For anyone who is interested in mobile learning (aka mLearning), I highly recommend taking a look this wonderful new mobile app.  You don’t need to be a hairdresser to appreciate the quality of the experience.

mLearning for professionals

My good friends, Kris Sorbie (Redken Global Performing Artist) and Khalid Meniri (Six Agency), have launched a most interesting mLearning app for the iPhone, Kris Sorbie Touch Pro.  The app is FREE. Down the road, meanwhile, the Kris has announced that there will be premium video education as well.

The idea of this app is to provide some handy education for hairdressers during what I call “dwell time,” i.e. those little moments when you find yourself with a few extra minutes to spare.  It’s a genuine adaptation of “education” for the mobile interface.

Other features on Touch Pro:

• ‘How To’ Up Styling Videos and step by step hair coloring techniques
• Consultation tools (categories include design, up styling, color and texture)
• The app comes with an Inspirational Image Library
• There are daily tips on business and hairdresser techniques (who can be pushed to you)
• In the Navigation section, there is FolioCam which allows the stylist (hairdresser) to capture before & after images of clients and automatically save them in the in-app portfolio
• Touch Pro also allows for interaction with other stylists or with Kris herself.

What else is cool?

• The navigation “wheel” (pictured right) is wonderfully intuitive and it comes with non-invasive sound effects (which you can easily mute).  In case it were not easy enough, there is even a tutorial on how to use
• You can shrink or enlarge the text size (more apps and sites should offer this on the iphone)
• The app loads up with some nice visual effects (and a little music jingle)
• The app is thought out for English speaking countries outside of North America with measurements in ounces and liters
• The Kris Sorbie Geographic Tracker – you can track Kris’ whereabouts via Foursquare.

What might be improved?

• The app is not very “social,” as in integrated with social media.  It does use Foursquare and also allows for interaction with others, etc.; but, there is no gateway with the outsidesocial media, much less the web, in general.
• The app is only for the iOS (and that’s probably the good first choice for the hairdresser community) — presumably Android will follow.

The eLearning lessons for brands

Design is key.  TouchPro is very intuitive and made for the “casual” moments that are perfect for the mobile platform (for example, during a cigarette pause).

The functionality of TouchPro is such that it will be rather easy to add on new modules.  Keeping the content fresh and allowing for “new developments” is key for discovery.

While the audience for this app may be for hairdressers (therefore, B2B), it’s a testament to Kris and Khalid that such an app was developed before the hairdresser brands could come up with something as suave. {NB I just saw that Redken has now come out with its own app, Stylestation.}  Kudos to Kris and Khalid.