Getting Real: Finding Value in LMS Pricing

How to Avoid Costly “Gotchas” When Choosing Your Next Learning Platform

By Kathleen Waid, Senior Director of Client Services, Expertus

Kathleen Waid, Sr. Director, Client Services, Expertus

Are you paying a fair price for your LMS? What is a realistic cost for technology that supports learning across the extended enterprise?

Good questions. Of course, in today’s world, the answers can be difficult to determine. Gone are the days when it seemed sufficient to estimate the price of a standalone LMS platform, and the content and services needed to deliver formal training programs.

But doesn’t this issue give you a Forrest Gump flashback?

“LMS pricing is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get!”

It shouldn’t have to be that way — even in a era where continuous learning is the goal, and requirements for global, networked organizations are increasingly complex. First, let’s take a closer look at how “learning management” is being transformed in several fundamental ways:

1) Innovation is Redefining the Learning Process

Technology is advancing at break-neck speed, along with demand for new cloud-based capabilities that help make learning experiences far more relevant, immediate, engaging, accessible and collaborative.

Meanwhile, the increasing prevalence of social media in corporate environments has opened new channels of informal learning and knowledge sharing that reach far beyond the firewall.

As enterprise innovation advisor Jim Lundy of Aragon Research says, “If you are just on the hunt to replace your existing LMS, you are doing it wrong. The other take is that if you are just buying a standalone enterprise social software platform (ESN) just for social learning, it probably doesn’t do learning well enough.”

2) New Business Context Surrounds the Learning Infrastructure

Lines are blurring between learning and other people-oriented enterprise functions.

According to market advisors at Bersin by Deloitte, “32% of all human resources dollars are now spent on talent-related programs (recruiting, training, leadership, succession, etc.).” What’s more, “Integrated talent management, which is still a new and complex initiative for many companies, is now the equivalent of ‘supply chain management’ in procurement: it’s something any well-run company must do.”

Cracking the Code on LMS Costs – Rules You Can Use

So, what’s a learning technology decision-maker to do? How can you know if LMS pricing is reasonable? Obviously, every situation is unique. However, there are several ways to avoid costly “gotchas” when purchasing a next-generation learning platform:

1) Be Prepared

Boy Scouts get this. They anticipate issues they’re likely to encounter. Learning technology decision makers should, too.

Before you evaluate vendors, take time to create your own detailed list of requirements. This will keep you from focusing on disparate feature lists provided by multiple vendors. It also provides a framework to compare across platforms the level of desired functionality that is included in the base price, while exposing elements that some classify as “optional.” Several red flags:

• RED FLAG: Are important features like advanced reporting treated as “options?” Any vendor who doesn’t consider learning analysis and measurement an integral aspect of today’s LMS environment isn’t focused on delivering value to its customers.

• RED FLAG: Is the data pricing model unclear? Does it make assumptions that are inconsistent with your business goals? How will costs scale with fluctuating demand for content storage? Be sure that the pricing plan supports your learning strategy roadmap, and avoids unexpected costs that are far beyond the standard LMS price.

2) Trust But Verify

Truth is, you’ll never have enough time to prepare for everything, fully. Eventually, you’ll need to rely upon your short list of vendors to fill information gaps and guide you. However, that doesn’t mean you should stop asking questions. In fact, asking questions early and often is the smartest approach. Pay attention not only to the answers themselves, but also consider the way each vendor responds. Several red flags:

• RED FLAG: Is the vendor spending more time pitching a pricing scheme to you? Or do representatives ask clarifying questions and listen carefully to your answers?

• RED FLAG: When you ask questions, are they answered directly, clearly and thoroughly? Do responses consider your perspective, or do they seem to serve the vendor’s interests first?

Get Additional Suggestions Now

For more detailed ideas about how to reduce platform pricing confusion, download full Expertus LMS Success Insights bulletin, “Options Options Options – Is Anything Included?”

Our Objective: Avoid Pricing Guesswork

It may seem unusual for a learning platform vendor to disclose “trade secrets” about LMS pricing. Some might think it’s similar to a magician revealing the secret behind a trick. But learning platform vendors are not illusionists. Learning technology is complex enough without requiring customers to navigate pricing schemes that are incomplete, misleading or unintentionally confusing.

Our goal is to take the guesswork out of you purchase decisions.

To discuss your LMS pricing concerns, feel free to contact us anytime. We value your thoughts, concerns and ideas.

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Note from Kathleen: To see if a cloud-based continuous learning platform like the ExpertusONE LMS makes sense for your organization, learn more at our website or feel free to contact us anytime for a personalized consultation and demo.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Choosing an LMS Provider: What Matters Most?

6 Factors for a Successful Learning Platform Choice

By Kathleen Waid, Senior Director of Client Services, Expertus

Kathleen Waid, Sr. Director, Client Services, Expertus

If you’re an enterprise learning professional, you’re no doubt facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities these days. It’s not just about keeping pace with an extraordinary rate of technology innovation. It’s also about a fundamental change in the perceived mission and purpose of learning organizations.

As Bersin by Deloitte explains in its 2013 Corporate Learning Factbook:

“No longer is the L&D function ‘the place’ for learning; instead the role of the L&D team is to facilitate and enable learning.”

This radical shift from a training-centered “delivery” mindset to a learner-centered “empowerment” approach has tremendous implications for the type of technology needed for workforce development and performance support.

As a result, Bersin says that corporate training budgets are roaring back from recent deficits, to an average annual increase of 10% in 2011 and 12% in 2012. Not surprisingly, much of that spending involves the purchase of new learning platforms.

So Many LMS Choices, So Little Time

Although this news is encouraging, it raises a critical question: How can you be sure that you’re choosing the best next-generation LMS technology for your company?

Industry advisors such as Craig Weiss at E-Learning 24/7 offer detailed insights on How to Buy a LMS, as well as self-help tools for comparison shoppers. This kind of authoritative, independent advice is helpful, especially from experts like Craig who continuously tracks more than 500 LMS offerings.

However, as a next-generation LMS provider, we regularly sit at the table with organizations who grapple with tough technology questions. We see similar issues arise all the time. And we’d like to offer our “insider” perspective on how to find a strong platform fit.

Hint: It doesn’t start with the product. It starts with the vendor.

LMS Vendor Checklist – 6 Key Factors

• Objectives-Driven Demo – What does the product tour reveal? Is it only a cursory functional overview? Or is your head spinning from exposure to a vast kitchen-sink collection of features? Ideally, a demonstration will help you envision how the platform actually supports LMS processes and objectives that are directly relevant and meaningful to your business.

• Change Management Policies – Let’s face it, your business is going to change. But does your prospective vendor truly understand your organization’s need for agility? How easily will the platform adjust to continuous change?

• Implementation Expertise – The success of any LMS goes far beyond its core technology and design. Before you select a vendor, take time to clarify how the platform will accommodate existing content, and how your vendor will manage the data migration process. Furthermore, how competent and committed is the vendor’s professional services organization? Is ongoing customer service a primary strength for your vendor, or is it a weak link? When your business performance is at stake, there is no substitute for experience and reliability.

• Integration History – Of course, vendors know how to integrate elements within their own LMS environment. But are they skilled in seamlessly linking those systems with your existing LMS(s), with enterprise systems beyond the learning function, and if needed, beyond organizational boundaries? Also, be sure to research this essential consideration for leading-edge learning initiatives: Does your vendor offer a healthy REST API library, to ensure smooth, seamless integrations across cloud-based systems?

• Customer Referrals – Many vendors offer extensive customer lists – but how accessible are contacts from those lists? The proof is in the pudding. Don’t hesitate to ask real customers how the vendor manages engagements. Every project has unforeseen shifts in requirements, but it’s critical to understand how changes were managed. Was a change control process outlined in advance? Could the changes have been avoided by more carefully defining the scope of work (SOW)? Was project/relationship management clear, consistent and competent?

• Product Roadmap Input - How much input will your company have in the evolution of your vendor’s LMS platform? What mechanisms are in place to ensure that your suggestions will be considered? Will your voice be heard, or is the provider too large or too internally oriented to engage customers, and incorporate their feedback into product development priorities?

Want to Learn More?

Read the full Expertus LMS Success Insights report, “The Truth and Consequences of Picking an LMS Provider: Who Has Your Best Interests at Heart?”

Or to discuss your organization’s criteria for your next-generation learning platform, feel free to contact us anytime. We value your thoughts, concerns and ideas.

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Note from Kathleen: To see if a cloud-based continuous learning platform like the ExpertusONE LMS makes sense for your organization, learn more at our website or feel free to contact us anytime for a personalized consultation and demo.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Choosing an LMS: Finding True North

When to Take the Plunge and Commit to New Learning Technology

By Caleb Johnson, Director of Strategic Accounts, Expertus

Caleb Johnson, Director of Strategic Accounts, Expertus

In recent years, we’ve seen a fundamental shift in how professionals view enterprise learning. It’s no longer considered synonymous with a series of training events. Instead, it’s now widely embraced as a learner-centered process.

In keeping with this evolving mindset, L&D leaders are re-envisioning all aspects of their organizational development strategies – including their LMS platforms. It’s wise to consider new technologies that can better align with evolving business needs. But these days, the task can be daunting.

Navigating a Sea of Confusion

Learning decision makers shouldn’t have to be overwhelmed or frustrated by the selection process. But unfortunately, too often, they are. The complexity and perceived risks can paralyze even the most motivated organizations. Contributing factors arise from within the enterprise, as well as from external sources. For example:

INTERNAL ISSUES

• Weak IT standards
• An uncertain infrastructure roadmap
• Miscommunication with technical staff or disagreement about business requirements

EXTERNAL ISSUES

• The rapid pace of industry change and technology innovation
• Inability to track or evaluate the vast selection of available platforms and tools
• Confusing or conflicting messages from various vendors about features and functionality

Raising the Stakes in a Brave New Enterprise World

One very visible challenge is the ongoing industry debate about the relevance of LMS platforms in an era of cloud computing, the social enterprise and an increasingly mobile workforce. Late last year, we hosted a Think Tank about this issue, featuring key trends from Bersin & Associates and reactions from top learning executives. (Download “Talent Management Trends and Best Practices of High-Impact Learning Organizations.”)

This year, the discussion moved into high-gear, after several large-scale talent management suite vendors acquired LMS platform providers. Analysts continue to weigh-in on the implications for learning management systems in the talent management mix. For example, former Gartner Group learning technology expert, Jim Lundy, recently suggested that “resistance is futile” and standalone LMS offerings “will be absorbed.”

Other observers seem eager to declare the demise of LMS platforms. However, as I explained in a recent post, this would be a mistake.

Learning industry advisor, Craig Weiss, agrees. Recently he debunked the “LMS is dead” myth in deep detail. While outlining the capabilities of 500+ learning management systems he tracks, Craig offered this summary:

“The LMS is not dead. It’s not dying. It is not requiring an extensive set of variables in order for it to grow. It is not requiring talent/performance management to be an essential feature. It is not becoming a human capital management system. It is becoming something people need and want. And that is a fact…”

Waiting For an LMS Safe Bet?

All these varying opinions beg the question: Is it wise to commit to technology that seems at risk of becoming obsolete?

The truth is – waiting to choose a next-generation LMS is probably your riskiest move. Technology decisions are naturally complicated, and the context surrounding innovation is inherently complex. Therefore, in a world where workforce skills, knowledge sharing and performance improvement often lead to competitive advantage, delaying a learning platform decision can be more costly than moving forward with the best fit among today’s strongest contenders.

A smart way to get started is to learn more about how next-generation platforms are transforming learning in real-world environments. For example, to find out about the benefits of dynamic, cloud-based platforms like the ExpertusONE LMS, I recommend you download the Bersin research bulletin “ExpertusONE and the Dawn of the Continuous Learning Management System.“

Or to learn about continuous learning in action, read case studies like this: Software Giant Lowers Training Costs and Improves Readiness of Global Tech Team with Virtual Learning. (No sign-up required.)

And of course, whenever you’re ready to discuss your needs with learning technology experts, we’re happy to help you consider available options.

Whatever you do – I recommend you get started now. A whole new world of learning lies ahead.

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Note from Caleb: To see if a cloud-based continuous learning platform like the ExpertusONE LMS makes sense for your organization, learn more at our website or feel free to contact us anytime for a personalized consultation and demo.

The Return of the LMS…

Why Your Learning Platform Matters “Now More Than Ever”

By Caleb Johnson, Director of Strategic Accounts, Expertus

“A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away….” So goes the opening text crawl of the classic film, Star Wars.

Caleb Johnson, Director of Strategic Accounts, Expertus

Well it wasn’t that long ago or that far away – but in 2009, Dan Pontefract, one of the learning sphere’s smartest contributors, declared that “The Standalone LMS is Dead.” And the community took notice.

Someone had to speak up. It was already on the minds of many who had struggled for years to integrate legacy systems into corporate work environments. Frustration was at an all-time high – even in our organization, where we’ve specialized in implementing, customizing and managing LMS platforms since their early days in the 1990s.

Yet, this statement sparked a firestorm of industry debate – apparently because some people overlooked the adjective “standalone” before “LMS.” In 2010, Dan clarified his thinking further in a follow-up post “The Standalone LMS is Still Dead…“

“The LMS of today, for many organizations…is a relic from yesterday. If we can turn the existing LMS into a learning, content and collaboration ecosystem…we therefore no longer have a standalone LMS. We have an ecosystem made up of formal, informal and social learning components in addition to having a seamless, federated workflow for the employee.”

Fast-forward to today – and welcome to the era of the next-generation LMS.

It’s a time when learning functionality no longer must be held captive in isolated “training delivery” vending machines. Instead, it’s designed around the skills development, performance support and knowledge-sharing needs of today’s connected, global workforce. It’s built inherently to fit into networked environments, adapt easily to fluid requirements, and respond rapidly to fluctuations in demand. But we’re not the only ones who see the LMS through new eyes.

If last week’s HR Technology Conference is any indicator – many other learning technology vendors and their customers now share this perspective. After all, innovation has been brisk, and numbers don’t lie.

As industry analyst, Josh Bersin, revealed in his LMS market update, companies invested $1.9 billion in training technology systems in the past year. That’s an annual growth rate of more than 14%, even in the face of a global recession.

And the brightest spots in the LMS technology space are platforms designed and developed specifically to drive “continuous learning” by integrating formal, informal, social and collaborative skills development and performance support.

As Bersin puts it, “Now, more than ever, is the time to rethink your learning technology strategy and put in place a long term solution which makes your company a continuous learning organization.”

The concept of continuous learning isn’t new to Expertus. Actually, it’s the heart of the ExpertusONE cloud LMS.

In fact, it was Bersin analyst, David Mallon, who highlighted an early version of our ExpertusONE dynamic LMS when he declared that the market was shifting to continuous learning. (Download the full research bulletin “ExpertusONE and the Dawn of the Continuous Learning Management System.“)

In Mallon’s words, “Establishing distinctions between learning that is formal or informal, structured or unstructured, prescribed or self-directed, or even social or solitary…are of little consequence….For learners, learning is, in fact, continuous…”

No matter what terms the industry ultimately embraces to describe this brave new approach to enterprise learning, we’re excited to be at the forefront of innovation that is rapidly turning the “old school” technology model on its head.

Meanwhile, we recognize that many enterprise organizations still grapple with decisions about how to move gracefully from a legacy environment to a continuous learning approach. Even if you’re not yet ready for an entirely new LMS, viable options are available. For ideas on how to make the most of your infrastructure, read our CLO Magazine article: “What to Do With a Broken LMS.”

Also, if you’d like to discuss your particular needs with learning technology experts, contact us anytime to. We’re happy to offer advice.

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Note from Caleb: To learn how your organization can benefit today from continuous learning through ExpertusONE, visit our website or feel free to contact us for a personalized consultation and demo.

Photo credit: Katrinka Kober

Moving Up – Taking Learning to the Cloud

How to Align Training, Technology and Collaboration with Business Goals

By Ramesh Ramani, Founder and CEO, Expertus

Ramesh Ramani, CEO, Expertus

Today, due to tightened budgets and diminishing returns, your senior leadership is likely challenged to demonstrate the value of training and related learning investments. They’re being asked to directly correlate specific workforce, partner and customer learning initiatives with desired strategic business outcomes.

Until a few years ago, technology and process constraints made this task incredibly difficult – if not outright impossible. However, today it’s possible to map learning relevance with business success – even in a world of changing demographics, preferences and generational styles.

The lines between training and learning are blurring. And cloud technology solutions are a perfect foundation for a strong, seamless bond across formal learning management and informal, collaborative, social knowledge-sharing activities.

Overcoming Our Challenges

Traditionally, organizations have grappled with 2 dimensions of the learning challenge:

• Technology limitations that inhibit support of seemingly simple business goals – for example, the concept of distributing the right information, to the right people, at the right time.
• Alignment of learning activities with business goals - a more challenging issue, because, among other things, learning programs aren’t the only factor that influence business performance.

What’s more, in today’s flat world, growth-oriented businesses more frequently depend on an extended-enterprise network to generate global product and services sales. But traditional remote training is not scalable enough to keep pace with today’s fast-changing business needs.

Developing the Solution

This is why learning in the cloud can be a game-changer for your organization. It instantly delivers content to a global audience. It fosters enterprise-wide collaboration. And it helps you link learning with performance – which ultimately drives innovation and achieves your targeted business goals.

Tip #1: Reduce Response Time by Embracing Agility

With a cloud-based learning platform, your company can be more responsive to fluid business conditions – dynamically and painlessly scaling resources, content and access up or down without burdening your internal IT organization and infrastructure.

A cloud-based learning solution can also be enabled to detect workload changes and automatically provision appropriate resources for your various user communities. This helps your business react more swiftly to competitive threats; drive simultaneous worldwide product roll-outs; and pursue more new opportunities, while containing costs and managing risks.

Tip #2: Drive Productivity with a Content Distribution Network

When augmented with other technologies, such as a Content Distribution Network, a cloud-based learning platform becomes a powerful tool to make appropriate localized content simultaneously available across many geographies – a level of optimization and efficiency that was previously impractical.

Now employees from across your organization can fully leverage learning tools, knowledge sharing, research, resources, within a seamless, real-time, unified ecosystem. They can also leverage the best practices and lessons-learned from your organization’s top performers. The result? Users will know more, be more productive and can work collectively to drive innovation – a key to sustainable competitive advantage.

Tip #3: Improve Learning Adoption with Prescriptive Content

Advanced data delivery is another cloud computing characteristic that promotes learner adoption. Because cloud learning makes prescriptive information and other resources available to each user precisely when needed, learners can better manage their time, and are likely to be more satisfied with the learning experience, overall.

Tip #4: Accelerate Innovation with Advanced Analytics and Reporting

Cloud-based learning solutions also facilitate new, powerful business analytics and reporting tools that can help your company gauge effectiveness and adjust it accordingly – by location or by business function. For example, the success of product launch support in one country can be retooled for another location – and this can be implemented very quickly without additional planning cycles.

Services such as these enable your company to target specific learning needs and objectives with minimal investment and risk. Viable applications include:

• Product/service roll-outs – Dramatically shorten rollout cycles by delivering comprehensive training, education and knowledge transfer virtually, on a global scale.
• New hire training – Provide on-boarding and ongoing mentoring programs virtually, to dramatically time-to-proficiency and enhance employee engagement.
• Business impact meetings – Bring key managers and experts together to accomplish targeted business objectives – through collaborative brainstorming and problem solving sessions.

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Conclusion

For some, cloud computing is still a nebulous concept for many to grasp. But it’s becoming a hot topic in boardrooms around the world – and for good reason. It’s already transformed many aspects of information technology. But it’s much more than a concept. Cloud-based platforms like the ExpertusONE dynamic LMS are playing a pivotal role in transforming corporate learning, workforce development and performance management.

Note from Ramesh: How will cloud learning and talent management impact your business? For more ideas, read my complete article, as featured in CLO Magazine. Visit the Expertus website. Or  email questions and comments to me at rameshr@expertus.com.

Building a Better Certification Program

A Roadmap for Improving Business Partner Loyalty,  Mind Share and Revenue

By Mohana Radhakrishnan, VP Client Services, Expertus

Mohana Radhakrishnan, VP Client Services, Expertus

Do you struggle to keep your partners engaged?
Are you challenged with providing global channel support?
Do you know which resellers are the most productive – and why?

In today’s tough economic landscape, channel partner sales reps face more pressure and obstacles than ever. There’s no doubt that they’re motivated to drive sales. The question is… are they motivated to drive your product or service sales?

Reseller certification programs still provide value to organizations. But, thanks to new technologies, they can easily be reconfigured and re-energized to keep your partners more supported, engaged and productive than ever before!

Consider these 3 ways that enterprise 2.0 learning innovation can engage partners more deeply:

Tip #1 – Add Dynamic Learning Paths

Web 2.0 technologies like dynamic learning paths and role-based course management make governing your partner learning tracks and curriculum much easier for both users and training administrators:

For Users:

• Only see and search relevant learning content via a personalized view.
• Quickly see next steps needed and current certification timeline.
• Save time and learn more with prescriptive content/course assignment.
• Alerted when new product or service details are available.

For Partner Training Administrators:

• No more rebuilding content lists and curriculum definitions.
• Simplifies curriculum content updates; just tag and publish.
• Zero enrollment headaches – certification paths/curricula are automatically assigned.
• Push new content globally and know when it’s received.

Tip #2 – Simplify Partner Reporting and Data Access

Can you see which partners are training, how often and when? Do you know which regions are leveraging your learning programs and assets?

Did you answer “No?” Then it’s time to simplify your reporting process. A next-gen reporting system provides quick and easy access to real-time stats of all your channel training activities:

• View completions and scores on-demand.
• See current status.
• Receive up-to-date channel, regional and individual-level insights.

Tip #3 – Integrate Your Learning and Certification Systems

Are partners frustrated with the time it takes for your certification status updates? Do you struggle with gathering this data? Are your certification programs aligned with your curricula?

There are new, dynamic learning platforms like ExpertusONE that seamlessly integrate all of your learning assets and programs with your partner management systems. This means you actually get real-time data sync and alignment.

To learn more about how a strong channel education strategy and learning technology can work together to drive partner engagement, we invite you to watch a special “on-demand” webcast, EMC’s head of partner productivity: “How to Build a World-Class Partner Certification Program.”

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Conclusion

With real-time, end-to-end synchronization, all of your systems are automatically updated, as needed. In other words, the most recent data is available simultaneously, across your entire program network, when a partner completes a new certification level, when you modify training program content, or when other changes occur.

This frees you to focus on building partner relationships, rather than focusing on verifying information that supports those relationships.

Note from Mohana: Would you like to discuss how your organization can apply any of these partner certification tips? I’m happy to help. Please contact me at mohanar@expertus.com.

Learning Portals – The Build vs. Buy Dilemma

Why You Should Proceed With Caution When Planning Your Next Portal

By Kathleen Waid, Senior Director, Client Services, Expertus

Kathleen Waid, Senior Director, Client Services, Expertus

Recently, the chief learning officer of a major U.S. software company made one seemingly small tactical error that morphed into a horror story of massive proportions – for him and his company.

The terror began in one of those meetings with way too many attendees: the CLO, his learning executives, a few business line managers, some of the IT team and a vendor. All wanted to build a learning portal, which would (hopefully) solve the company’s biggest problem – a “shockingly unknowledgeable sales force.”

But 2 years and almost 1 million dollars later, their learning portal still hasn’t seen the light of day – and probably never will.

How did this happen?

• The CLO and his IT team became deeply distracted by competing priorities…
• This created chronic cost-overruns and development delays…
• As a result, other mission-critical learning projects fell by the wayside.

In fact, the effectiveness of the company’s learning organization sank to a 10-year low! Which is why the CLO was eventually let go, and left wondering why his IT team (the people who recommended this custom-build “solution”) were left unfazed.

Is This Your Reality?

Yes, this real-life example is extreme. But you’d be surprised at how common this scenario is. Of course, the CLO doesn’t always get fired and the portal doesn’t always fail. But in too many instances, the decision to build a learning portal internally has come back to haunt almost everyone involved.

So What’s the Temptation?

It seems obvious that building a learning portal from scratch is an unnecessary endeavor – a poor allocation of risk and resources, and generally a bad idea. Why, then, does it keep happening? What’s the temptation?

The “Gotchas”

The crux of the problem is the word “portal.” Often IT teams are able to successfully build corporate or business-unit portals with off-the-shelf solutions. However, getting a learning portal to interface with your existing LMS and other enterprise applications requires a much more sophisticated understanding of your underlying LMS technology, business rules and corporate learning drivers.

Here are a few tips that will help you avoid common “gotchas” that often derail custom learning portal projects.  So, how should you proceed?

Tip #1: Choose an Established Technology

There’s a significant learning curve in picking the technology that’s best for your custom learning portal and will stand the test of time. Many companies invest in standard IT portal technology, which may be out-of-date by project end.

In other cases, the selected technology simply doesn’t work well (i.e. exposing the data elements of a legacy LMS system) – or it doesn’t add any processing (“mini-application” intelligence) to the portal information – or it’s hard to work with, so the portal is cumbersome to build.

To improve your odds for success, you should choose established technology that is proven to work seamlessly in a learning environment. It should be flexible, scalable, and have a future-proofed infrastructure, so that you won’t have to rebuild your portal in 2-3 years.

Tip #2: Set a Realistic Budget and Timeline

Internal stakeholders are inclined to think it’s cheaper to build a portal in-house – but that’s because it’s difficult (if not impossible) to truly understand a learning portal project’s scope and complexity.

Supporting the learning department is usually not a top priority for IT. So, they tend to be a bit detached from its many nuances. The learning department, and other business owners, usually learn this the hard way when they uncover hidden costs, and must personally make a massive time commitment to oversee the project, themselves.

Sponsors often find themselves over their heads as they become responsible for creating an effective user interface, and developing requirements that reflect the intricacies of an enterprise LMS (typically deployed to multiple audiences).

To avoid this outcome, you need to see a working portal prototype before you buy into the solution. This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect, and you can rest assured that it can be implemented and deployed within a reasonable timeframe.

Tip #3: Don’t Lose Sight of Your Core Competency – Learning

This is often the most overlooked, and possibly the most critical “gotcha.”

In a custom portal development project, business unit owners and learning executives don’t realize how much of THEIR time will be consumed and how steep the learning curve can be. So, unfortunately, while they go through the tedious process of figuring out how to design a learning portal, they often lose sight of their “day job” and what’s mission-critical.

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Note from Kathleen: Would you like to read more? Download the full “BUILD vs BUY” whitepaper – including the 5 Learning Portal Gotchas and the 8 Benefits of a Buy Decision.

Or, if you’d like to discuss your learning portal needs and questions, contact me anytime by email at: kathleenw@expertus.com.

Baker Hughes – Compliance Training in Hard-to-Reach Places

Guest post by Francesco Turchetti, Director Talent Management, Baker Hughes

Francesco Turchetti, Director Talent Management, Baker Hughes

Compliance is critical in the energy sector. At Baker Hughes, our compliance challenges were compounded by our 34,000+ employees, spread across  a global organization with multiple business units.

The key to our compliance success was to develop a training solution that offered the required employee training while supporting our growing, global workforce. Our learning organization partnered with Expertus to develop a centralized shared-service model that solved a multitude of learning administration issues, such as logistics, training support and report management.

Logistics
Logistics management for 16 hard-to-reach countries was essential for us. So the team established key contacts in all 16 countries and delivered training via CD to employees who were in remote areas with limited Internet connectivity.

Centralized Support
In order to support our  various business units worldwide , the team developed processes flexible enough to adapt to each  unit’s unique needs and a 24×7 support team infrastructure to make the training transition as smooth as possible.

Report Management
We gained key insights for compliance decision making because the team developed reports, dashboards and charts that made it simple for country managers to track compliance and push non-compliant employees to complete their training.

RESULTS

Within 60 days, we increased our compliance from 32% to a record 99.8 %. And while this initiative was not focused on reducing costs, learning administration costs were reduced by more than 40%.

We now have a cost-effective learning umbrella designed to cover the unique needs of our enterprise and our employees, while meeting the industry’s strict compliance guidelines.

Note from Expertus: Would you like to know more about the training outsourcing & reporting solution we spearheaded for Baker Hughes? Or do you have a real-world enterprise learning story to share? Contact Expertus anytime at info@expertus.com.