Development of the learning strategy will enable the organization to determine the needs across the enterprise for capture and creation, intelligent storage and dissemination of information, and the role of technology. Many organizations simply cannot justify the need to put content online as it will serve little or no value in getting the work done. For the same reason, putting content online that has little or no value is also a significant waste of time and effort.
You must demonstrate a justifiable need that links the initiative to performance improvement. The inability to demonstrate this need has been the bane of e-Learning since its inception.It is easy to see when organizations do not have solid learning strategies. It is evident in disconnected, disorganized, and hard-to-access content, and is basically a vast waste of time,money,and effort. You drive a value-based approach to e-Learning by a clear, concise, and measurable strategy for the organization, and you must follow and evaluate this strategy.
Any e-Learning strategy must include methods for designing and deploying learning solutions, change management, communication planning, performance support solutions, and knowledge management services and technologies. (See Roadmap Image)
This document must allow the organization to plan, design, develop, and deliver solutions that ensure that people have the necessary knowledge to embrace change and perform at a level required for business success. This will require:
• Training expertise. Understanding of adult learning practices and principles as the theoretical underpinnings of organizational learning initiatives; methods that focus on outcomes in an efficient, effective, and cost-effective manner; learning content management practices; and instructional design and development methodologies.
• Training and development experience. An understanding of the field of learning and instructional technologies and an awareness of the importance that training plays in an organization’s ability to maintain a competitive edge in a quickly changing global environment.
• Rigorous project management process. Understanding and adherence to proven project management techniques to ensure all projects are completed on-time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of our clients (internal and external).
• Available and emerging learning technologies. Familiarity and understanding of learning management system (LMS) and learning content management system (LCMS) technologies from both a theoretical and a practical standpoint.
• Business process. A keen awareness and understanding of how the business works, and how the
learning and performance group plays a role in that endeavor. This is a return on value understanding.
The development of an e-Learning strategy as a component to the learning strategy is a critical success point, and you should not take it lightly. However,this is not a long drawn-out process. You should recognize that development of a strategy is a point-in-time effort, that changes in the operational environment will occur, and that you must account for them and then recalibrate the strategy.
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