John Deere Creates Engaging Hybrid Product Training with Articulate 360

The Challenge

John Deere needed a more interactive tool to create the online courses for its hybrid product training program

To help its global customer base find the right equipment for the job, John Deere’s sales reps must be experts on the company’s robust product catalog. The organization prioritizes product training that helps learners understand the nuances of different models’ features and benefits. Because products constantly evolve, training also helps learners stay up-to-date with the latest product knowledge.

In-person sessions have always been an integral component of John Deere’s product training. These sessions allow sales reps to get hands-on experience with machines so they can better serve their customers. However, sending reps from countless dealerships to the organization’s physical training center is both time-consuming and costly. To make the most of hands-on training time, the organization teaches foundational knowledge through online training so that reps are highly prepared for  in-person training sessions.

When Sheldon Cole, Online Training Specialist, joined John Deere over a decade ago, his team primarily used PowerPoint to create online training. But this, says Cole, dramatically limited the training interactivity’s, and therefore, its effectiveness. Participation suffered, as did sales reps’ career opportunities, which hinge partly on courses they take. 

John Deere needed a more interactive tool to create the online component of its hybrid training—one that would help sales reps stay engaged, retain information, and get foundational knowledge before in-person sessions.

The Answer

With Articulate 360, John Deere creates immersive experiences that successfully prepare sales reps for in-person training hours

The organization found Articulate 360, and began using Rise and Storyline to create a variety of product training courses. “We had to make sure that we used a platform that gave [reps] the same benefits of being there [in person] without being there, and Articulate does that for us,” says Cole.

Today, Cole uses both apps to create web-based training for large-acreage farming equipment like combines, tractors, planters, and more. 

Rise, he says, is useful for creating digital job aids and other short, informative courses. For example, he created a walk-around of a combine, with detailed photos and corresponding markers to indicate different parts of the machine. He also used the tool to create an overview of the company’s warranty program and the differences among its multiple warranty levels.

Storyline, meanwhile, allows Cole to expand on content, add interactivity, and create immersive training experiences. The latter are especially helpful for complex equipment walkthroughs, which previously could only happen in person. Now, with Storyline, the team can create product training that is so immersive that it serves as a prerequisite for in-person training. Sales reps can learn certain skills, like how to crank a tractor or engage its power take-off, before spending time in the training center with physical machines.

The result: Reps are far more prepared for their in-person training, so they can focus on more advanced concepts and make the most of their time in physical training centers. “I don’t have to baby down my training [in person], because they’ve already gotten the background that they needed,” says Cole of the impact that these immersive Storyline courses have had on the reps’ hybrid training experience. 

Since John Deere historically created slide-based training, Cole appreciates the “Import Powerpoint” feature in Storyline, so he can fit pre-created slides into Articulate. “[Storyline is] very easy to learn,” he says. “The great thing about Articulate: It’s very easy to update and modify.”