Today’s learning and development (L&D) pros face a tough challenge: making sense of a complex learning tech ecosystem. As organizations strive to keep pace with the demands of continuous skill development and changing workforce demographics, the role of technology in supporting learning has transformed dramatically.
Gone are the days when a simple authoring tool and learning management system (LMS) could cover all your bases. Now, you’re juggling a convoluted, multi-layered tech stack that can feel more like a tangled web than a streamlined ecosystem.
The Learning Tech Jungle: What’s Really Going On?
Does this sound familiar? Your organization has a mishmash of systems. There’s an LMS here, a content management system there, and a handful of authoring tools scattered about.
The latest Brandon Hall Group™ research shows that while 88% of organizations use an LMS, only 58% use newer solutions like a Learning Experience Platform (LXP), only about half are using learning analytics tools and just 27% are using solutions to create simulations that enable individuals and groups apply new skills in real-world scenarios. Many organizations are stuck with outdated tech that is holding them back.
AllenComm, a Brandon Hall Group™ Smartchoice® Preferred Provider, has a track record of helping organizations optimize their learning tech ecosystems.
Working with an experienced partner like AllenComm can help you address the headaches that having substandard or outdated learning technology creates:
- Confusion and conservative design: L&D teams often design learning programs based on what the tech can handle versus what learners really need. This stifles innovation and limits the impact of initiatives.
- Multiple systems = poor learner experience: Employees often find themselves bouncing between systems, losing their progress and patience along the way.
- Data blindness: With information spread across different platforms, teams are missing out on valuable insights about learning programs.
- Money down the drain: Organizations are buying tools that duplicate functions due to a lack of awareness about the full capabilities of their existing tech stack.
- Governance challenges: Without a clear view of the overall architecture, governing the learning tech infrastructure becomes a daunting task.
Time to Turn Things Around
Despite these challenges, organizations have significant opportunities available to them:
- Enhanced learner experience: Imagine a learning journey where everything connects seamlessly. By integrating platforms effectively, organizations can create a cohesive learner journey that bridges learning, experience, and on-the-job practice.
- Personalized learning paths: Use data from across your systems to tailor experiences to each learner’s needs and preferences.
- Improved data flow and analytics: Integrate solutions to get a full picture of how your learning programs are performing and impacting the business. A shared source of data can provide actionable insights.
- Cost savings: Streamline your tech stack, maximize the use of existing tools, and stop paying for tools you don’t need.
- Smart design decisions: With better integration and analytics, L&D teams can make more informed decisions about learning design and delivery that works.
Breaking Free: A Strategic Approach
Ready to tackle these challenges head-on? Let’s explore a strategic approach that addresses the root causes of your tech troubles. Here’s what to consider:
- Tech check-up: A thorough assessment of your current setup to spot gaps and identify real needs.
- Ecosystem overhaul: Maximize your existing tech to create engaging learning journeys that pack a punch.
- Custom solutions: For unique problems, seek tailor-made solutions that fit your specific needs.
- Measure what matters: Focus on getting insights that prove your learning programs are making a difference.
The key to any of this is finding a partner who’s not tied to any specific tech vendor and who speaks both “learning” and “tech” fluently. This expertise can bridge the gap between what your L&D team wants to achieve, and the tech needed to make it happen.
Real-World Success Stories
To inspire your journey, let’s look at two companies that transformed their learning tech ecosystems with the right approach:
Freddie Mac: Empowering Underserved Communities
Freddie Mac’s innovative approach to financial education, developed in partnership with AllenComm, earned them two Brandon Hall Group™ HCM Excellence Awards. Their groundbreaking mobile-first learning ecosystem offers multiple learning paths, doubling as a personal finance app. Despite the challenge of creating content for an external audience without a fully controlled tech environment, Freddie Mac successfully built an open, accessible platform. This initiative is revolutionizing financial literacy, particularly for underserved communities.
Nestlé, Measuring and Maximizing Learner Impact
Nestlé, collaborating with AllenComm, also earned two Brandon Hall Group™ HCM Excellence Awards for their cross-functional sales curriculum. Their innovative approach centered on providing continuous, iterative feedback throughout the learning journey. By implementing a sophisticated assessment strategy, Nestlé built, and accurately measured, improvements in their team’s product and market IQ. The results were impressive: learners surpassed target scores, and Nestlé directly linked this enhanced knowledge to their business goal of outpacing market growth. This success story demonstrates the power of well-designed, data-driven learning experiences in driving tangible business outcomes.
These case studies showcase how partnering with a learning solutions innovator can lead to award-winning, transformative learning experiences that address unique organizational challenges and drive real business results.
Embrace the Future of Learning Tech
As you look to the future of L&D, remember it’s not about chasing the latest shiny thing. It’s about thoughtfully connecting your tools to create a learning ecosystem that grows with your organization. With a strategic approach, you’ll end up with an ecosystem that’s more than the sum of its parts.
By teaming up with the right experts, you can navigate the complex world of learning technology, create experiences that your learners will love, and show real business results.
If you’re looking for a partner to guide you, consider reaching out to AllenComm, which has a track record of helping organizations optimize their learning tech ecosystems. You can find out more about their services here.
