Training Industry Magazine - Summer 2023 - 37

To remain nimble, organizations need to adjust
their learning ecosystem operating models.
s the pace of change within
organizations continues to
accelerate, the learning and
development (L&D) function
must undergo revolutionary
changes to catch up, keep up and,
ideally, get ahead. L&D departments
have traditionally focused on helping
employees gain critical skills needed to
perform in their roles. Currently, much
of L&D interactions with the rest of the
organization are from ad-hoc requests
that serve an " order taker " role. This
type of ad-hoc interaction, or interaction
without integration into personal
development or organizational strategy,
is challenging for L&D, as the half-life of
a skill is only two and a half to five years,
and 50% of the skill sets needed for jobs
will change by 2027.
Moving
from
transactional,
ad-hoc
skills management to a transformative
learning ecosystem will ensure learning
is a key element in realizing the business
strategy. Now is the time to rethink the
learning ecosystem that has historically
been used and assess new options
that may better align with the evolving
business strategy and needs of the
workforce.
LEARNING ECOSYSTEM
OPERATING MODELS
To remain nimble, organizations need
to adjust their learning ecosystem
operating
models.
A learning
ecosystem represents the tools,
techniques, resources and places
1. Decentralized Operating Model
Business units operate their learning
initiatives autonomously with limited
control or governance from a single
corporate L&D department. Individuals
responsible for the design and
delivery of learning programs report to
separate business units. See Figure 1
for an example.
Pros:
* Clarity: Clear lines of ownership and
accountability.
* Relevancy: Highly
specialized
knowledge and expertise related to a
specific business unit.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - SUMMER 2023 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
* Consistency: Consistent learning
culture throughout the organization.
37
* Efficiency: Optimize operations
through reduced redundancies with
high levels of accountability and
transparency.
where learning happens across the
organization. The right model for a
given organization is aligned with
the business strategy, reinforces
the business culture and ensures all
components are interconnected to
remain flexible and supportive of the
continuous changes of the business.
Creating a learning ecosystem will
fuel continued learning, building
critical skills and capabilities ahead of
the competition.
Typically, L&D functions fall into one
of three distinct operating models
that support a learning ecosystem:
decentralized, centralized and
federated (hybrid). It is helpful
to
gain knowledge of each model to
assess the best alignment to the
business strategy.
2. Centralized Operating Model
Ownership of the enterprise-wide
learning strategy and associated
governance resides in a centralized
L&D department. There is strong
collaboration with business units to
understand and act upon carefully
assessed needs. All learning
professionals report centrally, where
the design and delivery of learning
solutions are managed. See Figure 2
for an example.
Pros:
* Immediacy: Provides quick response
to immediate and specific business
unit needs (identifies needs, creates
and maintains content).
Cons:
* Inconsistency: Duplication of programs
and offerings across the organization
with inconsistent quality standards.
* Visibility: Lack of centralized reporting
and visibility into values-based
metrics.
* Limited Capability: Inability to address
organization-wide learning needs.

https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/EPYMNBJA https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/EPYMNBJA https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/work-skills-first/#:~:text=Recent%20LinkedIn%20data%20shows%20that%20the%20skills%20sets,you%E2%80%99re%20not%20changing%20your%20business.%20Have%20you%20read%3F https://trainingindustry.com/continuing-professional-development/resources-for-the-learning-leader/training-needs-assessment-project-planning-checklist/ https://trainingindustry.com/continuing-professional-development/resources-for-the-learning-leader/training-needs-assessment-project-planning-checklist/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/strategy-alignment-and-planning/learning-ecosystems-what-are-they-and-what-can-they-do-for-you/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/strategy-alignment-and-planning/learning-ecosystems-what-are-they-and-what-can-they-do-for-you/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Summer 2023

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