Chief Learning Officer - January 2008 - (Page 51)

PRODUCTIVITY continued from page 31 most salient points in an easy-to-digest format — from eight-page summaries of top business books to quick insights into the best business practices. By providing smaller bits of information right within sales processes in a variety of formats (audio, HTML, etc.), the firm gave sales reps a powerful means to access key information effortlessly. This type of blended learning environment has proven extremely effective. In fact, a July 2006 study analyzing how blended solutions affect on-the-job performance within corporate and academic organizations revealed astounding results. The primary goal of the study was to determine if there were significant accuracy and time-performance differences on realworld tasks where one group received blended learning, one received e-learning alone and one received no training at all. As a result: • Those in the blended learning group retained knowledge and performed better on the task than the e-learning group and control group. • The group that received blended learning performed with 30 percent more accuracy than the e-learning-alone group. • The group that received blended learning performed real-world tasks 41 percent faster than those who received e-learning alone. • The group that received blended learning performed tasks with 159 percent more accuracy than the control group. • The e-learning group performed tasks with 99 percent more accuracy than the control group. In order to achieve this vision of blended or connected learning, organizations need: • A large library of ready-to-use, high-quality content that can be used to support structured and unstructured learning needs. • Tools and technologies to develop new content and tailor existing content. • Tools to organize and aggregate learning objects into formal and informal learning programs. • Virtual classroom technology to support the needs of distributed collaboration and live learning events. • A competency management application to analyze employees’ existing skills, identify gaps and target appropriate learning interventions. • A learning management platform to deliver e-learning, manage resources and track learning performance. Insights for Improved Learning Opportunities One final observation is the payoff for learning organizations when they successfully implement a learning strategy that is optimized for connecting content and learners. All this just-in-time usage can be tracked, measured and leveraged by the learning organization when the learning infrastructure provides the “pipes” to distribute these learning nuggets across the organization. Organizations are viewing this capability as a critical new business intelligence tool. They can apply this tool to recognize learning trends; pinpoint topics of highest interest to the organization; analyze search string sequences; and construct a rich perspective on the overall formal and informal learning needs at the individual, departmental and enterprise levels of the organization. For example, a leading global computer maker has more than 300,000 employees using millions of minutes of learning assets a month. Yet, until recently, it had no understanding of which online assets were in highest demand. Today, the company has this data, and it can align its instructor-led course investments more cost-effectively to augment those. Similarly, a major storage system provider uses this new level of business intelligence to justify and re-prioritize learning investments based on the most commonly searched terms. The firm tracks usage of sessions, books and HTML pages, gaining an understanding of important trends in online learning. This is just one of the practices the firm has employed to drive improvements in human capital. The firm was already recognized as one of the industry’s top 100 training organizations. In the past three years, the company has earned numerous industry awards for its innovative approach to educating its workforce. Today, employees are overwhelmed with immense volumes of information. “Searching” is much less productive than “finding.” Conclusion Today, employees are overwhelmed with immense volumes of information. “Searching” is much less productive than “finding.” Traditional search mechanisms are too time consuming and ineffective. Learning organizations need to bridge the knowledge gap by providing users with critical information as they are performing day-to-day activities. Organizations combining formal and informal learning, blended into the way that users work, are much more likely to produce a cadre of high-performing, knowledgeable business professionals. Additionally, by gaining insight into the use and relevance of training resources, organizations can make more informed decisions about investments in future learning assets. 51 January 2008 I www.clomedia.com I Chief Learning Officer http://www.clomedia.com

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Chief Learning Officer - January 2008 Editor’s Letter Table of Contents Imperatives Selling up, Selling Down Strategies Take Five Environment Sips of Knowledge at E. & J. Gallo Winery CLO Profile Productivity UST Global: Opening Employees’ Eyes to New Learning Tactics Applying CRM Concepts to E-Learning Human Capital Capital One: Experiences in Innovation Learning Solutions Macy’s: Using Feedback to Develop One Leader at a Time Case Study Business Intelligence Advertisers’ Index Editorial Resources In Conclusion

Chief Learning Officer - January 2008

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