Webinars
Carving Yin From Yang: The Curious Split Between Change and Innovation
Aug 19, 2010
Breakfast Club
San Francisco: The Next Frontier for Learning and Development
Sep 23, 2010 07:30 am
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
San Francisco, California
CLO Symposiums
Unleashing Learning: From Strategy to Execution
Sep 27, 2010 - Sep 29, 2010
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
Dana Point, California
In Practice
The Learning Function as Design Lab
Steve Mahaley
One of the challenges CLOs face today is how to ensure continuing learning and development in turbulent economic times. Pressure on learning functions to reduce budgets has driven a renewed examination of existing programs with an eye to reduce or eliminate some. That is not all bad.
Perhaps it is time to eliminate or rework programs whose relevance has diminished over time or are otherwise not delivering real business performance. But at the same time, how can CLOs preserve strategically important programs in light of across-the-board travel bans?
Turning to technology may be the solution. We went there in the 1990s, and that turned into a huge investment in canned content that in many cases failed to fulfill the original promise. The question today is, are there alternatives to design that leverage the wide range of technology we already have, so as to both reduce expenses and improve quality? The answer is yes.
Start with a few programs that can be redesigned and implemented fairly quickly. The new design needs to engage the workforce in new ways, supporting it through a process that holds pedagogical water: foundational content delivered in reasonable chunks and in compelling format; guided real-time exploration of those content areas to create meaning in context; and supported application of knowledge, skills and behaviors on the job.
How do we get it done? First, we need to challenge our orthodoxies around what a program is, what delivery looks like, where learning happens and how it happens. We need a clear understanding of the full capabilities that our existing infrastructure provides, and we need to go through a design analysis that preserves clear and measurable learning outcomes and then be open to new content and interaction designs that connect participants with content, peers and subject matter experts in compelling and effective ways.
The goal should be a reduction in location-dependent events of 50 percent, or even up to 100 percent. Consider what is normally spent on travel and expenses for everyone: the participants, the educators, the delivery teams. We begin to see the savings, but it’s not all about T&E. Traditional in-place delivery of education relies on instructors and participants committing time away from work, time that bears a significant opportunity cost for the organization. Learning designers may find they can leverage internal experts and external faculty in new and less expensive ways that get an increased volume of effective learning experiences — essentially greater coverage in less time for less money.
Implied in this approach is change to the skill sets of the learning function. Care will need to be taken in piloting the new designs, preparing your instructors for delivery in new modalities, creating compelling content and building in assessments and accountability that ensure all phases of these new programs build toward successful individual, team and business performance.
Treat the challenge as a design laboratory. Overhaul designs and create something powerful.
1
Registered users are allowed to post comments. Login Register
Executive Search
Senior Manager, Global Learning & Talent Development
11/19/2009
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) is an organization of member firms devoted to excellence in providing professional services and advice. We are focused on client service through a global strategy executed locally in nearly 150 countries.
Director, Leadership & Organizational Development Parkland Health & Hospital System
10/26/2009
Parkland Health & Hospital System (www.parklandhospital.com) located in Dallas, Texas has been voted one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years and recently named one of the "Top 100 Hospitals to Work For" by Nursing Professionals Magazine.
The World Bank Knowledge and Learning Coordinator Washington, DC
12/22/2008
The Latin America & Caribbean Region (LCR) of the World Bank serves over 30 countries, mostly middle-income which, despite having middle-income economies, still struggle with pockets of poverty and high level of inequalities.
August 2010
The Road Ahead
Tamar Elkeles is vice president of Qualcomm’s Learning Center and the author of The Chief Learning Officer: Driving Value Within a Changing Organization Through Learning and Development. She can be reached at editor@clomedia.com.
August 2010
The Case for Communities of Practice
Jay Cross is CEO of Internet Time Group and a thought leader in informal learning and organizational performance. He can be reached at editor@clomedia.com.
August 2010
An Informal Debate
Michael E. Echols is the vice president of strategic initiatives at Bellevue University. He is the author of ROI on Human Capital Investment. He can be reached at editor@clomedia.com.
Profile
August 2010
Learning Gets Credit
At MasterCard Worldwide, Ron Garrow is integrating learning into the company’s talent management to raise engagement and drive innovation.
Case Study
August 2010
Accounting for Learning
By re-engineering content delivery, Grant Thornton saved significant time and money. That should make any accountant smile.
Business Intelligence
August 2010
Building Experts
Deep performance analysis can uncover hidden expertise and provide a laser-like focus for developing and deploying talent.
ADVERTISE CONTACT US PRIVACY ABOUT
Chief Learning Officer magazine is a trademark of Mediatec Publishing Inc. All clomedia.com and Chief Learning Officer magazine content © Copyright 2009 MediaTec Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved. It is illegal to copy, reproduce or publish any information contained on clomedia.com or in Chief Learning Officer magazine without express written permission from MediaTec Publishing Inc.