By David Wentworth, Principal Learning Analyst, Brandon Hall Group
The idea that the learner experience is some sort of profound discovery is a little strange to me. By definition, any learning that has been created and made available results in a learner experience. I guess that means all the current excitement is the revelation that the experience until now has been sub-par. The core principals and strategies around impactful learning haven’t changed, so what has?
The key shift in learning is the always-available technology and how companies use it to execute on their strategy. People invariably respond better to learning experiences based on their personal and professional interests and needs. Only recently has technology made that more of a reality.
The cloud, mobile devices, bandwidth, video technology, machine learning and other innovations have advanced and converged to allow organizations to create the learner-centric experiences they’ve talked about for years. The ubiquity of mobile devices and people’s comfort with them takes personalization one step further: letting learners interact with learning when, where and how they choose.
A case in point, SumTotal Systems recently unveiled a new, enhanced mobile experience for learning that is designed to fit seamlessly within the rest of their mobile talent development offerings. The goal is to give people everything they need from a talent development perspective in a personalized way — whenever and wherever they need it throughout the employee lifecycle. Recognizing that employee engagement starts before the employee walks through the door, SumTotal’s investments in mobile are designed to develop a positive experience from the moment an offer letter is signed.
Mobile capabilities enable new hires to electronically sign onboarding documents, meet their team and mentors, access their development and career plans, and launch personalized training from any device. The SumTotal Mobile App empowers employees to launch or register for courses with a QR code from a poster in the breakroom or a course promoted during a company presentation.
The app is available on iPhone, Android and Windows devices, with updates delivered to each simultaneously. This creates a truly “bring-your-own-device” environment where every user has access to the same features and functionality, regardless of device or operating system.
In the past, companies have been reluctant to fully adopt mobile HR solutions, often due to poor user experience and security concerns. The SumTotal experience incorporates a consumer-grade mobile experience with enterprise-grade security to engage your workforce and allow employees to develop and grow with your organization.
–David Wentworth, Principal Learning Analyst, Brandon Hall Group
@davidmwentworth
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