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Web Tools in Learning & Development:
Best Practices
Web-based tools have changed the way we approach employee learning and development. The world of e-learning is becoming more complex every day, as new technologies are introduced and there are growing concerns related to tracking of results, security, and interoperability. Although technical issues can easily dominate our attention, it is equally important to ensure that the organization will reap the greatest value from the web tool investment. This newsletter outlines eight best practices for successfully implementing web-based learning solutions.
Benefits of Web Tools
Web-based technologies have given training and development organizations an opportunity to create powerful learning experiences that employees can utilize to better accomplish their objectives. Aside from being accessible 24/7, a characteristic most people have come to expect, the Internet can also provide equal access to a wide range of people. Employees who are located in remote sites or who have a more reserved personal style are on an equal footing with their colleagues at headquarters and with those who might dominate a face-to-face training program. The Internet can cater to various individual or cultural learning styles: careful study of background information, viewing of diagrams or images, and interactive "learning by doing." Web tools can open many new doors to employees who may previously have been excluded from learning opportunities in the organization. Here are some ways to best leverage the benefits that web-based tools have to offer.
1. Think About Your Internal Customers
Before you deploy a web-based tool, invest the time to think about your internal customers and how they would leverage the tool. More often than not, the focus tends to be on the features and functions and determining what bells and whistles it does and does not have. While these are important, they are only one piece of the total package. Ask yourself:
- What business problem or challenge is this tool addressing?
- What various benefits might my internal customers derive from it?
- How quickly can they expect to see the results?
- What will it require to sustain energy and momentum during the contract lifecycle?
Answers to these questions will not only ensure that you ask the right questions of your potential vendors, but also help you in the early stages of planning your launch strategy and follow-up activities during the course of the year.
2. Goal Setting
Setting goals for your internal customers' use of the tool is not only a good way to benchmark your return on investment, but also allows managers and other stakeholders to consider what they would like to obtain from it . Can and should the tool be incorporated into individual or team goals? Is the tool an element of a long-term strategy?
3. Pilot Groups
In some organizations, selecting a pilot group to use the tool before launching to the larger organization can provide valuable insights. Not only does it provide the opportunity to work out any potential kinks that could occur in rolling out a complicated tool, but it can also create the opportunity to reference an internal case study for how the tool solved a problem or addressed a major need for that group. Depending on your organization and the complexity and breadth of the web tool, this step might be very powerful and help you to sell the tool upwards within your organization.
4. Launch Strategy
A launch strategy is more than just a single marketing blast to spread the word about a new tool. Ideally, your launch plan comprises a series of activities that should complement each other and build excitement and confidence in the product. How well you launch initially sets the tone going forward, so give some thought to the types of communications that are preferred within your corporate culture.
Pre-launch announcements are a good idea, as they plant the seed for the excitement that is to come. A pre-launch announcement or flyer that describes the benefits of the tool can be sent to the entire organization in order to stimulate interest. Strategically placed posters in places such as the mailroom, cafeteria or hallways can be a good idea at this stage.
When it does come time to launch, send targeted announcements to specified user groups or departments. Since you have already done the work in identifying your internal customers and how they will most benefit from the tool, use that information to craft targeted messages. Tell them specifically how they will benefit from the web tool. You might also consider giving promotional items with the logo of the tool or some other relevant reference that will stimulate interest depending on your budget and your desired impact
When writing announcements, a good rule of thumb is to keep it short and simple. Use bullet points and clear language. Consider using screenshots or other graphics to visually depict your message and grab attention.
You will find that your vendor will most likely be willing to assist you with writing announcements and creating posters and other marketing collateral. Don't hesitate to ask them for their advice and expertise, but be prepared to lend your knowledge of the corporate culture to ensure that the message and its delivery is natural and doesn't appear "canned" and generic.
5. Link Placement
Internal placement of links to your web tools is of paramount importance. Don't expect your internal customers to remember where to find things! Place links in obvious locations and keep in mind that this usually means providing a link to the tool from more than one place. Use graphics, color and other editorial features to help links to stand out.
6. Instruction in Tool Use
Regardless of how intuitive and easy the tool is to use, training sessions are critical in getting people comfortable with the functionality. Consider scheduling training sessions that focus on the needs of the targeted end user groups. For example, it might be advantageous to train the Accounting Department separately from the Sales team if their daily interaction with the tool will vary in terms of what they use it for and how they stand to benefit most. This allows the trainer to hone in on the most relevant items for a particular group and to entertain focused questions rather than offering generalizations about the tool's contents and glossing over details.
7. Sustaining Momentum
Just because you had a successful launch and got everyone trained doesn't mean your work is done! Sustaining momentum can be the most challenging aspect of introducing a web-based tool. You will need to brainstorm ways of making sure that employees remember it is there for them to use. Well-placed links can surely help to make this task easier, but consider finding ways to distribute fresh invitations, tips, or relevant articles pertaining to the tool.
You should also consider periodic announcements to the entire organization or re-launch to particular groups based on their own needs. Enhancements or relevant corporate initiatives are two examples of subjects to address in a re-launch, although a specific reason is not always necessary.
8. Tool as a Training Vehicle
Often there are opportunities for the different tools and courses provided within an organization to augment and enhance each other. See if you can identify opportunities to use the web tool as a training vehicle in the context of other learning opportunities. For example, the web tool could be used as pre-work or follow-up for an in-person classroom course. As we discussed in a previous newsletter entitled Blended Model Learning: The Beauty of the Blend, the combination of web tools and training programs offers new possibilities that can enhance the learning experience.
Conclusion
These are only a few best practices for promoting web tools as a part of a larger strategy for disseminating key knowledge and supporting the achievement of organizational goals. We'd love to hear about any ideas or practices that you have found valuable. Please feel free to email us at ClientRelations@MeridianGlobal.com.
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