Email and SMS Language

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Melanie

 

Shorthand has been around since before the days of Pitman I’m sure, and every generation seems to invent its own language.  Lately in my training sessions I’ve noted an increase in younger delegates texting away during sessions (that’s another topic!). I’ve noticed they use short codes the same as the ones in Email, Chat programs, Forums, SMS’s and other space and attention is at a premium.

If, like me, you’ve felt like a dinosaur because you couldn’t work out what that abbreviated language meant, then here is a post that should enlighten you.

 

<G> Grinning
<J> Joking
<L> Laughing
<S> Smiling
<Y> Yawning
AAMOF As A Matter Of Fact
AFAIC As Far As I Can…
ASAP As Soon As Possible
BBFN Bye Bye For Now
BFN Bye For Now
BTW By The Way
BYKT But You Knew That
CMIIW Correct Me If I’m Wrong
EOL End Of Lecture
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
FITB Fill In The Blank
FWIW For What It’s Worth
FYI For Your Information
GBU God Bless You
GMTA Great Minds Think Alike
HTH Hope This Helps
IAC In Any Case
IAE In Any Event
ICL In Christian Love
IMCO In My Considered Opinion
IMHO In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO In My Not So Humble Opinion
IMO In My Opinion
IOW In Other Words
LMAO Laughing My Arse Off
LOL Lots Of Laughter
MGB May God Bless
MHOTY My Hat’s Off To You
NRN No Reply Necessary
OIC Oh, I See
OTOH On The Other Hand
PTL Praise The Lord
ROF Rolling On the Floor
ROFL Rolling On the Floor Laughing
ROTFL Rolling On The Floor Laughing
ROFLMAO Rolling On the Floor Laughing My Arse Off
RSN Real Soon Now
RTFM Read The F*** Manual
SITD Still In The Dark
TTFN Ta Ta For Now
YMMV Your Mileage May Vary
TIA Thanks In Advance
TIC Tongue In Cheek
TTYL Talk To You Later
TYVM Thank You Very Much
WYSIWYG What you See Is What You Get

 

Maybe we should start including some of these abbreviations in our training materials to engage Gen Z or whatever we’re up to! Scarily I’ve noticed I use 2 and 4 instead of “to” and “for” in my flip charting!

I’m sure there are more abbreviations .. know any?
IAC, folks, HTH. BFN!

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Technology … love it!

Posted on January 14, 2010 by Melanie

There are some exciting new web applications floating around cyberspace these days. Here are a  few I’ve been exploring lately:

Dokeos.com- an e-learning tool that is open source (ie free and collaboratively built). It looks very comprehensive having used the online demo. At some point I may download it and see how it works under the hood. An easy solution to play with. I found Moodle complex to get going but that was when I looked at it in the early days so it may be more user-friendly now. I’ve also looked at LAMS and that seems great too but again not easy to use for the average-joey. Dokeo looks easy to use – I just haven’t spent enough time to work out how to put the content together yet!

dimdim.com – a cool web conferencing tool that does not require anyone anywhere to download anything. And it lets you schedule a meeting or do one instantly. It will also send reminders and notices. It even lets you embed the invite into your website. Looks really cool and I’m going to test it out with my AITD buddies to give it a live workout.

sugarcrm.com – an open source customer relationship manager (eg like Act! or Goldmine! or SalesForce etc). I tried the online demo and it is a very big program. Does lots but may be too comprehensive for this little black duck that just wants something relatively simple that will manage email campaigns and newsletter without all the sales management heavy tools. Still, it’s free and seems stable so may be great for some.

sliderocket.com – way cool. great website. am I finding a tool that I don’t really have a use for? Don’t know but I’m going to play ‘cos it looks so sexy!

blurb.com- this look a great tool to put together a book very easily and it provides a publishing option where you can order the book. I’ll let you know when I’ve written mine!

lectureshare.com- seems ok. Can make material public or private. Good to refer participants to after training, or to use as supplemental material after an event.

kineo.com – A funky UK e-learning company. I am looking at being their Aussie agent – contact me for details.

sproutinc.com – rich media campaigns and viral emails – cool site but has now changed from free to fee. Would have been good to try before giving over credit card details.

Here’s a great source of tools and all things e-learning – http://janeknight.typepad.com/pick/2007/01/elearning_for_f.html

and her directory is at http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/Directory/

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Using Powerpoint Better

Posted on November 13, 2009 by Melanie
Death by PowerPoint
View more documents from Alexei Kapterev.

Have to say I, like many trainers, am guilty of using ppt as a prompt as much as a learning tool. Alexai and others serve to remind us that less can be more. It’s quick to knock up a ppt presentation. It’s more time consuming to put together a learner-focussed package using PowerPoint. Expediency isn’t everything. I’ll make a commitment to making my slide presentations more learner focussed next year.

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Live and learn

Posted on February 3, 2009 by Melanie

Live life as if you will die tomorrow, learn, as if you will live forever

                                                                                   Mahatma Gandhi

In these times of negativity, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.  Under threat, our natural tendency is to withdraw, go quiet, protect. It’s like hiding from the dragon until it has passed. That’s no way to live if the dragon takes up residence nearby for a while!

 

In times of threat a better response may be to continue to live life fully, continue business fully, keep working fully … just in a different way. One that is less expensive, more productive and just as beneficial if not moreso.

 

Just as importantly is to use the time to learn so you are better positioned when the  threat passes and you’ll find you’re streets ahead of those who just ‘retired’ until the threat passed.

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Action Learning

Posted on January 28, 2009 by Melanie

Wow! Dr Michael Marquardt is an undisputed king of Action Learning. 

Recently he took a group of us through the process and theory behind conducting Action Learning and it was brilliant. I learned even more about the technique and found my skills grew over the time we spent together.

Action Learning is a deceptively simple technique that is way more than just asking questions. It comprises a methodology which underpins the learning content and application of the learning. 

When do you use Action Learning? Ideally when there is a problem to solve which has some immediacy or import.

What’s so special about it? It’s real-time learning and skill enhancement. The use of a Coach through the process is critical to ensure the session doesn’t turn into a general discussion or head straight into solution mode without exploring the possibilities and the process as well as individual and team development.

Michael utilises Action Learning for almost all of his leadership development work these days.

Personally, I have used Action Learning in a limited way up to now but will be embedding it into more of my consulting and development work in future. Give me a hoy if you would like to practice the technique or apply it in your own organisation.

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