Effective L&D Requires More Than Just Courses
Many L&D programs are great at moving people through courses and tracking completion rates. But, courses along are not nearly enough. If you really want to drive performance outcomes – and you should – you will need to broaden your thinking and your offerings.
It is virtually impossible to keep up with the pace of change and provide adequate performance support with a course-focused learning strategy. But don’t just take my word for it, Brandon Hall has some research that backs this up. They found that nearly two-thirds of organizations say that people need to interact at least weekly with learning resources to be effective at their jobs. Notice they said RESOURCES and not COURSES!
Successful L&D teams are evolving their offerings and rebalancing the type of content they generate. For example, have you added curation to the skillset of your team? Why reinvent the wheel when a good curation practice can often help you achieve the same or better results, in a fraction of the time.
People are accustomed to quickly finding information and answering questions via Google and YouTube. Learning at work should work this way too. L&D teams can take a big step in that direction by tapping into new, open tools that can facilitate conversations, allow people to work out loud, and keep the organizational knowledge flowing.
Sometimes our learners don’t need content at all and connecting them with each other can be very valuable – especially in larger, geographically dispersed companies. Our goal should be to give people whatever they need to be successful.
If you’re feeling like it may be time to rethink your organizations approach to learning, here are a few questions you’ll want to answer:
How do we develop a learning strategy that focuses on the learner?
What do learners need from learning programs to be engaged and successful?
What must be included in learning programs to ensure an effective experience?
Which tools and technologies should organizations leverage as part of the learner experience?
Not sure how to get started? We’d love to help you with your learning strategy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MIKE TAYLOR
With over two decades of real-life, in-the-trenches experience designing and delivering learning experiences, Mike Taylor understands that effective learning isn’t about the latest fad or trendy new tools. Known for his practical, street-savvy style, Mike is a regular and highly-rated speaker at industry events and consults on organizational learning design and technology at Change 4 Growth in Columbus, Ohio. Mike holds an MBA degree from Ohio University and a master’s degree in educational technology from San Diego State University.