Ara believes that today’s employees are learning with tools and techniques designed by Baby Boomers and the X generation. Digitally savvy Millennials have different needs and expectations from both life and work – they are generators, not recipients, of knowledge. The paradigm in business has shifted from hierarchy to wirearchy.

The Millennials share certain characteristics. They are impatient, easily bored and accustomed to instant knowledge access. They connect up and down the corporate ladder – equally comfortable seeking knowledge from a CEO as from an assistant manager. They want to be heard and believe their opinion counts. They expect instant gratification and instant answers- the Millennials are on-line 24/7 and expect the rest of the world to be too. Born into a borderless society Millennials are global, seeking knowledge from the world over. Millennials want to be in charge.

Ara believes there are four key steps organizations can take to train this new generation workforce to deliver productivity: place search at the centre of learning – in response to Millennials’ “I want it now”; grasp the opportunity of give and take – it’s no longer enough to learn, we all have the capability to teach; be connected and integrated in L&D – ensure the workforce has knowledge at its fingertips; make speed of knowledge the L&D driver – Millennials want instant knowledge to help them to achieve at work.

Millennials are leading us towards a richer, more complex approach to learning concluded Ara, and it’s up to those of us who provide learning systems to make sure this approach is catered for.

Thanks,
CERTPOINT Team

That new approach can be summed up in one word: performance.

For too long, Learning and Development has focused on its own efficiency. How many courses could the department deliver, to how many people, over what period? And far too often the department physically separated itself from the rest of the organization – in the basement, or even in a separate building.

This will change in 2012, but strangely the shift will only bring us back to the most natural way of learning: from each other, at work.

Originally, learning was absolutely coupled to performance. Indeed, it was a natural part of work. This was before there were any complex workplace training programmes. In the pre-industrial world, learning at work largely consisted of watching others while at work, asking questions and receiving guidance. This meant that learning took place entirely in the correct context – in the workplace.

The richness of this learning experience was largely lost in the industrial era when workplace learning moved to training delivered largely through courses in the classroom, removed from the context of the workplace.

In 2012, the availability of the right technologies – in particular hand-held devices – will change all this.

This is more than simply saying that mobile learning will continue to grow in 2012. It will, but more than that will be a shift from “Learning and Development” to “Performance and Knowledge”. In other words, the emphasis of the L&D department will be increasingly on performance, and delivering the knowledge to support that performance, whether the person remembers it or not.

And what will people access through their portable devices? Some of it will still be courses. Some of it, however, will be information resources curated by the L&D department and made available through effective systems that are designed to provide the knowledge to support performance.

And online, people will also access something else: each other. Sometimes this can be through a phone call, but more often today it is via chat, through forums or through expert help. In other words, technology in 2012 will enable us to return learning at work to what it always was – a memorable experience made richer by taking place in the context of work.

Thanks,
Ara Ohanian
CEO, CERTPOINT Systems

In fact, in previous entries CERTPOINT Chief Learning Officer Denis Finnegan explored the differences between e-learning and e-reading, and how to promote higher levels of learning (through evaluation and synthesis) and engagement with course content. Specifically, he advocated finding ways to engage learners on levels beyond mere knowledge retention and recall and to promote deeper thinking about course topics.

To accomplish this, Denis suggested that one of the keys was shortening the “Transfer” between classroom learning and on-the-job application. In other words, find ways to make lessons apply directly to real-world examples.

He also suggested that it’s important to give learners a greater role in driving their learning processes – “adults are volunteer learners.” Blogs, wikis and other user-driven forms of unstructured learning can go a long way to encouraging users to apply a greater amount of their mental energy to learning.

Similarly, programming guru Dave Thomas, being interviewed by Bill Venners alongside co-author Andy Hunt, speaks of the benefits of workers having a sense of ownership of the projects they work on:

“To motivate yourself and keep committed, you’ve got to have pride in what you’re doing. If instead you consider yourself a mechanical assembly line worker whose only job  is to take the spec and churn out bytes, you’re not going to have enough interest in what you’re doing to do it well.”

If professional development is viewed as a project, it’s easy to see how a sense of ownership of one’s training can lead to greater engagement with courses.

At CERTPOINT we agree that this principle of learner ownership is crucial to effective learning. That’s why the latest release of our platform will go further than ever in supporting it.

Through a few key features, CERTPOINTVLS™ will provide users with a more personally engaging learning experience:

• Social collaboration spaces – informal learning and the creation of new knowledge are enabled in social collaboration spaces that allow users to post to blogs, share files, coordinate their own events and more. This form of unstructured learning resonates particularly strongly with m-generation users who are naturally inclined to learning socially with their peers.

• Streamlined and enhanced self-guidance of learning – enhancements to the core curricula distribution features of CERTPOINTVLS help users find and access the training that’s the most relevant them and coordinates best with their schedules. Open-access learning assets let users self-enroll in courses and curricula, and access other training materials on their own, promoting the feeling that they are an active participant in their professional development.

• On-the-job assignments – new on-the-job training features let users take their training out of the classroom and into the real world, promoting continuity of learning and helping learners apply knowledge they’ve gained to their jobs. Assignments are submitted for grading, and users are encouraged to resubmit their assignments to improve their grades. Receiving real feedback on completed work from instructors and resubmitting fosters a two-way educational paradigm and increases learner engagement with training initiatives.

These features help shorten “transfer” and give learners a sense of ownership of their training. By allowing users to take an active role in managing their own development and engaging them on multiple levels they become active participants.

Thanks,
CERTPOINT Team

Some events cause us to remember forever where we were when they occur. I was on a Virgin flight from Las Vegas to New York when the news about the untimely death of Mr. Jobs flashed on the bright screen of my MacBook. Strange – I’ve never met the man but a lump formed in my throat and a tear wet my cheek. How could the demise of someone I didn’t even know cause me such deep emotion?

Perhaps it is because if it weren’t for Steve Jobs, I would have not fallen in love with technology. I would have not founded a technology learning business. I would never have known you – my colleagues who have become my dear friends. I would not have met your children. I would not have been able to work with some of the world’s greatest brands and companies. I would not have made so many good friends from clients I served throughout the years. I would have not known the names of their children, their spouses or their favorite sports teams.

I am pretty sure that if not for Mr. Jobs influence, I would not have started a technology firm dedicated to innovating knowledge transfer in the 21st century. Until Mr. Jobs, I was singularly terrified of the green DOS-based screens that could only bring joy to people I thought I had nothing in common with. But Mr. Jobs changed the world – changed my world. Like Leonardo Da Vinci, the genius of this man combined an uncanny balance of art, design and aesthetics with the mastery of a brilliant engineer. So I must thank you Mr. Jobs for gifting us the magical harmony of beauty and technology. You changed my life for the better and inspired me to change the life of others for the better.

Ironically, on a day when our politicians boast of their plans to create jobs, the world has lost the greatest Jobs of all. Today I mourn your passing. Thank you for making this world a better place.

Thanks,
CERTPOINT Team

Search engines and mobile devices lead the pack, suggesting that people want to be able to look up information on demand, and they want to be able to do it whenever, wherever.

Constantly showered with information, today’s learner has become aggressive in filtering things out unless relevance is demonstrated almost immediately. Additionally, they want it on their mobile devices, preferably in a form that’s easy to digest quickly so that it can be put to use on the spot.

That sounds familiar.

It’s time for technology to give users what they want, and CERTPOINT is forging ahead in providing post-training support with products like K-Tango to provide exactly what learners need in today’s fast-paced business world.

Thanks,
CERTPOINT Team

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Thank you,
CERTPOINT Team

If your answer to this question is “the license fee”, you might be in for a surprise. Not every LMS is the same, and many involve costs beyond the original license fee. Many disenchanted organizations can tell you that selecting an LMS is more than just finding software with all the requisite features.

CERTPOINT’s latest white paper, Selecting an Enterprise LMS: The Intangible Factors, looks into this in detail. The paper also considers one other vital factor to bear in mind when buying an LMS.

So, what are the hidden costs of choosing the wrong LMS, and what else should you consider?

There are two intangible factors to bear in mind when purchasing an LMS: vendor support and the extent of post-purchase hidden costs.

Vendor Support

Any organization implementing an LMS needs not so much a vendor but a strategic partnership. The best software is adaptable enough to meet your needs as they evolve, but support from your provider will be the deciding factor when meeting new challenges. Additionally, a strong partnership will help you tackle the issues every learning department faces, including how to ensure adoption and how to get organizational leadership involved.

Consider the following questions when requesting information from any LMS provider.

1. Will they support me when my learning needs change?
2. Can they help me effectively launch the LMS and ensure wide adoption?
3. Is my vendor a reliable, solvent organization? If it is acquired, or runs into financial difficulty, what will happen to support for my system?
4. Does this vendor regard me as a cash cow for on-going consulting fees?
5. How long do customers stay with this vendor?
6. Will my vendor accept my recommendations for their future product development plans?

Hidden Costs

Buying the wrong LMS will incur costs beyond the initial purchase. If you’re contemplating buying an LMS, be sure you know whether your vendor will charge for content generation, consulting and customization.

Also – be sure you know what LMS changes you can configure (i.e., alter yourself) and which require customization (consultant input). The more configurable your platform, the more control you have of your time and budgets.

The ‘hidden’ costs of an LMS, however, vary beyond monetary costs. The cost least considered prior to purchase is usually the time it will take to run it. If the time and effort required to manage a system interfere with the achievement of business goals, it may not be worth the investment. Consider the following:

• Speed to impact – how long will it take to get the system installed, configured and running? If the measurement is in months rather than weeks, you have the wrong LMS.
• Time – how much of your time and that of the L&D team will system administration take? The system should save time, not absorb it.
• Integration issues – how much time and effort will it take to get your LMS to work with other organizational systems and with tools such as those for content creation, mobile delivery and social learning?
• Reporting – are the ‘out of the box’ reports from the LMS fit for purpose? If not, how much effort will it take to create them?

While your LMS should not be a needless drain on your time, it is worth remembering that any LMS will inevitably require some time to manage. The key is that the overall operational efficiencies you gain from an LMS should clearly exceed any administrative requirements. The key is to have an LMS which can be well-maintained without becoming an administrative burden.

Making an Informed Choice

The above factors, and others outlined in CERTPOINT’s latest white paper, are absolutely vital to the successful selection and operation of an LMS. Ask questions related to these points to any LMS provider you approach and to its clients. Armed with this information, you can make an informed choice and find the best solution for your organization.

Thanks,
CERTPOINT Team

In recent weeks, CERTPOINT has had the pleasure of partnering with Brandon Hall to present a series of webinars. From implementing mobile learning to replacing and existing LMS, many issues of vital importance have been explored in depth.

However, it was clear from attendee feedback that certain topics were of intense interest – which questions were the most frequently asked?

1. Is an LMS appropriate for a small organization with under X employees?

   Webinar attendees came from every size of organization and while many of the larger organizations already have systems in place, it’s clear that smaller organizations are now interested in harnessing an LMS to boost their training programs.

2. What options are available for mobile learning?

   At each webinar numerous attendees expressed interest in what’s going on in the world of mobile learning. One driving force behind this is employees’ expectation to be able to use their smart phones for everything – including learning. Additionally, the speed of business requires training to be delivered without delay and often on the move.

3. What do you think of [Name of LMS]?

   With the bewildering array of options that exist in the learning management industry, many attendees just wanted to know “Is this LMS any good?”

4. How do you ensure that your new LMS will integrate smoothly with legacy systems/content?

   Many organizations in attendance were not new to e-learning. Those approaching their second, third or fourth LMS face different issues than those starting from scratch. In particular, a smooth transition to new systems was a topic of utmost importance.

5. Can we get a copy of the slide deck?

   Proof-positive that information can never be repeated enough times, or of the lasting value of the presentations offered by CERTPOINT and Brandon Hall.

With hundreds of registered attendees for each webinar, there were many more questions raised and it’s clear that organizations who are looking for an LMS want all the information they can get before they even approach a vendor.

Does this align with your thoughts? What are the most important issues facing your organization during your LMS selection process? What are the question every vendor should be prepared to answer?

Thanks,
CERTPOINT Team

Just what is a visionary e-learning company?

Gartner’s Magic Quadrant divides e-learning vendors into 4 types: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries and Niche Players. They define visionaries as “forward-thinking” and “differentiated by product innovation.”

These attributes do describe CERTPOINT Systems, but they only begin to paint a picture of what “vision” means to us.

Vision is not merely anticipating trends as heralded by the latest gadgets and gizmos (and their attendant bells and whistles).

Being a truly visionary e-learning company stems not from an obsession with technology but from a clear focus which is based on providing value to organizations through appropriate use of learning technologies.

Let’s look at these two points in more detail.

Value
CERTPOINT always maintains a close relationship with its clients after adoption, both to ensure a smooth transition into a new e-learning environment and to offer instruction on best practices. Part of this involves ensuring good change management and enthusiastic adoption when introducing a new learning system. CERTPOINT has distilled years of experience in this field in its white paper Six Steps To e-Learning Engagement – one of the company’s most popular ever.

Working closely with clients enables CERTPOINT to understand what provides value to them. This has always been crucial, and it’s why CERTPOINT doesn’t innovate at random; every new development is client-driven and subsequently leveraged for the benefit of other clients. The result: a platform (CERTPOINTVLS) used by global leaders such as Toyota and L’Oréal which is a complete learning management solution out-of-the-box.

Gartner reported that CERTPOINT clients “indicated that ongoing communication and support was a strength” with the result that “overall customer experience through the entire relationship life cycle is better than industry averages”. CERTPOINT’s aim is to get a client up-and-running so that they can get on with the business of disseminating knowledge, then staying in close contact to lend support without bleeding them dry for the privilege.

But of course CERTPOINT is a software company and is dedicated to meeting the challenges and exploring the opportunities afforded by new technologies. This is the second part of what CERTPOINT considers “visionary.”

Technology
Driven by the need to provide high-value software that allows organizations to create and distribute compelling content without plug-ins, additional programs or resorting to external content development, CERTPOINT has continued to evolve CERTPOINTVLS Content Creator, an integrated authoring tool that has been essential in saving clients time and money.

However, though CERTPOINTVLS is a comprehensive learning management platform, part of the philosophy behind its design is to not only excel at what it does, but to integrate with other platforms in ways that enable organizations to leverage all the best technology available. For example, Microsoft SharePoint’s high-level collaborative tools are fully integrated into CERTPOINTVLS (which provides structure for its use within its architecture).

CERTPOINT has been aggressively developing its mobile learning capabilities. CERTPOINT leads the industry in this area with established, sophisticated case studies such as Stanley Black & Decker – a classic case of not following trends for their own sake, but of innovating to meet client needs.

It would be easy to just do more of the same, to provide better ways of delivering courses and managing learners in iteration after iteration of software. However, CERTPOINT has been driven by close client relationships to take a leap forward and provide something completely new.

When speaking of what they want out of software going forward, many organizations are focused on “support,” “performance” and putting vital “knowledge” in the hands of the professionals who need it. They say nothing about “learning” or about “courses.” So CERTPOINT has developed K-Tango, the mobile performance platform which puts critical knowledge in the palm of users’ hands.

From the outside K-Tango looks innovative. It is. But it is not random innovation, done for the sake of producing something pretty for tablets and smart phones. It is the culmination of knowing that innovation must be driven by need, having the technological skill to build a great product and possessing the courage to forge ahead into uncharted territory.

That is visionary.

Thanks,
CERTPOINT Team

Is the touch screen just another fad, or will it alter how we produce and use learning content?

This question popped up recently at the iVentiv Learning Technology Executive Knowledge Exchange in Düsseldorf, attended by forty plus European Chief Learning & Development Officers. I have written about this at length in my white paper Rise of the Tablet – How it will impact workplace performance.

It is a debate which has only just started. We can expect this one to run and I look forward to being part of the conversation.

Constantin Ohanian
Chief Executive Chairman, CERTPOINT Systems