011608 cs ibm ch ba - amanet.org and analysis of the u.s. corporate training market, bersin &...

31
CASE STUDY IN THIS CASE STUDY Online learning is undergoing a transformation. From the year 2000 to 2003, organizations rushed to develop and deploy training materials on the Internet, leading to a proliferation of e-learning. In 2007, this approach became so widely used that more than 30 percent of corporate training hours were delivered over the web. 1 Organizations that have been delivering online training for many years now realize online courseware has its limitations, in that: Traditional page-oriented courseware is oſten not powerful enough to develop deep levels of skills and competencies; Courses that take hours to complete can become tedious and hard to finish; and, Online training still lacks the interactivity and community experience of a classroom. 1 For more information, The Corporate Learning Factbook® 2007: Statistics, Benchmarks and Analysis of the U.S. Corporate Training Market, Bersin & Associates / Karen O’Leonard, February 2007. Available to research members at www.elearningresearch.com or for purchase at www.bersin.com/factbook. BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION LICENSED MATERIAL BERSIN & ASSOCIATES PLANNING & STRATEGY CONTENT DEVELOPMENT LEARNING PROGRAMS LEARNING TECHNOLOGY ANALYTICS & MEASUREMENT TALENT MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOCUS: Integrating Learning into the Enterprise A Look at the IBM Enterprise Learning Portal Chris Howard, Principal Analyst | January 2008

Upload: trinhnga

Post on 06-May-2018

215 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

CA

SE S

TUD

Y

IN THIS CASE STUDYOnline learning is undergoing a transformation. From the year 2000 to 2003, organizations rushed to develop and deploy training materials on the Internet, leading to a proliferation of e-learning. In 2007, this approach became so widely used that more than 30 percent of corporate training hours were delivered over the web.1

Organizations that have been delivering online training for many years now realize online courseware has its limitations, in that:

• Traditional page-oriented courseware is oft en not powerful enough to develop deep levels of skills and competencies;

• Courses that take hours to complete can become tedious and hard to fi nish; and,

• Online training still lacks the interactivity and community experience of a classroom.

1 For more information, The Corporate Learning Factbook® 2007: Statistics,

Benchmarks and Analysis of the U.S. Corporate Training Market, Bersin &

Associates / Karen O’Leonard, February 2007. Available to research members

at www.elearningresearch.com or for purchase at www.bersin.com/factbook.

BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

BERSIN & ASSOCIATES

PLANNING& STRATEGY

CONTENTDEVELOPMENT

LEARNINGPROGRAMS

LEARNINGTECHNOLOGY

ANALYTICS &MEASUREMENT

TALENTMANAGEMENT

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

FOCUS:

Integrating Learning into the EnterpriseA Look at the IBM Enterprise Learning Portal

—Chris Howard, Principal Analyst | January 2008

2BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

However, a new solution is emerging. Th e widespread availability of search engines, blogs, podcasts2, Web 2.03 applications and mobile devices4 has turned the web into an interactive, user-led experience. Why take a one-hour course when you only need a fi ve-minute module to answer a question? Employees now expect online learning to be as interactive, easy to fi nd and media-rich as the rest of the Internet. We call this new approach, “learning on-demand.”

Th is case study takes a close look at one of the largest learning on-demand solutions in the marketplace today – Learning@IBM Explorer, the IBM learning portal. Learning@IBM Explorer provides employees with a single, easy-to-use, role-relevant means by which to access almost every learning and development resource off ered by the company.

Highlights of this case study include:

• What learning on-demand is and how it can be used;

• Th e business motivation for the development of Learning@IBM Explorer;

• Th e internal workings of the portal, including how the content is used and maintained;

2 For more information, please see these reports: (1) New Technologies for

Corporate Learning: Part 1 – Podcasts, Blogs, and Wikis, Bersin & Associates /

Karen O’Leonard, May 2006; and, (2) Podcasting: A New Technology for Learning,

Bersin & Associates / Karen O’Leonard, November 29, 2006. Available to research

members at www.elearningresearch.com.3 “Web 2.0” refers to a perceived second generation of web-based communities

and hosted services (such as social-networking sites, wikis, folksonomies, weblogs

/ blogs, social bookmarking, podcasts, RSS feeds, social software, web application

programming interfaces / APIs, and online web services), which aim to facilitate

creativity, collaboration and sharing between users. Although the term suggests a

new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical

specifi cations, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use the

web. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0#Defi ning_.22Web_2.0.22.4 For more information, m-Learning: The Latest Trends, Developments and Real-

World Applications, Bersin & Associates / Chris Howard, June, 2007. Available to

research members at www.elearningresearch.com.

3BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

• An in-depth look at how content is personalized to meet the needs of each individual in the context of his / her everyday work; and,

• Lessons for other training organizations to use in the planning and development of their own learning portal strategy.

BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

TABLE OF CONTENTSLearning On-Demand 6

Learning On-Demand: What Is It? 6

Setting the Context for Learning On-Demand 7

The Four Stages of e-Learning 9

Company Overview 10

Learning Environment 11

The Evolution of e-Learning at IBM 11

The Learning Challenge 12

Learning On-Demand: IBM’s Strategy 13

The IBM Learning Portal 15

How the Learning Portal Works 17

Technology: Leveraging Web 2.0 Techniques 18

People: Empowering Passionate Content Stewards 19

Process: Preventing Chaos 20

Leveraging the IBM Enterprise Learning Portal 21

A Key Focus: Enabling Work-Embedded Learning 22

A Wide Range of Sources 22

Commercial Content 23

Open Learning Services Architecture 24

Learning Management Systems 24

Lessons Learned and Best Practices 26

Make Content More Consumable and Relevant 26

5BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Think about the Bigger Role of Training Information 26

Acquire the Right Expertise 27

Acquire Sponsorship 27

Implement Governance, Organization and Support

for the Portal 28

Conclusion: The State of Learning Portals 28

Appendix I: Table of Figures 30

About Us 31

About This Research 31

6BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Learning On-Demand

Before we delve into the specifi cs of this case study, we need to step back for a moment and take a closer look at learning on-demand. In the next few sections, we will discuss this latest trend in learning and development (L&D), focusing on what it is, how it has come into being and why it is important for organizations today – and in the future.

Learning On-Demand: What Is It?

A newly emerging trend, “learning on-demand5” means that learning (be it in the form of information, learning objects or performance support) is provided to an employee while the work is being done (in terms of performance support, this occurs within the context of the workfl ow). In a learning on-demand environment, courses, references, help fi les, documents, webcasts, audios, videos, books and presentations are all made available – when and how a worker needs them.

In addition, learning on-demand can be complemented by more formal training methods made available in an integrated environment that features blended learning.6 Th e employee (or his / her manager) decides which training methods and / or tools to use – enabling “self-directed learning.”

Learning on-demand is being driven by new technologies, such as “really simple syndication” (RSS), podcasts7 and advanced search capabilities. As companies build a wealth of learning assets, they want

5 “Learning on-demand” is also referred to as “just-in-time learning” or “just-in-

time workfl ow learning.”6 For a detailed discussion of all the options for the design of blended-learning

programs, The Blended Learning Book: Best Practices, Proven Methodologies, and

Lessons Learned, Josh Bersin, Pfeiffer, October 2004.7 For more information, please see these reports: (1) New Technologies for

Corporate Learning: Part 1 – Podcasts, Blogs, and Wikis, Bersin & Associates /

Karen O’Leonard, May 2006; and, (2) Podcasting: A New Technology for Learning,

Bersin & Associates / Karen O’Leonard, November 29, 2006. Available to research

members at www.elearningresearch.com.

“Learning on-demand”

means that learning

is provided to an

employee while the

work is being done

– when and how a

worker needs it.

K E Y P O I N T

7BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

to enable their employees to “Google” the learning they need.8 Once at this point, organizations oft en have hundreds to thousands of courses, web events, references, FAQ databases, videos, podcasts, mobile content and other objects available online. Th ey must fi gure out how to make this information relevant for employees, as well as easy to fi nd and update – along with having a deep understanding of the day-to-day job requirements for employees.

Today, a new element has been added to this mix – collaboration. Web 2.09 technologies have made the web a world of self-published information and provide direct access to people. Peers and subject matter experts (SMEs) can work directly with each other to exchange knowledge – bypassing more formal approaches that are provided by the training organization. In many cases, the best source of learning is not an instructor but, rather, an expert in the fi eld. A learning on-demand solution should help people identify, locate and access these experts.

Setting the Context for Learning On-Demand

How do companies implement learning on-demand? Th ere are many approaches. To get started, many organizations enhance a formal training program by providing online material before, during and / or aft er a course. Some of these materials may consist of prerequisites and other material used to supplement and support the formal training delivered in a classroom.

8 For more information, Learning Management Systems 2008: Facts, Practical

Analysis, Trends and Vendor Profi les, Bersin & Associates / Josh Bersin, Chris

Howard and Karen O’Leonard, July 2007. Available to research members at

www.elearningresearch.com or for purchase at www.bersin.com/lms.9 “Web 2.0” refers to a perceived second generation of web-based communities

and hosted services (such as social-networking sites, wikis, folksonomies, weblogs /

blogs, social bookmarking, podcasts, RSS feeds, social software, web application

programming interfaces / APIs, and online web services), which aim to facilitate

creativity, collaboration and sharing between users. Although the term suggests

a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any

technical specifi cations, but to changes in the ways software developers and

end-users use the web. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0#Defi ning_

.22Web_2.0.22.

In many cases, the best

source of learning is not

an instructor but, rather,

an expert in the fi eld.

K E Y P O I N T

8BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

In other cases, a more dynamic, user-centric solution is needed. Workers in customer service, IT, sales and support functions quite oft en need instant access to information that is rapidly changing. People in these positions depend upon quick access to updated information in order to generate revenue or provide high-quality service to customers.

For example, a sales representative may need quick access to the latest features of a new product before making a customer call; a service agent may need to refresh his / her knowledge of a particular system to quickly respond to a customer’s problem; or, a line manager may need to review HR policies before dealing with a sensitive employee matter. In all of these cases, the on-demand environment becomes a critical tool for business productivity and growth.

How do you implement such a solution? What tools do you need? How do you design and support such a solution? How do you integrate content from a wide variety of sources?

Th e idea behind learning on-demand is to give people the specifi c information they need within the context of their jobs. Rather than leave the work environment to learn a new process, procedure or technique, people can retrieve useful information from wherever they are working. While formal training programs are still required to develop basic skills, the on-demand environment lets the learner decide when a problem warrants formal education, information or a small module of instructional content.

Th e availability of fast bandwidth, search engines and modular forms of media has made learning on-demand possible. While traditional instructor-led training and courseware are not going away, our research shows that learning on-demand has become a user-requirement for any organization with large amounts of online training and content. In addition, since needs rapidly change as products and markets change, we see more and more demand for “learning as performance support.” In a recent research study of more than 800 corporate training managers,10 respondents indicated that 72 percent of the content they produce is used in an informal, on-the-job setting – demonstrating that learning on-demand is already prevalent.

10 This information is based on our industry report, High-Impact Learning

Organization, the report for which is available now – with a new edition coming

in 2008. For more information, please visit www.bersin.com/hilo.

Respondents to a recent

research study indicated

that 72 percent of the

content they produce

is used in an informal,

on-the-job setting

– demonstrating that

learning on-demand is

already prevalent.

K E Y P O I N T

While formal training

programs are still

required to develop basic

skills, the on-demand

environment lets the

learner decide when a

problem warrants formal

education, information

or a small module of

instructional content.

BEST PRACT ICE

9BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Figure 1: The Stages of e-Learning

Th e Four Stages of e-Learning

We have studied online corporate learning over the years and have found that organizations go through four distinct stages (see Figure 1). In Stage One, they focus on delivering off -the-shelf content. Users become accustomed to logging into a portal or learning management system (LMS), and they learn to access training material online.

In Stage Two, organizations start to blend e-learning with instructor-led training and develop content of their own. At this point, they realize that e-learning alone is insuffi cient for many of their complex learning requirements. Th is oft en leads to an explosion of content development and organizations start to build many programs in many diff erent formats.

When companies reach Stage Th ree, they realize that they have “too much information online” and employees can no longer decide on what courses to take. At this point, the organization focuses on realigning the online learning environment – to create “context” and not just

11 For more information, The Four Stages of E-learning: A maturity model

for online corporate training, Bersin & Associates / Josh Bersin, October 2005.

Available to research members at www.elearningresearch.com.

Figure 1: The Four Stages of e-Learning11

Source: Bersin & Associates, 2005.

Stage 1: Get StartedGet Content Online – Buy off the Shelf / One Size Fits All

Stage 2: ExpandBlended Programs, Rapid e-Learning, Outsource Sophisticated Content

Stage 3: Integrate and AlignLMS, Governance, Competency-Based, Performance Management

Stage 4: On-DemandLCMS, Performance Support, Search

10BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

“content.” Typical solutions include the development of learning paths, competency-based learning, prescriptive learning (learning driven by a pre-assessment) and, oft en, the removal of most of the underutilized catalog content.

Also (within Stage Th ree), the organization realizes that online learning has many forms and it develops content standards – including consistent formats for courseware, documents, help fi les, audio, video, assessments and other types of data. Once these standards are created, the organization enters Stage Four – Learning On-Demand.

At Stage Four, the organization rethinks the problem. Rather than focusing on the “content,” the focus shift s to one of “job-specifi c” or “role-specifi c” solutions. Th e organization looks at the “whole needs” of an employee – and starts to build a solution that provides formal and informal training, information, collaboration, and access to others in a role-relevant environment. While many organizations are trying to achieve this goal, our recent research indicates that fewer than eight percent of organizations have achieved any form of a learning on-demand solution.12

Let us now look at IBM –the company itself, its learning environment and learning solution.

Company Overview

IBM is the world leader in middleware and the second-largest soft ware company, overall. Th e world leader in server sales, the company also leads in the area of supercomputers, with 237 of the top 500 systems. In addition, IBM is the market leader for:

• Information management soft ware, all application integration and middleware categories;

• Instant messaging soft ware for corporations;

12 This information is based on our industry report, High-Impact Learning

Organization, the report for which is available now – with a new edition coming

in 2008. For more information, please visit www.bersin.com/hilo.

11BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

• Portal soft ware; and,

• Systems management and systems operations soft ware.

With more than 355,000 employees worldwide, IBM serves customers in 170 countries. IBM is also the world leader in IT services and consulting. With approximately 200,000 services professionals globally, the company’s off erings include data center outsourcing, business transformation services, consulting, systems integration, application management services, infrastructure, and systems maintenance and web hosting.14

Learning Environment

Th e Evolution of e-Learning at IBM

IBM has a long history of using technology in its training strategy. More than 35 years ago, IBM set out to strategically transform internal training from predominantly face-to-face classes to online programs. In

13 Source: www.ibm.com.14 Ibid.

Figure 2: IBM At a Glance13

Company Name: International Business Machines (IBM)

Headquarters: Armonk, New York, U.S.

Company Type: Public (NYSE: IBM)

Incorporated: June 16, 1922

Employees: 355,766 worldwide

2006 Revenue: $91.4 billion

2006 Net Income: $9.4 billion

Website: www.ibm.com

Source: Bersin & Associates, 2008.

12BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

the 1970s and 1980s, IBM sales representatives used mainframe training programs and simulations to learn how to market, sell and support mainframe systems and soft ware.

Along this journey, IBM implemented standards-based design and development tools. Th rough internal development and the use of technology from Lotus Soft ware Development and others, the company built development tools, virtual classroom systems, assessment systems and internal learning management systems.

As these strategies evolved, IBM recognized that funding would become an obstacle. To facilitate the technology investment by business units and product specialists, key funding for systems, content development and procurement was moved to a shared-services organization. Th e costs were not charged back to the business units, which enabled departments to utilize e-learning without impacting local budgets – as well as encouraging usage of the enhanced systems and services.

Th e Learning Challenge

As the on-demand business philosophy was evolving, IBM was rapidly hiring new people and expanding into an ever-broadening set of services and technologies for a range of industries. Th e company’s substantial training expenditure was primarily focused on traditional learning delivery, which was becoming less relevant as consultants, salespeople and service representatives required increasingly rapid access to the information needed to successfully perform their jobs. In addition, the learning organization needed to keep up with the vast array of industry, management, process and technology training needs of the fast-growing global workforce. IBM realized that it needed a completely new learning strategy – which would create a more dynamic, relevant and business-driven solution for the company’s worldwide workforce.

At the same time, IBM was making major soft ware investments in an internal enterprise portal (called “on-demand workplace”). IBM’s CLO realized that the enterprise portal must become the foundation of the company’s new learning environment. He assigned the task of developing the strategy to integrate learning into the enterprise portal to a senior member of his leadership team.

IBM studied the

work habits of top-

performing employees

to determine how

training could be

made more useful and

drive improvements in

individual performance.

K E Y P O I N T

13BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

A key focus of this new strategy was to develop a solution that would drive high levels of individual performance, not just a “place to put all the training programs.” To design such a solution, the learning organization studied a group of high performers in the sales and service organizations to determine how these high performers used various types of learning and information to accomplish their goals.

As the IBM training managers identifi ed the various usage needs, they also realized that they needed to fi nd ways by which to personalize the learning experience. High performers in fi nancial services consulting, for example, had diff erent needs from those of technical professionals working with manufacturing companies. Th e training managers realized that they needed a comprehensive employee profi le that could be used to identify individual needs. Th is profi le would describe an employee’s job, role, industry specialization, location, language and other relevant attributes. As the team continued its research and design, it was determined that the right combination of content and personalized context could drive employee performance to a new level.

Learning On-Demand: IBM’s Strategy

IBM’s learning on-demand strategy leverages the company’s “on-demand” business philosophy – which is to create an open, standards-based infrastructure that integrates and automates business processes. An on-demand business has its internal computing systems integrated in order to quickly respond to changing market conditions, such as new business opportunities.

To achieve this rapid response capability and fl exibility within the learning organization, the CLO led an “on-demand transformation,” which is a systematic redesign and integration of the internal learning processes and systems. Th is provided the necessary platform to support a learning on-demand model that is fl exible and responsive to learners in the context of their dynamic work environment.

Th e IBM Learning On-Demand Model (see Figure 3) brings learning to work – to where people execute their daily activities as individuals, as members of teams and as part of an overall organization. Learning on-demand is able to accomplish this by:

To develop a solution

that would drive high

levels of individual

performance, the

learning organization

studied a group of high

performers to determine

how they used various

types of learning

and information to

accomplish their goals.

BEST PRACT ICE

To achieve this rapid

response capability

and fl exibility

within the learning

organization, the CLO

led an “on-demand

transformation,” which

is a systematic redesign

and integration of

the internal learning

processes and systems.

K E Y P O I N T

14BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Figure 3: IBM’s Learning On-Demand Model

• Driving innovation and business growth by shaping individual, team and organizational learning;

• Embedding learning in process workfl ows; and,

• Using technology to deliver easily accessible, role-based contextual learning.

This Model uses three types of learning to build and integrate work and performance, as well as drive business growth.

• Work-Embedded Learning (the contemporary approach) – Learning is delivered to the employee at the exact moment of need within the context of the work task. Employees are provided with learning and guidance that are targeted at the work process level,

Figure 3: IBM’s Learning On-Demand Model

Source: IBM, 2007.

15BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

enabling them to perform their work more eff ectively and, thereby, increasing productivity. Th is is learning that is embedded in real-time workfl ow.

• Work-Enabled Learning (the contextual approach) – Th e workplace is used as the learning environment. Work-enabled learning is achieved through meaningful interactions that happen directly within the context of work. Th is approach focuses on providing and structuring activities and guidance to infl uence the learning required for the performance at work. Th roughout this approach, employees are guided or coached to maximize the work content in order to develop the expertise that is critical for their roles.

• Work-Apart Learning (the classical approach) – Th is is traditional training, for which employees leave the work environment to learn. Learning is, therefore, removed from the action of doing work. Th is approach, however, does prepare employees to incorporate the learning into their work at some point in the future.

Today, IBM’s learning on-demand solution represents a steady evolution and commitment to the delivery of business-relevant training through technology. Th e result of all this research and strategic business alignment is the IBM learning portal, called “Learning@IBM Explorer.”

Th e IBM Learning Portal

Learning@IBM Explorer is a component of the company’s enterprise portal (see Figures 4 and 5) – and provides the three types of learning as detailed in IBM’s Learning On-Demand Model (see Figure 3). In addition, Learning@IBM Explorer goes much farther in providing personalized content and information, as well as enabling collaboration among peers and experts, to help people perform their jobs.

Today, the learning portal supports IBM’s global workforce of more than 350,000 employees worldwide in many diverse groups, such as IT, management, project management and sales. Employees use this portal to search for and access every modality of training and any related

16BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Figure 4: IBM’s On-Demand Workplace Portal

information, including documents, e-learning courses, SMEs, blogs, wikis and instructor-led courses.

“Th e IBM learning portal strategy has been successful because we thought holistically about the learning

resources in the company and how they would be used. Th e system provides access to many diff erent resources

besides traditional e-learning. Content is contributed and maintained by both training organizations, as well as business-unit experts and thought leaders who are in

closer proximity to the urgent business needs. In this way, employees have one place to go to search for or receive

guidance on their personal development.”

Manager, Learning Systems, IBM Learning

Figure 4: IBM’s On-Demand Workplace Portal

Source: IBM, 2007.

17BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Figure 5: IBM’s Learning@IBM Explorer Learning Portal

How the Learning Portal Works

To encourage usage, business units are not charged for the cost of any content, or for the development and maintenance of the portal. IBM has discovered that removing fi nancial barriers for departments and employees is a key enabler of making learning a “utility” for an organization.

Th e IBM Learning Portal involves three components that combine to form this world-class solution:

• Technology – Enables the capabilities of search, discovery and personalization;

Figure 5: IBM’s Learning@IBM Explorer Learning Portal

Source: IBM, 2007.

18BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

• People – Provide the guidance needed to customize the learning resources and channels to meet the specifi c needs of multiple target audiences within the company; and,

• Processes – Embedded within the portal to support eff ective content governance and maintenance.

Technology: Leveraging Web 2.0 Techniques

Th e IBM learning portal leverages both traditional portal technology and new Web 2.0 techniques to enable learning for the right person at the right place in the right format. Search technology and personalization techniques, in particular, are critical to the success of the portal.

Leveraging IBM’s search technology, the learning portal displays relevant content when an employee searches for training. Th e quality of the search is dependent upon the quality of the profi le data, or the metadata describing the people and the content. When an employee performs a search, the system uses stored data about the employee to best determine the context for his / her learning needs. For example, if the profi le indicates that the employee is a sales professional in Germany who is working with the manufacturing industry, the learning search results provide content that is specifi c to his / her role, industry and country, along with collaborative results (such as social bookmarks and experts in these areas). Th ese results are essential to making the Learning@IBM Explorer considerably more useful than previous learning systems at IBM.

Accurate employee profi les are critical to ensuring that quality searches are performed for each employee (see Figure 6). Maintenance of the profi le data is performed automatically for some data elements and manually for others. Data (such as an employee’s department, division or business unit) is automatically updated from HR systems; other data (such as skills, expertise, business interests and certifi cations) is maintained by the employee.

Th e learning registry is another technology IBM learning uses to enable personalization. A web application, it facilitates the tagging of learning activities with publication-specifi c metadata. Th e registry is used to

The IBM learning

portal leverages both

traditional portal

technology and new

Web 2.0 techniques

to enable learning for

the right person at the

right place in the right

format.

K E Y P O I N T

Accurate employee

profi les are critical to

ensuring that quality

searches are performed

for each employee.

K E Y P O I N T

19BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Figure 6: Profi le Attributes Used for Personalization

specify the intended audience for learning content to make sure that it shows up for the right employee in the context of his / her work-based activities. Th e learning registry is the system that enables content and subject matter experts to be associated with users and their interests.

People: Empowering Passionate Content Stewards

The Portfolio Manager

One of the key goals of learning on-demand at IBM is to serve the training needs of each geographic and industry business unit. To meet the diverse needs of the enterprise, IBM cataloged content areas into more than 100 portfolios and created the role of the “portfolio manager” – the knowledge expert who manages resources in his / her domain of expertise. Th ese portfolio managers also monitor usage and satisfaction with their portfolios. If a specifi c document is referenced more than others or an expert is contributing frequently on a certain topic, then the portfolio manager will make sure that search results prioritize those resources.

Th e portfolio managers also act as the content owners and stewards. In this capacity, they are concerned with the business value of their content

Figure 6: Profile Attributes Used for Personalization

Source: IBM, 2007.

To meet the diverse

needs of the enterprise,

IBM cataloged content

areas into more than

100 portfolios.

K E Y P O I N T

20BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

and the lifecycle management of the elements within the portal. Th ey also monitor the usage of the content in specifi c business solutions to ensure that content is well-shared. For example, the portfolio manager in charge of the consulting content will make sure the various job roles that require consulting expertise are accessing the most current and valuable training and performance support.

In some instances, the role of the portfolio manager is a full-time position, while in other areas of the company this role is performed on a part-time basis.

The Learning Expert

Another critical role engaged in the process of embedding learning is that of the “learning experts” – employees in the various business units, geographies, professions, programs and industries who are knowledgeable not only about the learning resources available, but the skills required by employees to deliver business results, as well. Experts match those needs with the appropriate learning resources to be provided in the right work context.

A learning expert might be a practice leader in consulting, a distinguished engineer or a thought leader in an industry / sector. It is not a formal role but, rather, someone with expertise who can recommend learning within the context of a community of practice. Once the learning expert is approved by the portfolio manager, he / she can use the learning registry to make specifi c content recommendations in the learning portal.

Process: Preventing Chaos

IBM developed a simple, yet elegant strategy to facilitate the content recommendation process that powers the Learning@IBM Explorer. Th e registry was designed around this process to allow learning experts to make recommendations. Th e process (see Figure 7) brings together the resources identifi ed across the enterprise with the knowledge of the experts – to the appropriate, intended audience. Simple workfl ows guide the expert in the process of selecting the target profi le values for each recommendation. A second level of governance allows an editor to preview

Content ownership

and maintenance

are essential to the

success of learning

on-demand. Although

some processes can be

automated, a “human”

content manager

provides tremendous

value to ensure the right

content is in place.

BEST PRACT ICE

21BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Figure 7: Facilitation of the Content Recommendation Process

each recommendation to reduce the chance of redundancy or error. Th is process prevents the chaos that would result if there was no control over which users can recommend content for learning searches. (In the current model and process, only experts can make recommendations; however, the system is fl exible enough to expand to a more general population.)

Leveraging the IBM Enterprise Learning Portal

Learning@IBM Explorer actually leverages the capabilities of the larger enterprise portal. Th is system provides a set of common services (such as profi ling, search and content management) to address the following key business issues:

• Enhancing employee productivity by providing commonly used functions, like “search in a consistent user experience”;

• Reducing investment in redundant functions around search, profi les, et al;

• Integrating workfl ow among web applications to provide a framework for embedded learning; and,

Figure 7: Facilitation of the Content Recommendation Process

Source: IBM, 2007.

LearningRegistry

Books24x7Blogs

WikkisSocial bookmarks

Experts

LearningExpert

EmbeddedLearning

Search Results

IBM Search

LearningManagement

System

LearningRegistry

Books24x7Blogs

WikkisSocial bookmarks

Experts

LearningExpert

EmbeddedLearning

Search Results

IBM Search

LearningManagement

System

22BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

• Syndicating content and people resources through a common service that can easily be leveraged by any portal user.

In this manner, much of the personalization data on employees is maintained in a single system and leveraged by Learning@IBM Explorer.

A Key Focus: Enabling Work-Embedded Learning

IBM’s goal for work-embedded learning (performance support) is to provide resources woven into the workfl ow, so that learning occurs readily and naturally. Learning@IBM Explorer enables this capability through the use of three components – rich employee profi les, syndication technology and metadata (that describes content and people). Profi le attributes (such as current job role, career interests and location) are used to provide personalized guidance. Th e portal off ers a wide variety of embedded learning and development resources, including:

• Mentoring opportunities;

• Job-aids;

• Individual development plans;

• Recently added books;

• Podcasts;

• Guidance on career advancement; and

• Work-apart learning opportunities.

A Wide Range of Sources

Th e IBM learning portal integrates training and performance support information from many sources into a single structure. Data sources include courses from the learning management system catalog, such as:

23BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

• e-Learning;

• Face-to-face and virtual classes;

• Books from IBM Redbooks and SkillSoft ’s Books24x7;

• Blog and wiki entries;

• Web content; and,

• Expert lists with presence awareness.

In addition, IBM develops brief, consumable materials, called “Quickviews,” which can be searched for and absorbed quickly. Using industry standards (such as SCORM15), content can be delivered in smaller, relevant segments.

Commercial Content

One of the major providers of content to this system is SkillSoft – used by IBM to provide courses, books and reference materials on both soft skills and IT topics. Th e success of the IBM learning portal, however, comes from integrating these resources into the same system that is used to access all other training content. When a user searches for information on Java programming, for example, all content is queried and the results are delivered to the user. Th ese results could include entire courses or supporting materials, such as books and job-aids.

Integration with content from vendors is automatically updated into the learning portal with Internet syndication technologies and RSS feeds16. For example, IBM has established syndications that constantly update information on leadership development opportunities for the

15 “Sharable Content Object Reference Model” (SCORM) is a set of specifi cations

for course content that produces reusable learning objects.16 The terms “syndication” and “RSS” (really simple syndication) refer to web

technology that enables an organization to “publish” any electronic document,

so that any computer with a “reader” can subscribe to such information. RSS

feeds allow users to subscribe to any topic they choose and, when they see

something of interest, they can “click” to open the content. RSS is an off-the-shelf

technology that is available in all web servers, web browsers (e.g., 7.0 and higher)

in Google, Yahoo and many other websites, in addition to being available within

Microsoft Outlook 2007.

24BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

company’s executives. New content and changes to existing content are thus handled automatically without any user intervention. Th is reduces the curricula maintenance for IBM designers, and requires fewer formal promotion and training awareness programs for IBM. Th e more granular meta-tagging17 is done by portfolio managers who make the changes in the registry.

Open Learning Services Architecture18

As this case study demonstrates, one of the challenges associated with learning portals is automating the process of making the content relevant and current for users. While the role of the portfolio manager at IBM handles this task, some content can be automatically updated and assigned to interest groups on a real-time basis, requiring no manual intervention.

Th is capability is provided with SkillSoft ’s open learning services architecture (OLSA), which is a web-based architecture that integrates content from the vendor’s platform into other learning systems, such as LMSs, intranets and portals. Using OLSA, the IBM learning portal (and other pages on the enterprise portal) is automatically updated with new content and any changes to existing content, including e-learning courses, books and other learning resources. Th e content is then automatically assigned to the various interest categories established for the users in the system.

Learning Management Systems

Another resource that the learning portal provides access to is the company’s learning management system (LMS). Th ere are tens of thousands of learning activities that are stored in the LMS. Some exist

17 “Meta-tagging” (from “meta-tag”) refers to the process of creating and

storing data elements that describe the assets and modules contained in a course.

The “metadata” is used for purposes of locating the content (within a database or

repository) or customizing the course for delivery.18 For more information, SkillSoft Launches Web-Architecture for Learning

Content, Bersin & Associates / Josh Bersin, September 28, 2006. Available to

research members at www.elearningresearch.com.

25BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

as standalone courses and others are part of blended-learning programs. Th e LMS provides progress tracking through skills mastery objectives. In IBM’s architecture, the LMS is not the learning portal itself, but it is one of a number of learning resources available. Information on instructor-led courses, for example, is housed and maintained in the LMS with the appropriate tagging that allows each to be discovered during searches in the learning portal. Other resources (such as web modules, and “download and play” content) are examples of other learning resources accessed via the LMS.

Meta-data for LMS activities is maintained in the registry and extracted from the LMS. Th e registry makes meta-tagging easier, in part, because SMEs do not need access to the LMS. In contrast, the LMS is used as a mechanism for coordinated and / or structured learning activities, such as virtual and instructor-led classroom sessions.

Collaborative tools also serve an important role as part of the learning programs in the LMS. IBM has seen the largest adoption of collaborative learning tools when used in conjunction with a learning program. First-line managers are placed into a development program for one year and grouped with peers from other areas of the company. Th e collaborative tools in the LMS enable these employees to work together during their development program.

While IBM uses an LMS, it does not serve as the information repository for the majority of training content and resources. Many organizations that have implemented LMSs rightfully realize that the next step in training automation is to look beyond training administration and online courses to newer and more accessible forms of content and other resources. In a sense, the LMS is becoming a “legacy system.” Th is strategy supports the growing organizational need to bring learning to the worker when and where it is needed – without having to constantly fi nd ways of adding various forms of information to the LMS. Today, this is a task for which LMSs were not originally designed.

While IBM uses an LMS,

it does not serve as the

information repository

for the majority of

training content and

resources. This strategy

supports the growing

organizational need to

bring learning to the

worker when and where

it is needed –without

fi nding ways to add

information to the LMS.

A N A LY S I S

26BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Lessons Learned and Best Practices

Make Content More Consumable and Relevant

IBM made a conscious decision to address many training challenges with content that is recommended and delivered in more consumable formats, as well as used more frequently. For example, a book may be recommended for a particular job role – such as a sales professional; but when getting ready to make a sales call to a CEO in a particular industry, an entire book is not a consumable format. A paper on trends in that industry, however, would be useful as it is short and more likely to be current. A small interactive tutorial could also be viewed online in a browser that may transfer skills more eff ectively.

Th ink about the Bigger Role of Training Information

Training executives must rethink their roles within the organization. Is development and delivery of online and offl ine courses enough to enable the organization to respond to ever-changing business needs? Can training enable less formal knowledge acquisition? Can the training organization use technology to develop information hubs that connect users to information and colleagues to help them acquire knowledge? Should the role of the CLO include that of a chief knowledge offi cer (CKO)?

Th e CLO of IBM conducted research to determine how employees were acquiring the information they needed to do their jobs. Some of the questions included the following.

• Could these mechanisms be made more effi cient?

• Could training enable this process by providing access to information that was otherwise diffi cult (or even impossible) to get?

• Could the need for formal training be focused on a few key programs while others were made available on an as-needed basis?

IBM addresses many

training challenges

with content that is

recommended and

delivered in more

consumable formats.

BEST PRACT ICE

IBM conducted an

employee survey

to determine how

employees acquired the

information they needed

to successfully execute

the responsibilities of

their jobs.

BEST PRACT ICE

27BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Th e results of this study were used to guide the development of the IBM learning on-demand strategy and the development of the IBM learning portal.

Acquire the Right Expertise

Learning content strategies are oft en conducted with little thought as to how the information will be used over time. IBM learning employs IT architects with experience in various aspects of its legacy systems and also new technologies (such as service-oriented architectures and Web 2.0 technology). Th ese experts can design a workable architecture with an eye toward how the learning data can be used across the enterprise.

External partnerships are also vital. IBM collaborates with its vendors to understand how emerging trends in the industry, technology and content delivery can be better leveraged. Any organization that seeks to build a learning portal must develop close partnerships with their key content providers to make sure that the latest content versions and content types can be easily integrated into their solutions.

Acquire Sponsorship

Successful IT projects must be aligned with strategic business priorities in order to receive senior management buy-in and budget approval. Because the sales organization had the greatest need for work-enabled learning, IBM learning partnered with sales to launch the initial version of the IBM learning portal.

IBM learning also partnered with the chief information offi cer to align its content standards and specifi cations with those of the larger content strategies at IBM. Training departments are oft en isolated from other IT initiatives, which can result in silos of information that cannot be aggregated for the benefi t of the learning population.

Any organization that

seeks to build a learning

portal must develop close

partnerships with its key

content providers to

ensure the latest content

versions and types can be

easily integrated into the

solution.

BEST PRACT ICE

Learning organizations

need to create

strategic partnerships

to ensure the success

of enterprisewide

development and

implementation projects.

BEST PRACT ICE

28BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Implement Governance, Organization and Support for the Portal

Th e learning on-demand portal is managed by a corporate group under the guidance of the CLO, who focuses on providing learning solutions throughout the entire corporation. Th e content is managed by portfolio managers and a corporate governance group ensures that the content is updated on a regular basis.

To encourage usage, business units are not charged for the cost of any content, or for the development and maintenance of the portal. IBM has discovered that removing fi nancial barriers for departments and employees is a key enabler of making learning a “utility” for an organization.

Conclusion: Th e State of Learning Portals

IBM’s learning portal is a sophisticated system for accessing training and information. Highly customized by employee profi les, it includes access to formal and informal learning, and internally developed and off -the-shelf content. While IBM’s implementation was global in nature and somewhat complex, other organizations (regardless of size) can use this approach and principles to build a learning on-demand solution.

Consider, fi rst, that a learning portal goes beyond a website for accessing training. It must give users access to formal learning (oft en managed through an LMS), resources (such as job-aids, reference materials, forms and checklists), collaboration experiences (including blogs and workspaces), a directory of experts and a rich variety of off -the-shelf courseware. Th e “glue” that holds all of this together is “context” – the portal must have views, profi les or subportals showing only relevant information and “training of interest” to specifi c audiences.

Learning portals are here to stay – and in today’s rich online environment, they are more important than ever. IBM’s learning on-demand solution recognizes that one of the roles of the training function is to enable employees and partners to acquire knowledge

IBM has discovered

that removing fi nancial

barriers for departments

and employees is a

key enabler of making

learning a “utility” for

an organization.

BEST PRACT ICE

29BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

themselves, rather than to formally deliver just the training needed. Such skills and knowledge can be delivered in many ways (e.g., online, by a colleague next door, by a colleague across the globe, in a formal course, through a book or job-aid, or in a casual blog) – and these materials may be accessed through a web browser, a wireless device or an experience in a classroom.

Most importantly, IBM’s solution demonstrates that in today’s online environment, context and relevance are just as important as content. IBM’s innovative use of third-party content, a wide-range of internally developed content, and the use of portfolio managers to arrange and edit content provide a relevant and useful solution for IBM employees throughout the globe.

Th is case study demonstrates that, in today’s content-rich environment, training organizations must strive to provide highly relevant, well-aligned solutions that enable employees to gain just the information they need. While not all companies have the resources of IBM, organizations of any size can adopt these principles and build a highly useful, dynamic and relevant learning portal for their workforce.

We hope that this research is useful in the development of your corporate learning strategy and we look forward to hearing from you.

In today’s content-rich

environment, training

organizations must

strive to provide highly

relevant, well-aligned

solutions that enable

employees to gain just

the information they

need.

K E Y P O I N T

30BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

Appendix I: Table of Figures

Figure 1: Th e Four Stages of e-Learning 9

Figure 2: IBM At a Glance 11

Figure 3: IBM’s Learning On-Demand Model 14

Figure 4: IBM’s On-Demand Workplace Portal 16

Figure 5: IBM’s Learning@IBM Explorer Learning Portal 17

Figure 6: Profi le Attributes Used for Personalization 19

Figure 7: Facilitation of the Content Recommendation Process 21

31BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © JANUARY 2008 • NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • LICENSED MATERIAL

INTEGRATING LEARNING INTO THE ENTERPRISE

About UsBersin & Associates is the only research and advisory consulting fi rm focused solely on WhatWorks® research in enterprise learning and talent management. With more than 25 years of experience in enterprise learning, technology and HR business processes, Bersin & Associates provides actionable, research-based services to help learning and HR managers and executives improve operational eff ectiveness and business impact.

Bersin & Associates research members gain access to a comprehensive library of best practices, case studies, benchmarks and in-depth market analyses designed to help executives and practitioners make fast, eff ective decisions. Member benefi ts include: in-depth advisory services, access to proprietary webcasts and industry user groups, strategic workshops, and strategic consulting to improve operational eff ectiveness and business alignment. More than 3,500 organizations in a wide range of industries benefi t from Bersin & Associates research and services.

Bersin & Associates can be reached at http://www.bersin.com or at (510) 654-8500.

About This ResearchCopyright© 2008 Bersin & Associates. All rights reserved. WhatWorks® and related names such as Rapid e-Learning: WhatWorks® and Th e High Impact Learning Organization® are registered trademarks of Bersin & Associates. No materials from this study can be duplicated, copied, republished, or re-used without written permission from Bersin & Associates. Th e information and forecasts contained in this report refl ect the research and studied opinions of Bersin & Associates analysts.