Nine Old Men

This past Monday, Ollie Johnston, the last of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” died at the age of 95. Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” were the pioneering animators responsible for Disney feature-length animated classics including “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Pinocchio,” “Fantasia” and “Lady and the Tramp.”

In his April 16th blog posting, Todd Leopold, CNN.com Entertainment Producer said “Today we live in an age of computer animation, technologically spectacular but sometimes wanting creatively. Too many films substitute artistic detail for story, something that Walt Disney didn’t tolerate, especially in the early days.”

Leopold’s comment can be applied to training and education, specifically e-learning where a common weakness is to use new technologies, in your face graphics or animations, and other bells and whistles in an attempt to engage the audience. The lesson we all can learn is to follow the "Nine Old Men" and Walt Disney’s lead and focus on story.