Five Things to Tell Others About E-Learning

Brandon Hall - 4/27/06

A CLO colleague of mine recently asked me what he should be discussing with his group in this giant Midwestern firm about e-learning. It�s the standard �What is hype and what is real?� question. He knew I have been an early advocate and full-time res

A CLO colleague of mine recently asked me what he should be discussing with his group in this giant Midwestern firm about e-learning. It's the standard "What is hype and what is real?" question. He knew I have been an early advocate and full-time researcher on e-learning since 1993. Here are five solid points I told him he could live by:

1. E-learning is for real, and it's here to stay.
If a training officer does not know this and believe this, he or she is out of the loop and behind the times. One hundred percent of major companies and most mid-size companies use e-learning. Too many CLOs are not aware of the extent of it. Anything new and complex can be intimidating, but it takes investing time to learn about the technology.

Action item: grab your calendar and schedule in time to get further up to speed. It could be a staff meeting, focused Web surfing, calling a peer, ordering a book or calling vendors for an overview.

2. You need an e-learning strategy for your organization and for your career.
That strategy should include: blended learning to enhance traditional classroom training; where to place your bet on a major leap-ahead with technology, such as automated e-learning modules for call-center staff and how to reach not only employees but also channel partners, suppliers and customers with e-learning. Include a strategy for creating, managing, delivering and tracking online learning.

An organization that is not taking advantage of e-learning is slipping away from the leaders and can't stay competitive. As industry leaders benefit from cost savings, delivery flexibility, faster large-scale roll-outs and worldwide distribution, your group will feel the heat.

Action item: Plan a strategy development session, as an off-site session with your staff, across a series of staff meetings or as a complement to an existing enterprise training strategy document.

3. LMSs drive the industry.
For the first time there is a big-ticket item in training, the LMS. This has lead to a lot of R&D spending on systems that automate training administration, delivery of online content and tracking of who took what and how they did. Greater benefits will emerge as further integration occurs, incorporating performance management, business analytics, ROI and talent management.