Learning technology Support

Typical enterprise software application is controlled and executed by the IT team, but  learning application management is a little different because it usually impacts an internal and external user audience. LMS systems started the same way as other software technologies. But organizations increasingly found that LMSs were slightly different because customers were also a part of the LMS user base. The result was it proved futile to constantly train users on the LMS interface. Expertus’ survey asked training managers ‘How satisfied are you with the support and deployment of your learning technology?’ 70% of respondents chose the ‘high level of dissatisfaction’ to ‘somewhat dissatisfied’ option signifying that they believe the system is in some way hindering learning. Therefore in looking for a partner to create value and to enhance user adoption, organizations need to identify an optimum balance to make their learning dollars more valuable. One of the main aspects to look for when making a decision is that the training partner understands the technology and IT setup of the customer organization. This typically enables the support vendor to provide services globally. Some key strategies for effective vendor relationships are identifying the highest impact audience to define realistic objectives for improving the roll-out process. Spotting the key indicators that measure the success of the installation before hand can really help make the implementation on time and on budget.

Training in a streamlined organization

The increased need for training in a streamlined organization presents some interesting challenges. Our recent round table conference witnessed learning leaders sharing their views on the ways with which they successfully meet these demands and equip their organizations for current and future success. One of the important challenges was to create training programs that ensure excellence without a loss of productivity. The solution that many executives arrived at was to Shift to Virtual and e-Learning.

Roundtable participants earmarked e-learning as a critical training tool in a cost-conscious business climate. A smaller workforce means that productivity has to be maintained by limiting the time that employees are away from their jobs. This makes e-learning development a more efficient method of training. One participant commented that e-learning has allowed for much quicker deployment and can be developed and implemented effectively and efficiently by a “leaner and meaner” training team.

For successful Learning systems

The key driver behind centralization and integration is improved data and reporting. Performance measurement parameters and the relevant data sources should be integrated with the system to generate effective reports. The reason organizations are reluctant to integrate their systems is the high cost of ownership. Also integrations are further impacted by traditional IT model version updates and upgrades.

To minimize the cost of ownership and reduce the pain of multiple integrations, middleware technology can be introduced. This “broker” system can act as a go-between the portals and the multiple applications that serve as data repositories. So any changes in the applications would be detected by the middleware and communicated to the portal. This process simplifies the number of validations and change points between systems and significantly reduces the cost of the technology over time.

At first glance, modifying processes to fit the LMS seems counter intuitive, but it is critical to controlling the cost of your learning systems. The cost of customizing adds up very quickly and tends to be a recurring cost as software upgrades are made. The message here is to centralize LMS services and modify the business processes and reserve customization for only critical long-term enhancements.

Reducing the cost of a typical customization frees up the training dollars to spend on enhancing processes. In the long run, this is a much better approach. The typical LMS is designed for more efficient operations, so patterning your processes after the LMS is usually the right way to improve training efficiency and reduce the recurring cost of customizations.

Need for centralization

Outsourcing proves to be highly cost efficient because it can help an organization centralize and consolidate key learning functions, such as learning facility administration, class rosters and registrations, LMS integration, and content development and management. These functions, often called shared services, tend to be used by multiple units throughout the enterprise.

When organizations have a decentralized learning set-up– that is, when business units autonomously manage learning — these functions are often duplicated. For instance, various business units would likely have their own learning administrative staffs, handle their own class registrations and reports. The positive side of a decentralized approach to training is that business units have complete control over employee learning and can customize all aspects of learning to the specific needs of their employees.

The downside of decentralization is that it is rife with inefficiencies. Technology purchases are duplicated and staffing is often redundant. Integration efforts can be lengthier and more costly because of a lack of standardization. When a learning BPO service provider initially obtains a company’s business, the typical first response is to centralize as many commonly used functions as possible in order to eliminate duplication of tasks. This does usually result in immediate cost savings but it does not account for the need for different business processes.