One of the challenges CLOs face today is how to ensure continuing learning and development in turbulent economic times.
by Site Staff
April 26, 2009
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.