Session Title: Professional Services & Learning Industry User Group

 

Session #: 102

 

Location: Cancun

 

Session Format: Industry Session

 

Engage in an interactive benchmarking dialogue with other colleagues from the Professional Services field in this special MyIndustry Learning User Group. We will compare notes about how "Learning is Changing", including:

• Our product is our people, and reduced time to competence is a competitive advantage. How do we meet the incredible demand for content while maintaining quality? When is it time for an LCMS and how can it help?
• Issues for professional services organizations that strive to be truly global (e.g., setting minimum technology standards, content localization, centralized and decentralized LMS systems)
• Can emerging technologies such as wikis, blogs, virtual worlds and mobile learning be deployed in large, complex organizations that are highly compliance driven? What are the barriers, and how can they be overcome?

Led by:

 

 

Heather Maitre, KPMG LLP   Heather Maitre has served as Director of Technology Based Learning and Performance Measurement for KPMG for the past 6 years and was hired to pioneer eLearning within the Firm. In that time, KPMG has implemented a complete enterprise learning systems infrastructure and fully embraces eLearning. She has also recently become responsible for the measurement of training impact. Prior to KPMG, Heather was an Information Technology Director at Columbia University. Heather is on the Northern New Jersey American Society for Training and Development (NNJASTD) Executive Advisory Council, an active member of the Learning CONSORTIUM and is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management.

Tim Guerra, Paychex   Tim Guerra is a Senior Project Manager in the Learning Technologies department of the University of Paychex. Tim has 12 years of training and e-learning experience and helped lead the efforts to transition Paychex from a primarily instructor-led training organization to one which actively embraces a variety of training techniques. Tim’s credits include a published article in the March 2004 edition of Learning Circuits Magazine.

Alex Pirnie, Paychex   Alex Pirnie is the Manager of the Learning Technologies department for Paychex, Inc. During his tenure at Paychex, Alex has led numerous strategic projects to institutionalize e-Learning. From the initial implementation of the learning management system to the extensive use of collaboration tools, blended learning methods have become an integral part of the Paychex learning experience.

 

Wiki Contents:

 

SESSION NOTES

 

In an industry where our product is our people, and reduced time to competence is a competitive advantage, how do we meet the incredible demand for content while maintaining quality?

KEY ISSUES:

• Speed to market for content.

• Getting people (SME) to share content.

• Next gen wants training in different formats.

• Difficult to connect initiatives that are happening all over the world, thus there is duplication and sometimes conflicting content.

• Compliance-driven environment curbs creativity.

• Don’t want to take the risk of doing something outside the “Next” button in a WBT.

 

GREAT IDEAS:

• Coupling Knowledge Mgt. with learning – not many companies are using LCMS, and some are looking to KM to solve the content issue.

• People are expected to put knowledge into a knowledge base and rewarded (i.e., performance review, compensation) for contributing.

• Training SME’s on storytelling, Adult learning theory and explaining the “Why” on taking the time for good design.

• Get sponsors to “out do” each other on “wow” content and showcase results to get others bought in.

• $10 Starbucks coupon for “wow” content, or getting it in on time.

• Make the tools easy enough for people: the easier it is, the more likely people will add content and get value.

 

Issues for professional services organizations that strive to be truly global (e.g., setting minimum technology standards, content localization centralized and decentralized LMS Systems).

KEY ISSUES

• People always want to “tweak” the core.

• Difficult to get people to ahere to central standards. Cultural and political issues (some countries are more powerful and thus persuasive on standards than others).

• Silo mentality – especially in our service line.

• Content localization. They either buy it, or build core content centrally and allow countries to tweak.

• US-Centrism.

• Time Zone Issues: difficult to have important conversations when your organization is spread out worldwide.

• Language differences

• Internet Issues: broadband may be available for Office A, while Office B may not have the same resources.

• Getting Started: Where the heck do I begin?

 

GREAT IDEAS:

• Catalog domains allow for localization. The “parent” is the global version, and gets inherited by “”child” domains. “Child” domains house country-specific content.

• Learning maps, which currently house learning by curriculum, include required learning and are also going to include stretch experiences and other required experience in the future.

• Find a core, but remain flexible such that you have an open system that can be built upon.

• Ask questions: get as much information as possible from all locations. Learn the issues and learn about your peoples. Zoomerang is a wonderful free survey tool...

 

Can emerging technologies such as wikis, blogs, virtual worlds and mobile learning be deployed in large, complex organizations that are highly compliance driven.

KEY ISSUES:

• Regulatory standards – why are they tougher on eLearning than they are on classroom training (as far as what is CPE compliant).

• Regulatory issues with user created content. In a big-4, it works best if it goes to a central place and be reviewed before publication.

• Use cases for virtual worlds – not many examples in professional services.

• Legal issues as far as if information posted is right.

• Is it relevant and current? Wikis and blogs are only effective if users add content - and add content often.

 

GREAT IDEAS:

• One big-4 is piloting a virtual world, Protosphere. They are trying to build use cases.

• Another has piloted mobile learning on blackberries, including assessment, FAQs (definitions, how to do something – targeted toward reducing help desk calls).

• If your organization is resistant to mobile technology, make it easy. Give them the PDA already set up, or give them the iPod with the podcast already downloaded.

 

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