Transforming HR and L&D!

The HR and L&D landscape is evolving, and it is important that we acknowledge and adapt to the changing demands of the new ways of work. Both businesses and employees now require more innovative approaches to thinking and a fresh perspective on how people are seen, heard, and led. Below I share my insights with five key points that emphasize these changes and explore how we can meet them within this evolving space: Employee Expectations have Changed: The dynamic nature of work has resulted in a significant shift in employee expectations. Today’s workforce seeks a holistic and personalised employee experience that goes beyond traditional HR and Leadership practices. Flexibility, meaningful learning opportunities, and a sense of purpose are now prioritised by employees. It is essential for us to explore innovative approaches and technologies that can effectively address these evolving expectations. The Importance of Connection: Establishing meaningful connections with employees is necessary for success in the modern workplace. As HR professionals, we must embrace various communication mediums, such as podcasts, video blogs, and interactive platforms, to effectively reach and engage employees, whilst giving our Leaders the opportunity to use the same platforms effortlessly. By leveraging these platforms, we can foster a culture of transparency, collaboration, and continuous learning. Remember technology plays a pivotal role in today’s workspace and in facilitating effective communication and engagement. Adapting HR Structures: To effectively support the future of work, HR structures need to adapt and evolve. Traditional HR practices are giving way to more strategic and people-centric approaches. It is time for HR professionals to transition from being viewed solely as a transactional support function to becoming strategic partners. Aligning HR practices with the organisation’s overall objectives and strategies is essential. By focusing on long-term workforce planning, talent management, and employee development, we can drive positive change and create an environment where employees thrive. Leader-Led Interaction: Leadership plays an important role in shaping the employee experience within organisations. Leader-led interaction is fundamental in creating an inclusive culture where employees feel valued and engaged. Leaders should take accountability for cascading crucial information directly to their teams, fostering transparency and trust. They should also act as cheerleaders, motivating employees to empower themselves through diverse learning opportunities. By embracing leadership behaviours that promote learning, empowerment, diversity, and inclusion, leaders can inspire their teams and drive positive change within any organisation. Leveraging Technology for Learning and staying connected: Lastly, innovation and technology have revolutionised the field of learning. The introduction of digital learning platforms, mobile apps, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence has opened up endless possibilities for enhancing employee skills and capabilities. It is imperative for us to tap into the latest advancements in technology, equipping ourselves with the knowledge and tools to create engaging and impactful learning and connecting experiences. It is time to move away from outdated approaches that no longer resonate with our diverse and global workforce. Join me and other inspirational speakers as we shape the future of work and corporate learning at South Africa’s first HR & Tech Fest. Together, let’s unlock the full potential of people, businesses, and the world by connecting the interaction of HR, and technology.   About the Author Antoinette Roberts is the Group Executive: Human Capital and Transformation at Blue Label Telecoms. Her current role entails supporting the organisations subsidiaries in building for the future and fostering engagement across the business. Additionally, she sits on the boards of various non-profit organization partnering with Blue Labe Telecoms, where she drives the organisation’s commitment to giving back to the communities. Antoinette’s passion for socio-economic development and education has led her to build capability programmes that use learning to drive change. Her willingness to understand people has contributed significantly to her success in the human capital industry. before joining Blue Label Telecoms, Antoinette’s career of over the 30years spanned various industries that include technology, finance, sales and sales development and process. While within the IT industry as a sales development manager, Antoinette was part of a team that set up the first data warehouse in the FMCG industry. Her passion for building capability programs, ensuring the delivery of long-term value, and embedding of change through learning; and her interest in the psychology of people, have made her a force to be reconned with in the Human Capital space. Antoinette holds an MBL and PhD in Business Leadership and an array of business leadership qualifications from the GIBS Institute. An entrepreneur and visionary at heart, Antoinette believes in empowering individuals to uncover their authentic selves to live up to their full potential.

Unleashing Our Inner Thinkers in the Age of AI: Nurturing Independent Thought using Time to Think

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become integral to our lives in today’s rapidly evolving world. However, while AI offers numerous benefits and conveniences, there is a growing concern about its impact on our ability to think independently. As we navigate this technological revolution, embracing the Time to Think principles is crucial, empowering us to retain and nurture our capacity for independent thought. In this post, we will explore how we can preserve our ability to think for ourselves amidst the advancements in AI while incorporating the transformative power of Time to Think. The Role of AI in Our Lives: Artificial intelligence has permeated various aspects of our lives, from voice assistants and recommendation algorithms to autonomous vehicles and medical diagnoses. However, while AI augments our capabilities and improves efficiency, it also poses the risk of diminishing our independent thinking. With AI systems increasingly influencing our decision-making processes, it becomes essential to maintain our individuality and unique perspective. The Power of Time to Think: Time to Think is a concept developed by Nancy Kline, which emphasizes creating a space for deep thinking, active listening, and thoughtful dialogue. This approach encourages individuals to pause, reflect, and generate their own ideas without rushing to conclusions. In an age where AI algorithms bombard us with information and instant answers, nurturing Time to Think principles can help preserve our ability to think independently. Cultivating Independent Thought: Unplugging: Take intentional breaks from technology to disconnect from AI-generated content. Engaging in activities like reading, writing, or spending time in nature allows us to think freely and develop our ideas. Critical Thinking: Sharpen our analytical skills to evaluate information critically. Question assumptions, seek multiple perspectives, and challenge AI-generated recommendations to form well-rounded opinions. Active Learning: Actively seek out opportunities to learn and expand our knowledge beyond what AI algorithms provide. Engage in discussions, attend lectures, and participate in workshops to stimulate independent thinking. Embrace Diverse Perspectives: Surround ourselves with diverse voices and ideas. Engaging in conversations with people with different opinions encourages us to think critically and consider alternative viewpoints. Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness practices into our daily routines. Meditation and reflection enhance self-awareness, allowing us to understand our thoughts and beliefs better.   Finding Balance: While AI offers valuable support, balancing utilizing its capabilities and preserving our autonomy is vital. By consciously incorporating Time to Think principles, we can harness the benefits of AI while nurturing our independent thinking. It’s not about rejecting AI but integrating it into our lives mindfully. As AI continues to shape our world, our ability to think independently becomes increasingly vital. We can navigate the fast-evolving AI landscape without compromising our individuality by embracing the Time to Think principles and consciously nurturing our capacity for independent thought. Let us not be passive consumers of information but active thinkers who critically engage with the world. In doing so, we unlock our potential to make informed decisions, foster innovation, and shape a future where AI and independent thought coexist harmoniously. About the Author Jayshree Dexter is the unstoppable force behind learning and development at LegalWise. With over a decade of experience in the field, this LLB holder and NLP Master Practitioner is not your average Head. As an Executive and Business Coach, Time to Think Facilitator, and Hypnotherapist, she’s armed with an impressive arsenal of skills. Accredited with COMENSA and ANLP, this autodidact is on a mission to ignite passion and drive in others through their infectious enthusiasm for leadership development.

The Future of Work: Addressing the Elephant in the Room

I am willing to bet that if you asked any roomful of people (anywhere!) to raise their hands if they are happy and satisfied with their jobs, most people would not raise their hand. Ask the same people if their career choice was a conscious and purposeful decision aligned with their passions and natural abilities, prepare for a chorus of nervous laughter, awkward shuffling, and a few regretful cries of, “I followed the path of least resistance, but now it’s more like the path of least existence!” In our contemporary discourse about the future of work, it is crucial to address this issue that often goes unacknowledged: an overwhelming majority of people express discontentment with their chosen careers. This disconnection between personal aspirations and professional paths presents a pressing crisis that demands attention from society. The research is clear: Gallup’s report in 2021 indicated that only 20% of employees worldwide feel engaged and satisfied with their work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average number of jobs held by individuals aged 18 to 52 is around 12. This indicates that people often transition between different careers throughout their working lives. It’s almost like we’re collecting jobs the way some people collect socks—constantly mismatched and desperately hoping to find a perfect pair but failing miserably! Numerous employee surveys and career-related studies, such as those conducted by CareerBuilder, LinkedIn, and SHRM, consistently report that a significant percentage of employees’ express dissatisfaction with their current jobs or feel that their skills are not effectively utilized.   Based on the above it is clear that we have a problem that needs to be addressed by various sectors of society. Below I offer suggestions on what individuals, human resources, businesses and society as whole can do to address this “elephant in the room”. THE INDIVIDUAL At an individual level, an emerging idea that has been gaining momentum is the use of design thinking principles to discover the right career for oneself in what is now popularly referred to as “Life Design”. Life Design utilizes design thinking methodologies to help individuals consider key life questions including career, education, and  the meaning of one’s life to create ideal lives. In their book “Designing Your Life: Build the Best Career Step by Step,” Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans introduce design thinking as a powerful tool to discover a meaningful career. They address common dysfunctional beliefs that hold us back from growth and happiness. The accompanying image from the book exemplifies a limiting belief about “dream jobs” and demonstrates the transformative power of reframing it into an empowering belief that opens doors to possibilities and personal fulfillment. In a TED talk on the same topic, Bill Burnett introduces listeners to “meaning making” which is the process of connecting the dots on the considerations of ones’ world and life views in order to create meaning. This involves writing a two-hundred-and-fifty-word statement on one’s theory of work – why you believe work is important and/or why you believe it adds value to humanity. Next one writes a statement about what they believe about life and its meaning considering things like spiritual/religious beliefs etc. According to Burnett, if one can connect the dots between their life view and work view they will be able to create a meaningful work/career. This process offers a powerful framework for individuals to discover careers suited to them and to create meaningful careers that align with their passions, values, and purpose. HUMAN RESOURCES At a recruiting level, to prevent job mismatch during the hiring process, human resources can employ several effective strategies. Firstly, conducting thorough job analysis and clearly defining job requirements and responsibilities will ensure that candidates are evaluated against the right criteria. Secondly, implementing competency-based assessments and behavioural interviews can help assess candidates’ skills, experiences, and values that align with the job. Furthermore, involving multiple stakeholders in the selection process, such as team members or supervisors, can provide diverse perspectives and insights. Offering realistic job previews and transparent communication about the role and company culture through employer branding efforts can set realistic expectations for candidates. BUSINESS AND SOCIETY At a societal level, while there are many programs in place already to help individuals make the right career choices, for example, career guidance counselling and career fairs, there is still a lot of work to be done. At a collective consciousness level, there needs to be a mindset shift around the value of work in society. Instead of work being touted as a “necessary evil”, it should be seen as a means to personal fulfilment, financial stability and a way to create an impact in the communities we work in. Businesses should make a more concerted effort to offer internships that add value to individuals in the early career phase and expose these individuals to established professionals as part of their CSR initiatives. In conclusion, it’s time to dive deep into the core, exploring the very essence of what makes work truly fulfilling by having meaningful conversations and offering ideas for change. In having these conversations, we should not only address the technological and geographical advancements that are currently changing the face of work but drill down to the fundamentals. Work should be something that is meaningful to the individual as this is the first and best way to create true engagement. The individual, governments, businesses and society as a whole have a role to play in ensuring that this is achieved as there are many benefits to be reaped both at a micro and macro level. About the Author Pretty Thogo is Head of HR for Retail Group, Botswana’s largest multi-branded food services franchisor. With over 15 years HR experience, Pretty’s passion lies in organizational culture, and in creating employee experiences that allow people to thrive, enjoy their work and make an impact. Pretty is also the CEO for Asamila Employer Branding Agency, a company that helps companies with EVP development, employer branding strategy, organizational culture and employee experience. She also volunteers with an NGO called Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa. Pretty is a Mom of two and believes that in an alternate universe she is a Librarian whose sole mission is to read every book that has ever been written.

Embracing the AI Revolution: HR’s Guide to Navigating the Future

Picture this: a world where Human Resources professionals can focus less on mundane routine work and more on strategic decision-making, all thanks to the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Yes, my friends, we’re talking about the exciting fusion of HR and cutting-edge technology. In this blog, we’ll delve into the three key areas where HR can leverage AI to transform the workplace. Buckle up and prepare for an exhilarating ride filled with enhanced HR processes, forward-thinking policies, and organizational efficiencies! 1. HR’s AI Superpowers: Enhancing HR Processes Let’s face it, HR can sometimes feel like a never-ending sea of administrative and repetitive tasks. But fear not, AI is here to save the day! By harnessing the power of AI, HR can streamline and enhance various processes, making them faster, more accurate, and ultimately more efficient. Imagine a world where HR professionals are free from the shackles of manual data entry. AI-powered chatbots can handle routine employee inquiries, answering questions about benefits, policies, and even leave requests, with just a few clicks. These digital assistants provide quick responses, ensuring employee satisfaction and freeing up valuable time for HR teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. Additionally, AI can revolutionize the recruitment process by swiftly sifting through countless resumes, identifying the most promising candidates, and even conducting initial screening interviews. With AI’s help, HR can identify top talent more efficiently, saving both time and resources. 2. Policies and Governance: AI’s Wingman for HR As HR professionals, it’s our responsibility to ensure a fair, inclusive, and ethical workplace. With the integration of AI, we must implement policies and governance structures to guide its usage effectively. First and foremost, transparency is key. We must clearly communicate how AI is being utilized in HR processes, assuaging any fears of job displacement or biases. Additionally, we need to establish clear guidelines for the collection, storage, and use of employee data to safeguard their privacy and build trust. To prevent biases from infiltrating AI systems, we must take the time to evaluate and mitigate any inherent biases in the data that feeds these systems. After all, we don’t want to end up with an AI that hires only “Bob”s and “Mary”s! Regular audits and updates to the algorithms can help us create fairer and more inclusive AI tools. Remember, AI is a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. HR professionals still play a vital role in decision-making and must use AI as an aid rather than blindly relying on it. By striking a balance between human expertise and AI capabilities, we can create a harmonious collaboration that benefits both employees and the organization. 3. Beyond HR: AI’s Widespread Impact on Effectiveness and Efficiencies AI’s transformative potential extends far beyond HR. By embracing AI throughout the organization, we can unlock a world of enhanced effectiveness and efficiencies. For instance, AI-powered analytics can provide valuable insights into employee engagement, productivity, and performance, allowing HR to proactively address issues before they become full-blown problems. This data-driven approach empowers HR to make informed decisions and design effective employee development programs. Moreover, AI can optimize various business processes, such as supply chain management, customer service, and marketing. By automating repetitive tasks, AI frees up employees’ time to focus on higher-value activities, driving innovation and growth. Conclusion: The integration of AI into HR is an exciting journey that promises enhanced processes, forward-thinking policies, and organizational efficiencies. By leveraging AI’s capabilities, HR professionals can bid farewell to the tedium of administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives that truly drive organizational success. About the Author Terence has been in various HR roles over the past 25 years mostly as a generalist and is currently the Chief Strategy and People Officer at SYSPRO, a global ERP provider. Passionate about people, technology, and business he used his tenure in retail, FMCG and the technology industries to enable businesses and people. Spending time with family, including Zeus the springer spaniel and Fly fishing is how he winds down from the buzz and excitement of the corporate world.

Designing Your Organization for Connection and Cultural Transformation

For over a decade, the quest for social connection and collaboration in organizations has faced challenges. Initially, the focus was on social technology but flooded with similar platforms, the impact fell short of transformational. The realization that the solution lies with people led to two camps: grassroots culture change and top-down leadership change. However, efforts at individual change struggled to be sustained due to shifting priorities. Overlooked throughout this process was the organization itself and its design—the human systems that shape work, leadership, management, and rewards. To create a more innovative, responsive, and resilient organization, we must shift our focus to the rules that guide people’s interactions and approach to working together. This requires a deliberate approach to organizational social design. Beliefs/Attitudes and Behaviors/Activities: To understand the current state of your organization, consider: What beliefs do employees hold about the mission, products, work, and success? How do employees work, collaborate, and engage with peers, leaders, and managers? Are they motivated to improve and share knowledge? Do they exhibit open communication, support, and positive advocacy?   These behaviors and beliefs are crucial indicators of the organization’s social dynamics. By closely observing these aspects, we can uncover valuable insights into how the organization operates. Rules/Values (Systems): Evaluate the systems that shape behavior: Do leaders authentically promote inclusiveness or favor an inner circle? Are diverse voices given equal opportunities to contribute? Does your organization have effective channels for cross-organizational communication? Are inputs and outcomes equally rewarded? Do organizational decisions cause confusion? Are managers evaluated on employee development or solely on financial results? Is the path to progress clear and transparent? To cultivate a social organization, HR and L&D professionals must address the organization’s design and human systems that influence behavior. By analysing beliefs and observing behaviors we can begin to reshape systems to foster a connected and engaged workforce. Remember, it’s not about the latest technology or individual change efforts; it’s about deliberate organizational social design that unlocks the potential for increased engagement, reduced turnover, and a culture of innovation and creativity.   About the Author Mark Britz is an organizational social designer, author, speaker, and consultant. He helps companies scale their business without losing their unique culture.. Mark provides workshops, resources and leadership coaching. He has worked with companies such as SmartForce, Pearson Digital Learning, Aspen Dental Management, and Systems Made Simple. Mark currently directs learning event development for The Learning Guild. He published his first book, “Social By Design: How to Create and Scale a Collaborative Company” in 2021.

Better Data with Learner Personas

Creating amazing learner personas is a great trick picked up from marketing experts. Top marketers create buyer personas. These are a hypothetical group of people who meet a specific demographic based on the brand’s target market. Entire marketing campaigns are built around these personas. It works because we all want to feel we’re important so when an advertisement seems like it’s speaking directly to us, we are more open to adopting its message. We can borrow many of the same techniques from marketing and use this same concept to create learning personas that vastly improve the learning experience. Let’s start by discussing the definition of a learner persona. Simply put, learner personas are hypothetical profiles that we create based on the individuals for whom we’re designing the learning program. This persona is based on demographics, training, individual goals, educational background, experience, attitude, skill level, etc. We put on our storytelling hat and use this information to create a fictional character. We describe their backstory, personality, likes, dislikes, and even give them a name. This process breathes life into this learner persona, thus defining the audience for whom we’re designing the learning course. Why is a Learner Persona so Important? Personas are just as powerful when creating a learning program as they are for marketing. They accomplish four essential goals. A learner persona sheds light on your learners’ habits. Understanding what makes a person tick will help you create content that delivers a personalized learning experience. You’ll gain insight into their needs, desires, decision-making skills, and questions. As we learn from marketing, people are more willing to adopt a message that’s directly addressed to them. Most important though, learner personas allows you to make better decisions. At every turn, you would ask “What would Aleeyah think”, with the name customized to your persona’s name. It’s a key tool to personalize the learner’s journey through the content of the course. Without a defined learner persona, you might accidently create content that appeals to your personal preference rather than the target learner. Being acquainted with the learner allows you to predict their reaction to the content. If an essential module is sure to bore them and there’s no way around it, then you can make sure to follow it with something that appeals to them. You’ll also know their preferred learning platform and can design content accordingly. A learning solution is more consistent when there is a clear understanding of its audience. Without a clear direction, different teams will instill their personal preferences in their content. This leads to inconsistency across the learning course. Rather than inconsistently jumping from one model to the next, having a clear path creates unity across the entire platform by ensuring that all teams are on the same page. Overall, learning programs that are catered to a specific audience are higher quality. With the right tracking in place, you can even enhance the persona as your learners grow. This fosters long-term development so the learning course doesn’t become stagnant. Create a Powerful Learner Persona in Just Three Steps Creating the right learner persona is the key to unlocking all the benefits we just discussed. Fortunately, there is a foolproof three-step process that is used to create a powerful learner persona. Step 1: Gather Intel There are two methods primarily used to gather data on a target audience. Luckily enough, marketing gurus have already mastered this process , so we don’t have to create it completely from scratch. The two forms of analysis used to define a learner persona are quantitative data and qualitative data. We can gather this by speaking directly to future learners and/or their supervisors. Gather quantitative data related to demographics, level of education, schedules, relationships, work environment, and ask them to identify their preferred learning platform. Once you have that information, gather qualitative data by asking about their needs, goals, personal motivations, frustrations, dislikes, and ambitions. Step 2: Analyze the Information It’s time to give context to all that raw data. Look for information that repeats from person-to-person and then add that to another list. Using this list, write a descriptive profile. This is your learner persona. Give it a name and then attach that list to this persona. Collaborate with your entire team when creating learner personas so you get a few fresh perspectives. Now use the same process to create a few personas based on employees. Step 3: Activate the Learner Persona Share these learner personas with your entire team so they have a clear picture of the learning platform’s target learner. Discuss these personas regularly so you can make slight adjustments. Follow up with the learners you interviewed earlier and ask them for feedback. Reap the Benefits of your Learner Personas By using learner personas that are rich in relevant details, you are building a foundation for a successful learning platform. Learner personas are a proven, efficient, and cost-effective way of improving the learning experience. Show workers that you care about their unique needs and desires. About the Author Danielle Wallace is the chief learning strategist at Beyond the Sky, a provider of custom learning solutions. She combines proven marketing techniques with adult learning principles to create learning that sticks. Previously, as a marketing executive with Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo, she learned strategic marketing and advertising principles, which she applies to learning and development to create compelling breakthrough solutions. Her thought leadership and free infographics can be found at www.beyondthesky.ca

How To Embrace Change

We’re always being told that change has to start from the top, so knowing  this I’ve spent much of my time in the past trying to contact the top and telling them what a bad job they’re doing, you can imagine how that generally plays out. It’s just amazing how top leadership never gets excited about being told that they’re not doing a great job! One day I realised that I must be the top of something.  So if change is going to start from the top, that must mean me. It’s really easy to learn about management and leadership theory and think someday I’ll take this knowledge and be a great leader.  Remember that someday is right now, you are the top of your system, change your process, change your system and change your thinking.  As soon as you modify your system you’re going to have an effect on the larger system, the way that you manage and lead every day! How you process the work that you’re doing.  Now is the time to start practicing what you’re doing, don’t think “oh someday I’ll get this started, someday I’ll do this” That’s the big fallacy of people who go into leadership and management training.  They think Oh when I get back to the office I’m going to do some of this, the stuff I’ve learned in class, sometimes I’ll hear people say, “well I’m in the middle of a project right now , once that’s finished I’ll start then, I’ll try some of this stuff then”.  It’ll never happen, you’ll never start. So here’s an idea, start now and don’t stop! Start right now and think about how you mange things how you interact with your team, your peers, your managers, your customers to encourage the system to get a different result. Think about the way you transform the situation, are you thinking about what you can do and how you can apply what you’ve learned and how it can be applied?  Not for the process of manipulation but so that you can form groups of people to think about what they can do different and how they can make things better.  Remember you have a huge amount of power when you change the system. According to Deming your power comes from three sources.  1.  Your position.  2. Your knowledge. 3. Your personality. As a team member when you walk into your boss’s office and tell them what a bad job they’re doing or that they’ve really messed up is not going to work out well for you! Second source of power is knowledge; third source of power is personality.  You may have worked with people in the past who are extremely knowledgeable even brilliant but they have no personality.  You can’t get anything done because nobody wants to work with them or hey he’s a great person to be around fun, loveable but just has no knowledge about what we need to do or fix.  Perhaps you know someone in a formal position who has no knowledge or personality but they’ve loads of power, scary! Think about merging these three.  If you want to manage change don’t use your formal position that’ll be the least effective. As a more junior team member your formal position is quite low but what you do have is knowledge or the ability to get it!  You can use your personality to influence others and as a way to affect the situation that you find yourself in.  Very quickly you’ll start to see the team that you work with will start to ask questions that aid their understanding and offering solutions that support you. Remember helping people to understand why can be just as important as the what and the how, oh and by the way it’ll make you a great leader! About the Author Andrew Stotter-Brooks Vice President Learning and Development Etihad Aviation Group (UAE)

How to Choose an Online Learning Platform

If you’ve been tasked with choosing and implementing an online learning platform for your team or organisation, there are some critical questions you’ll need to ask before being sold by the most convincing demo or salesperson. Moving your training online and choosing a learning platform to facilitate this transition is an exciting endeavour, especially if this is the first time your organisation is investing in learning technology, but the edtech industry can also be very overwhelming to navigate. Online learning platforms have adapted over the years as we have come to better understand online user behaviour, and as a consequence, the industry has exploded with different types of learning systems, each prioritising its own key features or different aspects of the learning process. Different learning platforms, software systems and tools serve different purposes when it comes to how learners interact with your course and with others, as well as how you track and manage their progress. It’s important to understand these differences so you can tailor your learning experience to your users, and launch it on a platform that best suits their and your needs. Here is where we recommend you take a step back and first focus on why you need a learning platform and then what you will need it to do, based on your business and learning goals, budget and various other considerations. The following questions will help you get to the ‘why’ of your learning experience, and subsequently, to how best to deliver it and via which technology. 1. What are our strategic objectives? What business problem are you aiming to solve by investing in a digital platform? This could be to scale your learning beyond classroom training, or to improve the tracking and measuring of your learning initiatives. Or perhaps you’re looking to monetise your training interventions, or to better track and manage individual learning journeys or to build learning communities. Whatever your strategic objectives are will determine the type of platform you choose and help you narrow down how you prioritise key functionality. Then, you’ll need to take a closer look at your user groups. 2. Who are our key stakeholders? Who will be using the platform? What are their digital literacy or platform management capabilities? If you’re early into your digital learning journey, you might not need a platform that has all the bells and whistles, or which will require additional support and resources to implement. If you’re upgrading your systems, you’ll need to consider what’s currently working and what is missing. Either way, spend some time with your end users, platform admins and support team to truly get a sense of their needs, and to communicate about the incoming change. Then, you’ll need to make sure you understand how a new platform will fit into your organisation’s digital strategy or existing systems architecture. 3. How will it integrate? Will your new platform need to integrate with any existing security or single sign on procedures? Will you be able to extract all learning data and report on it in your existing systems? If you’re replacing an existing system, what are you trying to replace or upgrade and why? Who will support the implementation and what organisational processes will need to change, if any? Having a broader understanding of your existing digital landscape will help you ensure that any new solutions you introduce can actually integrate, both from a technological and behavioural perspective. From here, you’ll need to determine what success looks like. 4. How will we measure success? Think about how your organisation measures success, what data you will need from the system to do so, and how your stakeholders will want to measure the return on investment. You’ll need to make sure there are no hidden costs or additional licensing or implementation fees, so ask your proposed vendors or suppliers to be very specific about what their pricing does and doesn’t include. Ultimately, the success of your investment will largely depend on whether you’ve moved the needle as far as your strategic objectives are concerned. The old saying, ‘what’s measured is managed’ is key here, so knowing what your overarching goals are will help you make better decisions when it comes to investing in new technology. Once you’ve spent some time understanding your strategic objectives, tech ecosystem, your stakeholders and success metrics, you can then look to potential technology partners. There are several approaches to take when deciding on how to deliver your learning experience, and whether you’re going to use an online learning platform specifically. Each option will result in varying and wide-ranging costs, required expertise and training, ownership and control considerations, as well as implications for budget and timelines. So, the process of first answering key questions will help you prioritise your needs, which means you’ll be able to better brief any vendors or suppliers you engage with. It’s important to disclaim as well that what we call different types of platforms is constantly evolving. How we define a traditional learning management platform in relation to a learning experience platform will depend on how you personally define digital learning, and the acronyms and features of each will also change over time as service providers evolve their products and services. As such, how the different learning delivery solutions have been delineated here is based more on their function in relation to your overarching objectives than how they specifically work or what they’re called in the market. Here are the different approaches you can take to learning technologies: 1. Install a traditional open-source learning management system with some custom development. Most learning management systems work on the premise of you installing cloud-based software that can be customised to some degree to meet your technological requirements. The traditional LMS functions primarily as a course management platform, emphasising tracking and managing learning activities. They generally have limited student interaction and engagement and are more suited to tracking student progress against learning objectives through individual assessments and completion tracking. Over time, the functionality of these types of systems have evolved to become more learner-centered, but their fundamental architecture is premised on an individual’s experience of learning content, followed by some sort of measurement of that experience. Examples of this type of platform are Moodle or OpenEdX, which are both free to download and install, but require some coding knowledge and much custom development to make it your own and to adapt the learning experience to your needs. Recent changes to the ways LMSs are deployed also sees vendors offering to implement these solutions as service offering,, which essentially means they install it for you and make any developments or provide support as you request it. 2. Implement an off-the-shelf, pay-per-user subscription-based platform. A more recent addition to the learning platform landscape is the LXP, which prioritises personalised learning experiences and tailors learning experiences to the user. It is a more social platform that provides the functionality for learning to happen in communities. This is where Software as a Service (SaaS) has really come into play in the learning technology landscape. Instead of paying a once-off installation or implementation fee for an open source instance of a learning platform, you’re paying a licence fee per user. This often works out as a more costly per-user fee per annum over time compared to a once off cost, but the longer term benefits are that you are not responsible for maintaining the software, and upgrades and new features are often included in the annual subscription. The Fosway Group releases an annual report on the potential and performance of various learning platforms of this nature, so it’s always worth reading through reports like theirs to understand the full extent of what’s currently performing well. 3. Upload content to an online plug-and-play course builder. A similar offering in principle, but better suited to delivering standalone courses, or a suite of similar courses, is through plug-and-play online course builders. These platforms in essence allow you to ‘rent space’ on their platform to market and sell your course offering. Platforms like LearnWorlds or Kajabi allow you to build your course within their online template. Depending on their subscription tiers and payment options, this means you can create what feels like an entire website for your learning products, with customised URLs and localised payment gateways, without the resource and budget implications of building your own website on top of deploying a learning platform. However, with some, you are limited to building content straight into the platform, which means they are not all compatible with external content authoring tools which are popular for creating interactive content. Platforms like Thinkific and Teachable are very popular, especially with individuals trying to sell their expertise as an online course, however, both do not support the integration of other types of online, interactive content (know as SCORM packages). This is a serious limitation because you’re restricted to their course builder templates. If you’re a subject matter expert looking to monetise your current training offer, or you want build and sell a single or a few courses without having to pay for the infrastructure of a full on platform, then this is a good option to start exploring, but make sure you’ve fully understood the limitations of the platform before committing to an annual licence fee of one. 4. Invest in a custom-designed and developed online learning platform. There is a reason why there are so many off-the-shelf learning platforms and integrations available in the market, and it’s because custom-designing and developing an online learning platform is an enormously costly and time-consuming undertaking. Typically, if you’re choosing to go this route it’s because the project scope is so unique, or the integration with existing systems is so complex, that only a custom-built system will be sufficient. Having said that, it’s not an impossible task, but because a custom build requires ongoing maintenance and development to keep up with the shifting demands of your stakeholders, going this route can often result in a product with limited functionality, frustrated users and a blown out budget. 5. Optimise a traditional website experience for learning. An increasingly popular approach to designing learning experiences and delivering online courses is to create a digital experience that is learning focused (as opposed to designing a learning experience that is digital). This allows organisations to share resources and design an interactive learning experience through an existing website or digital tool. Depending on how your website has been built, this option has proven popular with organisations who offer resources, content or knowledge freely, but are looking to improve the user experience and level of interactivity or engagement with their content. It is here that we’re seeing learning science and user interface design and user experience principles converge. 6. Embed learning experiences into your existing technology stack. Finally, and perhaps what learning professionals are grappling with the most at the moment, is that if we want to truly embed learning into your current digital experience, we can’t separate where learning takes place from one’s daily activities. You can be sure that unless your employees are working in the digital learning team, they’re not spending most of their day on your learning platform, and so packaging learning into neatly defined online courses and placing them on a separate learning platform to where users interact with each other and their work tasks removes the learning from reality. It adds another barrier to implementing new skills, competencies or information in real time because the ‘what’ is removed from the ‘how’, making it that much more challenging to either bring learners to the learning, or putting the learning experience in the day to day. One way to overcome this is to move away from the idea of having a separate learning platform altogether and start understanding how learning happens informally – between individuals, in meetings or via emails, through on-the-job mentoring or coaching or even in unprompted conversations. When we shift towards this mentality that learning is always happening, we can begin to see that technology facilitates learning rather than driving it. So if you’re aiming to meet users where they are, then perhaps a learning platform isn’t what you’re after at all. Obviously this approach makes quantifying the return on learning investment difficult to measure, and takes this article on a bit of a tangent from what a reader might have originally sought answers to, but it’s an important discussion to be had, and one that perhaps needs to be had across the human resources and organisational technology functions entirely. As with all technology, one platform is never going to be able to meet all of the needs of all of its users. A platform that prioritises communication and engagement among users will function very differently to one that emphasises personalised, curated learning journeys or assessments. Similarly, a learning experience developed and delivered for public consumption will have unique objectives to one designed for an internal organisation or closed collection of people. Finding the right platform takes time, so make sure you do as much research as you can – both on your own and your users’ needs, as well as on the different platforms out there. Then cross reference with others in similar organisations and with comparable issues and needs. Remember, not all organisations face the same challenges, so a learning platform that works for you, may not work for someone else, and vice versa. This is why it’s important to understand what your objectives are and who your audience is before investing in any system, platform or technology project. About the Author Kira Koopman Head of Digital Learning Momentum Metropolitan  

Discover how to Design, Deliver & Manage Impactful Corporate Training

Initiated by the global pandemic, the shift to remote working has impacted all areas of business, and workplace learning and development is no exception. L&D Managers now face new challenges in accelerating digital transformation to deliver effective and engaging learning and training experiences to employees while we are physically distanced. Innovative eLearning technology can address these challenges and presents new opportunities to connect with learners. By implementing the right technology solution for their organisations, L&D Managers can deliver cost-effective and efficient corporate training and development initiatives. Today’s integrated technology solutions can make it easier to work through the stages of developing and delivering virtual training” says Jeremy Matthews CEO of Dax Data. The Africa-based value-added software solutions distributor has a dedicated business unit focused on Adobe’s eLearning content and delivery solutions. Matthews suggests that when investing in eLearning tools, L&D managers should consider technology providers that deliver on ‘The eLearning Tringle’ for creating content, managing and administrating the learning process, and delivering interactive learning experiences. This typically includes a virtual classroom platform, content creation tool and a Learning Management System (LMS). Matthews believes that a holistic solution that seamlessly and effortlessly enables design, delivery and tracking of an online curriculum enables businesses to harness the full potential of eLearning to deliver ROI. Modern LMS technology that leverages Artificial Intelligence to translate granular data on learner interactions into actionable insights, can improve the quality of L&D programs, improve the learning experience in real-time, and provide invaluable feedback for trainers and L&D managers. These advanced LMS solutions enable personalised learning at scale – tailoring the learning experience so that it is more efficient and effective for both employees and organisations. Solutions that take the learner experience to the next level and break the barriers of distance through immersive and interactive learning experiences are the future of eLearning and training. By incorporating these solutions into corporate training and skills development initiatives, organisations can equip employees with the tools necessary to drive corporate growth and development.

The Modern World of Work DEMANDS an Unwavering Embrace of Organised Chaos

Who’s the drama Llama Learning trends indicate that traditional L&D functions are moving into business. A novel scenario for businesses, with the common denominator that we all have to find new ways in keeping up with a changed environment. This was by necessity, not through strategic intent. However, hindsight is 20/20 and it all worked out. Inevitably, this meant that the meticulously followed ADDIE process lost relevance very quickly. It required the urgent pivot or optimisation of business necessary as competitors with the foresight to use disruption as a competitive advantage won the higher ground. This was further compound by the panic transformations-to-digital brought to you by a global pandemic. The modern world of digitally connected everything-and-everyone has brought incredible gains. We can now connect the best skills, people, and teams from across the globe to ensure a superior product or service reaches our clients on time, within budget, and at the specified level of quality. Yet again the flip side of every coin holds true and leaves us with more questions than answers. What does this collaboration do to normalising a knowledge base? How is IP documented and shared? How is culture affected? How engaged are these teams? How do we learn in this new world? What we know People consume information differently. The modern world demands are furious, and the only finite is time. Learning trends have adopted to this environment by the careful selection and application of microlearning, mobile learning, spaced learning, engaging learning solutions, flipped learning, badging and gamification, object interactions and delivery technologies such as Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality. Workforces are becoming more engaged in the face of the digital “threat”. The topic of relevance in the new world is now well documented and the message has spread. Your people need targeted content that tickles interest to breed a culture of curiosity and learning. Enter adaptive learning technologies and solutions. The gig economy has provided a landscape for the return of the specialist, to provide targeted skills for a wide range of companies (clients). This empowers the one-man-business to become commercially viable without the necessity for entrepreneurial aspirations and/or business savvy. Great, so what now… Our status-quo bias often drives our behavior to do things the way we always have. Gaining knowledge of the latest trends only teaches us the outcome of an already evolved environment. This can be very useful if you’re trying to not get it wrong. But to effectively lead and drive your people transformation strategy you need a systems-approach to your thinking. The L&D leader needs to understand the business and by considering the strategic direction in terms of Systems and Process will give clear indication on the impact on People. This tells you what to do. A useful parallel is by leveraging the ADDIE model to an organisational view. Imagine for a moment the ADDIE model, leveraged to an organisational view: Substitute A (old Assessment) to Advisory. By scrutinising the underlying business problem dictates the direction of travel. Make learning decisions based on what’s best for business Look at Design differently. Often the business has much to offer. Look at what you can leverage in terms of content, engagement, and technology to find the optimal mix of learning journey design. Develop(ment) of new skills is critical for business to remain relevant. Any development is a win. Stop solving for the penultimate end state and recognise that any form of learning, aligned to business outcomes is a win. Our incessant need to do finite measurement (summative assessments) often hold us back from sparking interest in learning. Implement a culture of learning. Learning is not a separate thing anymore. Learning is part of our day. Learning, communications, analytics, and technology systems have been supporting this approach for years. Leverage the right tools to lower the barrier to entry so that your workforce can access knowledge on-demand. Evolve – Complacency is the enemy of excellence. If you think you have it cracked, good, now let’s get back to work. Either you drive the agenda, or the agenda will drive you.   Upskill yourself in the art-and-science of business management (the Why). Learn about the future of work and the trends that it brought forth (the How). Finally, marry that with your personal experience to determine, and simply direct What we need to get done. About the Author Christo Smit – Executive Lead, VSLS Christo is a seasoned expert in Visual brand communication and learning solutions. He is the Chief Executive Officer at VSLS and has a strong focus on systems thinking as it applies to Workforce Transformation, Learning Solutions, Brand Communications and Technology enablement. He is responsible for business strategy & planning and building stakeholder value (from customer to shareholder) throughout all VSLS value propositions.