Webinars, pocket continuing education units and lunch-and-learn programs allow designers to mesh their learning requirements with schedules and lifestyles.

Judith Clark wrote a great article titled “Ahead of the Game” in the Summer 2007 issue of Furniture & Interiors. She had just attended the IFDA conference this past May in Atlanta, and in the article she reflected on how rewarding and useful it is to attend a conference to glean new ideas, to network, to recharge and to learn new skills. She is right, as we all know. But getting to a conference is not always such an easy thing to do.    

In our business, it seems that spring and summer are the traditional learning seasons, and many organizations and seminar companies provide opportunities for you to learn how to improve some aspect of your business or learn a new set of skills. ASID has its conference in the spring and its leadership meetings for new officers in the summer. But not everyone can make it to the conferences, despite the desirability that Judith Clark noted.

ASID recently conducted a survey to determine the major inhibitors that prevented its members from attending a conference. The major challenges are affordability, distance and time.

• Affordability was a factor for 21 percent of respondents. After paying for airfare, hotel and registration, the bills have an unfortunate way of adding up.
• Distance deterred 23 percent. This problem is somewhat mitigated from year to year as organizations like ASID move their conferences around the country to provide you an opportunity to attend a conference in your neighborhood, or at least closer, and so make it an easier trip for some.  
• Time away from work was the biggest barrier, noted by 36 percent of respondents. For designers with a small office staff and a busy practice, it often is impossible to take four days away to recharge. If you add the pressures of family or community commitments, attending a conference sometimes seems like a near impossibility.
  

Bringing It Home
There is good news. With the advent of technology and innovation, there are some great new delivery systems that enable busy designers to mesh their life-long learning requirements with their schedules and lifestyles. They are affordable and easy to take. They are Webinars, pocket continuing education units (CEUs) and lunch-and-learn programs.

My friends Drue Lawler, FASID, and Linda Smith, FASID, at Education Works introduced me to the Webinar last year when I was writing a seminar for them. After I had turned in the paperwork for our seminar “How Much Are You Worth,” I phoned in to a Webinar provider. Teacher and students were all connected by phone and computer screen and I taught the course online and in real time – so cool.  

It makes learning so easy: at home at your convenience or while at your desk. The phone and computer allow everyone to participate and share the computer screen. This format can handle up to 10 people to create a real interactive experience.

ASID has offered CEUs for some time so designers can meet their CEU requirements and the delivery system can precisely match their available time. These courses are available online, and ASID members sign up to take the course on their own, using their own computers. There is no need to travel, it’s relatively low-cost and no time is wasted in transit. If you’re a night owl or a crack-of-dawn learner, the course is there when you want it. The same cannot be said of conferences.

Take Lunch
Now companies are developing lunch-and-learn formats where a program is delivered to you and your group while you eat a sandwich in your office or a conference room. Often sponsored by a showroom or vendor, the event can be led by a sales representative, professional trainer or facilitator. Additionally, the programs are frequently accredited as CEUs. It’s a great way for the designer to tune up, and an excellent opportunity for the sponsoring organization to interact with their clients. What could be easier?

Occasionally we all need a business rehabilitation to change direction or respond to a new need in the marketplace, but mostly we need a regular tune-up. Nothing big, just some information about a new technology or trend, or a way to tweak in-house employee relations or better serve our clients.  Now we can learn anytime, anywhere. That’s revolutionary.

Liz Dreher Howard, FASID, is president of Howard Design Group. For more information, call 808-732-4915 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .