Elearning - June/July 2008 - (Page 38) tipsSaaS developed partnerships with industry leaders that offer complementary and robust functionality. In addition to its LMS, GeoLearning provides clients with SuccessFactors for performance management, WebEx for Web conferencing, and KnowledgeAdvisors for training analytics as part of its overall best-ofbreed solution. This integrated suite of products and services offers deep and rich functionality. This is in contrast to traditional on-premises software vendors that offer a suite of products with broad, but sometimes shallow, expertise. The adoption rate for ondemand learning management systems is skyrocketing. According to a 2007 Gartner research report, on-demand technology has grown significantly and will continue to do so. “Ease of use, rapid deployment, limited upfront investment in capital and staffing, plus a reduction in software management responsibility all make SaaS a desirable alternative to many on-premises solutation time frame from months to days. SaaS offers several advantages over traditional integrated on-premises solutions. According to Bersin’s findings, the actual functionality available in a traditional, onpremises suite is more limited than that of focused, best-ofbreed vendors. For example, development tools are widely available from many specialized companies. And although adequate, the LMS-provided tool set is missing some features you find in a focused, best-ofbreed, third-party tool. Purchasing a suite, then, might force you to trade perceived benefits for a system that might not actually meet your company’s needs. Although a single-vendor solution might seem to provide higher levels of accountability and control, it can create the opposite problem: If a suite provider cannot meet an organization’s full needs, the buyer essentially has put all its eggs into one basket and might not have recourse. In addition, the human capital and IT infrastructure required to implement and maintain this type of solution is high, and it might slow deployment, thereby eliminating or significantly reducing return on investment. With an on-demand SaaS solution, the vendor takes responsibility for delivering the system and implementing upgrades. Vendors own, deliver and manage SaaS technology remotely, leaving maintenance and upkeep with the vendor — not the client. For more information about GeoLearning products, visit the Website www.geolearning.com. 70 percent of all e-learning and Web conferencing is delivered via Software as a Service (SaaS), based on its streamlined functionality and cost-effectiveness. tions, and they will continue to act as drivers of growth,” says Gartner’s research director Sharon Mertz. According to Gartner, SaaS revenue will surpass $5.1 billion — a 21 percent growth over 2006 revenues. In terms of total market share, Gartner reports SaaS adoption is close 38 June/July 2008 Elearning! to 70 percent in e-learning and Web conferencing. BENEFITS Compared with traditional on-premises LMS software, the on-demand delivery model is appealing to HR and training professionals for several reasons, including lower start-up costs, reduced total cost of ownership, and rapid deployment. Bersin & Associates research indicates on-demand solutions are highly effective and scalable. Web services technology makes integration with a company’s system easier than ever and speeds up the implemen- http://www.geolearning.com
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