. For example, when we design any programme, the first thing
we think about is “Why would the learner want to learn this?”
“What is in it for the learner to spend x amount of time on this
programme?”. Think about it … if I told you that you have to learn
algebra, and provided you all the content, you probably will not remember most
of it. But if I told you that algebra can be used when you are at the grocery
store and need some items but have only a limited amount of cash in your
pocket, then you would probably pay more attention and remember a lot more as
you ponder how you would apply it in the RIGHT CONTEXT.
focus on content but rarely take into account the learner’s context and the
learner experience. For example, when we design any programme, the first thing
we think about is “Why would the learner want to learn this?”
“What is in it for the learner to spend x amount of time on this
programme?”. Think about it … if I told you that you have to learn
algebra, and provided you all the content, you probably will not remember most
of it. But if I told you that algebra can be used when you are at the grocery
store and need some items but have only a limited amount of cash in your
pocket, then you would probably pay more attention and remember a lot more as
you ponder how you would apply it in the RIGHT CONTEXT.
So, we help organisations by getting
them to understand what their employees need and help to leverage their content
which they may already have, add on our own that we have gathered over the
years, and most importantly – transform and present the information/content so
that the learner actually LEARNS. “Stickiness” is very important to
us – that is why we are called “Jam Factory”. We want out learning
solutions to STICK.
them to understand what their employees need and help to leverage their content
which they may already have, add on our own that we have gathered over the
years, and most importantly – transform and present the information/content so
that the learner actually LEARNS. “Stickiness” is very important to
us – that is why we are called “Jam Factory”. We want out learning
solutions to STICK.
 |
| Jam Factory Team |
ST:
What role does Jam Factory’s learning consultancy play in optimising
organizational learning and development process in an efficient manner?
What role does Jam Factory’s learning consultancy play in optimising
organizational learning and development process in an efficient manner?
The learning consultancy is a key part
of our value-add to our customers. If customers just needed someone to deliver
their content, it is not hard for them to find their own facilitators or
elearning tools to develop the online course. But the missing part of the
puzzle is really being able to help customers achieve their learning goals – and
that’s where Jam Factory comes in. The first thing that we ask our customers is
what are their objectives, and what they would consider to be a successful
learning programme.
of our value-add to our customers. If customers just needed someone to deliver
their content, it is not hard for them to find their own facilitators or
elearning tools to develop the online course. But the missing part of the
puzzle is really being able to help customers achieve their learning goals – and
that’s where Jam Factory comes in. The first thing that we ask our customers is
what are their objectives, and what they would consider to be a successful
learning programme.
ST:
Apart from Classroom Training, you have introduced Digital Learning, and Blended
Learning. Which one of them is more employee-friendly with respect to creating
work-life balance?
Apart from Classroom Training, you have introduced Digital Learning, and Blended
Learning. Which one of them is more employee-friendly with respect to creating
work-life balance?
Classroom training will always have a
place in ‘learning and development’ – as it is hard to replace the
‘face-to-face’ interaction and human elements that you get in a classroom
training. However, as many people now realise, classroom training is expensive,
and requires time away from the office, which means that it will impact
work-life balance or productivity. We are heavily focused on our digital learning
platform, Noodle Factory. And all our classroom training attendees get free
access to Noodle Factory to help reinforce what they have learnt during the
classroom sessions.
place in ‘learning and development’ – as it is hard to replace the
‘face-to-face’ interaction and human elements that you get in a classroom
training. However, as many people now realise, classroom training is expensive,
and requires time away from the office, which means that it will impact
work-life balance or productivity. We are heavily focused on our digital learning
platform, Noodle Factory. And all our classroom training attendees get free
access to Noodle Factory to help reinforce what they have learnt during the
classroom sessions.
One thing I want to point out is that
the format doesn’t always matter. From an absolute time perspective, of course,
digital learning is much less time consuming. However, if the learner doesn’t
learn, or is unable to apply his new knowledge, then really it’s been a waste
of his time, no matter how little time he took.
the format doesn’t always matter. From an absolute time perspective, of course,
digital learning is much less time consuming. However, if the learner doesn’t
learn, or is unable to apply his new knowledge, then really it’s been a waste
of his time, no matter how little time he took.
Hence, the focus for our digital
learning platform is on “right time, right information”. We don’t
just put our platform there for people to go to when they think about it, we
deliver the information to the learners when we think they need it the most.
learning platform is on “right time, right information”. We don’t
just put our platform there for people to go to when they think about it, we
deliver the information to the learners when we think they need it the most.
ST:
How do you lead your training process and measure project outcomes?
How do you lead your training process and measure project outcomes?
First thing we always think about is
that learning is a journey, and not a one-off event. So our process is always
ongoing … we always start with the objectives and quantifiable targets, then
we look at the content, think about the learner context and experience and
design the programme. Whether they are power point slides used in a classroom
or online learning modules, we always believe that the visuals are very
important. No one likes to look at ugly things – so we have invested in a
number of content designers whose main focus are to present the content in a
visually appealing and easily consumable way.
that learning is a journey, and not a one-off event. So our process is always
ongoing … we always start with the objectives and quantifiable targets, then
we look at the content, think about the learner context and experience and
design the programme. Whether they are power point slides used in a classroom
or online learning modules, we always believe that the visuals are very
important. No one likes to look at ugly things – so we have invested in a
number of content designers whose main focus are to present the content in a
visually appealing and easily consumable way.
After design, then comes delivery and
review. Reviews are always important to assess what went well and what didn’t,
and how we can improve.
review. Reviews are always important to assess what went well and what didn’t,
and how we can improve.
ST:
Can you explain your pricing model?
Can you explain your pricing model?
Our classroom trainings are based on
the duration of the session. We don’t generally encourage more than 20 in a
class, for maximum effectiveness. Our digital learning platform is priced on a
monthly subscription basis with a free tier.
the duration of the session. We don’t generally encourage more than 20 in a
class, for maximum effectiveness. Our digital learning platform is priced on a
monthly subscription basis with a free tier.
ST:
What are your future plans?
What are your future plans?
We are focused on Noodle Factory, our
digital learning platform. We feel we already have the right content and are
focused on MANAGERS, who can really lead the way to drive organisational
development. Our next immediate step is to build and launch intelligent
technology that helps to deliver the information to the managers when they need
it, so that learning becomes part and parcel of the day. We are very excited
about this and you can expect to hear more about it in the next few months!
digital learning platform. We feel we already have the right content and are
focused on MANAGERS, who can really lead the way to drive organisational
development. Our next immediate step is to build and launch intelligent
technology that helps to deliver the information to the managers when they need
it, so that learning becomes part and parcel of the day. We are very excited
about this and you can expect to hear more about it in the next few months!
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