Sourcing On-Demand Learning:Using Digital Content Libraries to Jump Start Informal Learning Strategy

Research Bulletin | 2009BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
September 11, 2009 Volume 4, Issue 35
Sourcing On-Demand
Learning: Using Digital
Content Libraries to
Jump Start Your Informal
Learning Strategy
About the Author Introduction - Supporting the Natural Flow of Learning
Leaders in both training departments and business units are waking up to the fact that most employee learning is informal.
At a fundamental level, the learning needs of employees have not changed - people still need deep levels of skills, experience and David Mallon,Senior Analyst practice to become proficient with any role. New and experienced employees need continuous training to stay current on the company's products, processes and markets. Managers and leaders need coaching, mentoring and feedback. Everyone needs access to relevant, updated and timely information to stay current and productive.
What is changing is that many learning and development (L&D) departments are finding that their best value to their business audiences is as brokers of learning, not just as a source. These L&D departments are shifting their focus and resources away from company-driven, formal learning programs to supporting the natural flow of learning across the organization. Those formal programs are BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC 16114 LA SALLE AVENUE themselves being reinvented as part of holistic learning environments .SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611 1 For more information, High-Impact Learning Practices: The Guide to Modernizing Your (510) 654-8500 Corporate Training Strategy through Social and Informal Learning, Bersin & Associates / INFO@BERSIN.COM David Mallon, July 2009. Available to research members at www.bersin.com/library or for WWW.BERSIN.COM purchase at www.bersin.com/hilp.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2009Research Bulletin | 2009BERSIN & ASSOCIATES Research Bulletin | 2009BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Becoming a learning broker is not without its challenges. To be effective KEY POINT at this new role means the learning organization must:Modern L&D 1. Be able to acquire / find / develop the best learning content departments available, in as many different and flexible modalities as possible;provide their 2. Have a deep understanding of learners' needs and preferences in best value to order to facilitate the best match of learner and content; and,the business as enablers and 3. Have an easy-to-use underlying technology platform (or platforms)
brokers of learning, with which to enable rapid discoverability of content, and to promote timely connections between learner and content.not just as source. 2In this report, we will address just the first challenge - sourcing learning content and, more specifically, informal learning content.
Learning organizations are not nearly as experienced with building, buying or finding informal, on-demand learning content as they are with content for formal programs. The good news is that there are actually many sourcing options from which to choose, including finding content on the publically available, open Internet or by engaging the organization's employees as content creators. Of course, learning departments can create their own on-demand content. However, all of these options present potential pitfalls, in terms of quality, quantity, accessibility and speed of delivery. In this report, we highlight another potential on-demand source, one that provides companies with quick access to high-quality content and in formats fit for rapid consumption. This option, the digital content library, is quickly becoming the best way for an organization to jump start its on-demand learning strategy.
2 (1) For more help with the second challenge, please see our industry study, High-Impact Learning Practices: The Guide to Modernizing Your Corporate Training Strategy through BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC Social and Informal Learning, Bersin & Associates / David Mallon, July 2009. (2) For more 6114 LA SALLE AVENUE information on the third challenge, please see our industry studies, (a) Enterprise Social SUITE 417 Software 2009: Facts, Practical Analysis, Trends and Provider Profiles, Bersin & Associates / David Mallon, September 2008. Available to research members at www.bersin.com/library OAKLAND, CA 94611 or for purchase at www.bersin.com/socialsoftware; and, (b) Learning Management Systems (510) 654-8500 2009: Facts, Practice Analysis, Trends and Pr... [download for more]