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J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8

ADAPTING
LEARNING
FROM DATA TO ANSWERS | 16
Solving Customer Training Problems

UNLOCK EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE | 32

Optimizing Results Using Development Maps

HR VS. L&D METHODOLOGIES | 44

Linking Frameworks to Transform Learning

BUSINESS PERSPECTIVES ON MANAGING WORLD-CLASS TRAINING

adaptive learning
Ultimate Personalization — Maximum Business Impact

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 PERSPECTIVES
Looking at the cover of this edition of
Training Industry Magazine, many of you
may have thought, “Was that a typo? Isn’t
it ADAPTIVE LEARNING?” Well, in fact,
the term is adaptive learning, but we
felt the discussion should be broadened
to consider all forms of personalized
learning, because in the end, there is
resounding consensus that the training
with the most significant impact is that
which is conformed to the individual
taking the program.
We understand that in the corporate
context personalizing learning may not
always be practical. Our opinion is that
the learning and development team in
any company should still be looking for
opportunities to contextualize learning or
bring it as close as possible to the on-the-
job reality where the new skills should be
applied. As business people, we should
default to the situation where learning
impacts a company’s performance
because it is closing skill gaps, or in
some way corrects a behavior, action or
inaction that is or could be impacting the
company’s performance.
What is really exciting about the current
reality in corporate training is that we
now have the tool kit required to take big
strides in the right direction. If we think
of personalization at the total experience
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - ADAPTING LEARNING 2018 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
- KE N TAY LO R
level, versus simply at the “course” level, it IF WE THINK OF
opens opportunities to truly personalize
at scale. These tools and technologies not
PERSONALIZATION
only facilitate elements of the learning AT THE TOTAL
experience that are outside the course, EXPERIENCE LEVEL,
they also allow us to track and modify VERSUS SIMPLY
them as a program rolls out.
AT THE “COURSE”
LEVEL, IT OPENS
For example, personalization may take
place in the social learning part of the OPPORTUNITIES TO
learning experience. It is not unreasonable TRULY PERSONALIZE
to consider focused coaching or AT SCALE.
mentoring on areas that an employee
may have a greater than normal skills gap
in. Or perhaps, designing practice that is
done on the job to ensure that the skills
are applied correctly in the context of the
employee’s role.
This collection of articles will share
some insights on how your organization
may consider adapting your learning
initiatives to the needs of the individual in
the context of their role in your company.
Our goal at Training Industry is to provide
you with the insights and tools needed to
more effectively manage the business of
learning. As always, we would love to hear
your thoughts about the points of views
shared in the magazine.
Ken Taylor is the president and editor in chief
of Training Industry, Inc. Email Ken.
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 CO N T E N TS
TA B L E O F

VOLUME 11 I ISSUE 2 I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

|4
 FEATURES

16 32 44
FROM DATA TO ANSWERS UNLOCK EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE HR VS. L&D METHODOLOGIES

16 FROM DATA TO ANSWERS: USING A DATA-DRIVEN

APPROACH TO SOLVE CUSTOMER TRAINING PROBLEMS
By Linda Schwaber-Cohen
Improve strategic decision making and resolve customer training issues with the help of data.

21 SIX WAYS ADAPTIVE LEARNING CAN ELEVATE CORPORATE TRAINING

By Nick Howe
Elevate corporate training and development with the help of adaptive learning.

24
FACILITATING A ROBUST SOCIAL LEARNING
EXPERIENCE FOR GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED TEAMS
By Daila Boufford
Combat the challenge of promoting engagement within virtual teams with social learning.

28
CREATING TRAINING APPROPRIATE TO THE ROLE
By Ashley Korneagay, CPTM
Set employees up for long-term success by developing training appropriate to their role.

32 USING DEVELOPMENT MAPS TO ALIGN AND UNLOCK PERFORMANCE

By Kelly Smith and Brian Blecke
Enhance the learning journey and improve employee performance by using development maps.

36 FUTURE-PROOF TRAINING WITH ADAPTIVE LEARNING

By Christina Yu
Drive bottom-line results and unlock organizational performance with adaptive learning.

40
CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS IN A NON-GLOBAL ORGANIZATION
By Carol E. Brogan
Shape the future of learning by better understanding the culture of individuals in the organization.

44 LINKING COMPETENCY MODELS TO MODERN LEARNING STRATEGIES

By Matt Donovan
Create new opportunities by incorporating competency frameworks in modern learning experiences.

48 DEVELOPING TRAINING WITH DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN MIND

By Tiffany McLean
Create a more inclusive environment by incorporating diversity and inclusion into training.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - ADAPTING LEARNING 2018 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
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 I N THIS
I S S U E

THOUGHT LEADERS

03 PERSPECTIVES
By Ken Taylor
Always be on the lookout for ways
15 BUILDING LEADERS
By Sam Shriver and Marshall Goldsmith
Impactful learning cannot take
to adapt learning to the individual. place without effective leadership.

09 GUEST EDITOR
By Brent Engel
Capitalize on the social aspects
57 SECRETS OF SOURCING
By Doug Harward
The ability to adapt in the workplace
of learning with peer trainers. can enhance job performance.

11
SCIENCE OF LEARNING
By Srini Pillay, M.D.
Consider three scientific principles
when personalizing learning.
59
LEARNER MINDSET
By Michelle Eggleston
Learning is a personalized experience
for both the individual and the business.

13 61
PERFORMANCE MATTERS WHAT’S NEXT IN TECH
By Julie Winkle Giulioni By Eric Sharp
Maximize learning by engaging Keep these three things in mind
learners before the training begins. when personalizing learning to
ensure alignment.

INFO EXCHANGE

52 CASEBOOK
AdRoll closed a gap in leadership
62 CLOSING DEALS
New technologies can assist in
development by investing in their new developing more effective leaders
leaders and managers. who understand their employees.

54 MEASURING IMPACT
Gauge training effectiveness at the 63 COMPANY NEWS
Keep up with the latest in the training
individual level with subscription- industry by reading news from the
based learning. last quarter.

CONNECT WITH US 1 (866) 298-4203 editor@trainingindustry.com TrainingIndustry.com

|6
 A B O U T
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|7

SHOW ME THE WAY:
CREATING A CUSTOMIZED
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
WITH PEER TRAINERS
I have designed training for a variety of
audiences: technical skills training for
hourly employees, soft skills training
for management employees, business
training for business owners, and
everything in between. For me, the key
to successfully adapting learning across
these audiences has been to capitalize on
learning through peer trainers.
A GOOD TRAINER
PROVIDES THE
ACCOUNTABILITY
MOST OF US NEED.
LEARNING IS SOCIAL
The psychologist Dr. Vygotsky, whose
ideas have shaped a lot of thinking in
the field of education and learning,
argued that learning is a social process.
He argued that learning occurs through
interactions with others, especially
in guided interactions with a more
knowledgeable other. I agree for several
reasons. First, it creates curiosity; second,
it provides motivation; and third, it
provides a model from someone doing
what I need to do.
WE DON’T KNOW WHAT
WE DON’T KNOW
When speaking with someone who
has more knowledge or experience,
we realize how little we truly know. I
was once building a cedar closet in my
basement and my coworkers asked
whether I was spacing the upright
members on 16” centers. After answering
with a blank stare, I shared I was paneling
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with cedar, which started a discussion of
drywall, followed by more blanks stares
and some research on construction on
my part.
Psychologists such as Malone and Lepper
argue the effect of such discussions
is to spark our curiosity to find more
information. By talking with an expert
peer trainer, we find the gaps in our
knowledge and seek to fill them. Malone
and Lepper argue that this motivates us
to learn.
SOMETIMES WE NEED FOCUS
I like self-directed learning. It aligns
well with the ideas of adult learning
and putting the learner in control of the
learning experience. I have a stack of
unread books with all the great topics
I want to learn. Then there’s the online
courses that never seem to be completed
before the subscription auto-renews. My
willpower does not apply the consistent
accountability I need.
A good trainer, like a good coach,
provides that accountability most of us
need. Instead of letting life get in the
way, they become part of what moves
us forward. A good trainer can help us
set goals and performance standards for
learning that challenge us. They can get
us back on track when we get distracted,
such as a friend who asks us how the
online course is going.
SOMETIMES WE NEED
A START (OR RESTART)
Peer trainers serve as role models for a
desired behavior. As a new classroom
instructor, I was told to make my
GUEST EDITOR
BRENT ENGEL
instruction activity-based. The problem
is, there are only so many times you can
play Jeopardy in the classroom. Then I
started talking about delivery methods
with a peer who had recently been
named faculty of the year. She shared
ideas and books (still sitting on my
shelf ) about her approach to activity-
based learning.
I applied those techniques in my
classroom and demonstrated them
when I led faculty orientation sessions.
I am happy to say, I too was eventually
named faculty of the year in large part by
following my peer’s model.
The reason this aspect works is the learner
sees someone like them performing
the task or applying the knowledge on
the job. By observing and modeling the
behavior, we hope to achieve the same
results as our model. Dr. Bandura argued
that is often enough to get us started.
In summary, a good peer trainer is what
Dr. Vygotsky called a scaffold. The peer
trainer acts as a resource and sounding
board for the learner that understands
the situation and speaks the language.
It’s important to provide peer trainers
with development and training to enable
them to be successful, and the rewards
are many. A good peer trainer can ensure
the learner gets the customized program
needed to be successful.
Brent Engel is a senior director of training
at Willy’s Mexicana Grill. He has over 20
years of experience creating learning
courses, launching LMSs, developing
corporate universities and creating training
departments. Email Brent.
|9

THE SCIENCE OF
PERSONALIZED LEARNING
The brain is the anatomical environment
where organizational learning takes root.
In order to learn effectively and efficiently,
people have to be able to pay attention,
absorb information, store that information
long-term, and recall it when necessary.
But learning is more than a mechanical
function. It involves a variety of less
tangible factors too.
Given the number of factors that need to
be taken into consideration for learning to
be personalized, it is virtually impossible
to design a learning experience that is
perfectly personalized. Below are three of
the many scientific principles that could
assist in designing learning that is tailored
for the individual.
BRAIN-BASED DIMENSIONS OF LEARNING
Understanding how the brain learns can
be valuable to learning professionals. Many
studies demonstrate that the brain learns
differently with reward, punishment, play
and experience. And it is also important
to understand what makes people want
to learn, how they learn consciously and
unconsciously, and how people learn
differently from one another too.
Recommendations: Use these brain-based
processes to assess your personalized
methodologies. For example, you might
ask, “Will this case history of a man help
female employees attend to the principles
it demonstrates?” “Is there reward or
punishment built into this learning?”
These kinds of questions will help you to
design and iterate on existing programs.
GROUND THE LEARNING IN “IDENTITY”
Within an organization, individuals differ
in their learning preferences.
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Theme-based learning (e.g., “customer-
centricity,” “resilience,” or “agility”) may be
helpful, but these words are rarely part of
anyone’s everyday vocabulary and they
quickly fall on deaf ears. Few people get
out of bed and declare, “Today is the day to
be agile and resilient.” Studies demonstrate
that for people to learn, they should be
able to identify with the content.
LEARNING IS MORE
THAN A MECHANICAL
FUNCTION.
Recommendations: Rather than grounding
learning in vague terms such as “agility,”
“empathy,” or “team dynamics,” which
frequently and inaccurately suggest
that one must always be agile, empathic
or team-oriented, it may make more
sense to structure the learning around
specific organizational challenges that
are relatable.
Individuals can choose the challenges
that are relevant for them. In the
case that they are not aware of their
challenges, assessment tools can be a
way to enhance insight.
COMBINE DATA AND COGNITIVE STYLES
There are many instruments to measure
learning styles. Honey and Mumford
describe four different kinds of learners:
Those who learn from experience, from
reflective observation, from exploring
associations and interrelationships,
or from doing or trying things with
practical outcomes. Felder and Silverman
categorize learners in terms of being
sensory or intuitive, visual or verbal, active
or reflective, and sequential or global.
SCIENCE OF LEARNING
SRINI PILLAY, M.D.
However, detailed reviews by Pashler and
colleagues and An and Carr found that
there is no credible scientific evidence
(despite a multitude of studies) for the
validity and usefulness of “learning styles”
as a way to determine learning success.
Yang and colleagues found that
personalized learning is effective when
Felder and Silverman’s learning styles
and cognitive styles were combined.
The specific cognitive style that they
researched was field independence versus
field dependence (i.e., the ability of the
subject to tune out the surrounding
context when information is presented).
Recommendations: Avoid personalizing
learning based on learning styles alone.
Rather, to start, combine learning and
cognitive styles, and test to see if this
actually impacts performance. To do this,
learning clearly defines the outcomes you
are measuring.
CONCLUSION
Personalized learning is both an art and
a science. And proper personalization
will likely require constant fine-tuning to
the specific challenges that people face
within organizations. Psychology and
brain research can contribute greatly to
idea generation as learning professionals
improve and iterate on their design of
personalized learning.
Dr. Srini Pillay is the CEO of NeuroBusiness
Group. He is also assistant professor (part-
time) at Harvard Medical School and
teaches in the executive education programs
at Harvard Business School and Duke CE.
Email Srini.
| 11
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BEFORE-TRAINING ACTIVITIES
CAN NO LONGER BE
AN AFTERTHOUGHT
Considerable time, energy and budget
are invested in designing cutting-
edge learning. Sophisticated follow-
up mechanisms are developed and
implemented. Progress is meticulously
monitored and results are measured.
All the pieces are in place…then too
frequently, we blow it. We half-heartedly
compose and send off a lackluster
“welcome to the class” email, setting the
tone for less-than-stellar results.
What happens before the learning event
is also an opportunity deserving of
attention. And when this happens in a
more deliberate way, individuals are able
to personalize the experiences to their
unique needs and gain considerably more
value in the process.
Learning professionals who want to make
the most of the precious time leading up
to a learning initiative might consider
these three key practices.
MAKE THE INVITATION MEMORABLE
First impressions matter — in relationships
and in the way we introduce learning
opportunities. A traditional, boring, text-
heavy invitation sets a tone. Participants
form expectations, about what the
training will be like based upon that
introduction. So, make sure you’re leaving
a first impression that’s memorable and
motivating. Have you considered:
Sending a customized 3-D pop-up
card that introduces the topic in a
visual fashion?
Giving “voice” to your invitation
by producing a podcast-style
audio introduction?
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PRIME THE LEARNING PUMP
The time between when participants make
the decision to engage in learning and
when it begins is particularly important. It’s
a period that should be mined for as much
pre-learning as possible. Presumably a skill
or knowledge gap has been identified.
A need exists and, as a result, motivation
levels may be elevated.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE
LASTING IMPRESSIONS.
Take advantage of this learning limbo by
engaging participants with the content.
Offer them appetizing opportunities
to prepare and immerse themselves
in the content. This is not your father’s
pre-work — the old-school worksheet
packets that frequently felt like a busy
work burden. Rather, it’s provocative
articles, short videos and teasers that
aren’t required, but that are interesting
and relevant enough to keep people
clicking and mentally preparing for a
richer learning experience.
This pre-learning time is also an excellent
opportunity to build a sense of community
as well as user-generated content.
Inviting participants to share resources,
articles, tools and perspectives about the
topic in advance accomplishes multiple
objectives. It supports networking and
sends a strong message about the active
role they’ll be expected to play in their
learning. It informs the facilitator/designer
about the current level of awareness and
knowledge. And it allows participants to
consider the content in advance, elevating
the quality of the actual experience.
PERFORMANCE MATTERS
JULIE WINKLE GIULIONI
INSPIRE INTENTION
How frequently have you started a
workshop by asking participants to share
their expectations? It’s a great interactive
opening, but the problem with expectations
like these is that they tend to put the onus
on the facilitator to somehow meet them.
In contrast, thoughtful personal intention-
setting in advance allows participants to
take responsibility for and become active
partners in their learning.
So, invite participants to consider what
they’ll be using and to set intentions,
offering questions to ask themselves like:
Where in my life might I be able to use
this information?
What problems might I avoid if I get
better at this?
If I improved in this area, what results
might follow?
First impressions are lasting impressions.
When it comes to L&D efforts, what
happens (or doesn’t happen) in advance
of training dramatically affects everything
that follows. So, let’s stop making it an
afterthought. Because investing a little
creativity and effort before is one of
the simplest way to make the most of
your carefully crafted content, design,
facilitation and follow up.
Julie Winkle Giulioni has 25 years of
experience working with organizations
worldwide to improve performance through
learning. Named one of Inc. Magazines
top 100 leadership speakers, Julie is the co-
author of the bestseller, “Help Them Grow or
Watch Them Go.” Email Julie.
| 13
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LEADERSHIP
& LEARNING
The two of us might never have crossed
paths had it not been for Dr. Paul Hersey.
We both had the opportunity to work
for him decades ago. Recently, we were
together at an event and reminisced
about our initial exposure to a model
and a mentor that literally shaped
our careers.
In large part, our reflections converged
around the depth of the pioneering
research that anchors Situational
Leadership®. And in the context of
the theme for this issue of Training
Industry Magazine, we would offer
the competencies that form the
foundation of Situational Leadership®
have significant crossover effect
when considering the objectives of a
contemporary learning strategy.
DIAGNOSE
Good leaders have a plan! They analyze
the circumstances surrounding their
leadership opportunity, cultivate and
refine awareness regarding their
influence related triggers and impulses,
then thoughtfully establish measurable
objectives that will ultimately
determine the degree of their success
and effectiveness.
A successful and effective learning
strategy follows a substantially similar
path. It is with ever-increasing regularity
that strategy challenges traditional
convention; is thoughtfully tailored to
account for cultural nuance; is tangibly
measured by parameters that are joined at
the hip with the overall business objectives
the organization in question aspires to
achieve; and is subject to calibration on
the basis of emergent circumstance.
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SAM SHRIVER & MARSHALL GOLDSMITH
ADAPT
Regardless of what may be most
comfortable for them, good leaders adapt
their approach based on the particulars
of their diagnosis. In that regard, leaders
need to be prepared to respond in a
variety of different ways (i.e., directive,
participative, empowering) based on the
details of the situation and individual/
team they are attempting to influence.
Likewise, effective learning strategy
needs to feature operational flexibility.
If content is deemed appropriate
(or necessary) for a particular target
audience, delivery of that content needs
to be readily available in a format that
reflects the ever-increasing spectrum of
available options without sacrificing the
impact of the training message itself.
Same goes for pull-through, transfer or
reinforcement strategies.
COMMUNICATE
Good leaders develop the ability to deliver
an effective message regardless of what
that message turns out to be (i.e., “Here’s
what I need you to do”; “Let’s discuss what
we should do here”). Good leaders also
factor in the communication preferences
of those they attempt to influence
and tailor their delivery to ensure both
understanding and acceptance.
Few would argue there is increasing
attention in the learning community
on the manner in which content needs
to be positioned and sustained. Clearly,
this is a good thing! By the same token
the learning event itself, much like the
leadership discussion itself, needs to be
both relevant and engaging (regardless
BUILDING LEADERS
of modality) each and every time. If
it isn’t, the probability of transfer is
reduced significantly.
ADVANCE
Leaders add value by accelerating the
development of those they influence
and redirecting any performance related
regression that may materialize along the
way. One thing we know for sure, both of
those dynamics will forever be in play in
one way or another! As Dr. Hersey used
to say (often): “Things are either getting
better, or they are getting worse, nothing
stays the same!”
GOOD LEADERS
ADAPT THEIR
APPROACH BASED
ON THE PARTICULARS
OF THEIR DIAGNOSIS.
Much the same on the baseline value
added by the professional learning
community. Learning is both a mechanism
for mastery and a process for developing
forward-thinking perspective when we
experience disappointments, set-backs, or
the occasional “bumps in the road.”
So, in conclusion, we would offer that
leadership is really all about learning, and
learning is really all about leadership.
Marshall Goldsmith is the world authority
in helping successful leaders get even better.
Sam Shriver is the senior vice president
of commercial operations and product
development at The Center for Leadership
Studies. Email Marshall and Sam.
| 15
 DATA IS NOT ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL.
IT VARIES BASED ON THE AUDIENCE
IT’S BEING SERVED TO AND THE ANALYSIS
IT’S UNDERGOING, AND IN A BUSINESS
SETTING, IT’S NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE
TO EVERYONE. IT COMES IN DIFFERENT
VARIETIES, AND CAN EITHER BE A HELPFUL
TOOL, OR AN ENORMOUS TIME SINK.
IF USED CORRECTLY, HOWEVER,
IT’S A POWERFUL WAY TO INFORM
STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING.
| 16
It seems like data is everywhere these
days, and in fact, it is. According to an
article in AppDeveloper Magazine,
more data will be created in 2017
than all other years in modern history
combined. The training industry is no
exception. More tools are touting the
ability to report on training activity,
and xAPI and the Learning Record
Store are increasingly popular. With
increased availability, it’s important to
dive deep into the types of analyses
that can be performed on training data
to uncover insights that can inform
program growth and development.
Depending on the analysis, there may
be different cadences for measurement
and analysis. Regardless, training
data should be a routine part of any
training professional’s workflow. In this
article, the focus will be specifically on
customer training and the three distinct
 BY LINDA SCHWABER-COHEN

FROM
DATA
TO
ANSWERS:
USING A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO SOLVE
CUSTOMER TRAINING PROBLEMS

buckets or levels of metrics that are
important to investigate.
The first type of data to consider is
business-level data. This is used to
understand the impact of training on
the business as a whole, and is typically
reviewed by department leaders and
executives. Next is course-level data,
which is used to gauge the traction
of the training program. It uncovers
information about the effectiveness of
course marketing tactics, and learner
retention. Lastly, there’s content-level
data, which tends to be used primarily by
instructional designers for the purpose
of evaluating different content assets.
A NOTE ABOUT DATA
In companies both large and
small, there are challenges around
gathering and analyzing data. In small
companies, there may not be an
existing infrastructure to collect
and store the right data. In larger
companies, that may exist, but it’s
difficult to get the information from
different departments, and security
restrictions may require cutting
through red tape. If data collection is
an afterthought, it may be impossible
to gather later.

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With these challenges in mind, before
investing in program enhancements,
it’s important to consider if data is
available to measure success. Choosing
training tools and systems with robust
data availability and integrations can
help with this by alleviating some
of the burden associated with data
collection and storage. Additionally,
A TRAINING
PROGRAM IS ONLY
AS EFFECTIVE AS
ITS CONTENT, AND
DATA CAN EVALUATE
CONTENT ASSETS.
getting acquainted with the business
metrics collected at a company
and the colleagues associated with
managing finance and customer
relationship management software
will be important for data access down
the road.
BUSINESS-LEVEL DATA
ROI, or return on investment, is
one of the best ways to understand
if business activities are yielding
positive outcomes. Business- level
data is typically tied to this metric.
Why is it so important to measure the
ROI of a training program? For one, it
helps with resource management and
budget allocation. Demonstrating
the outcomes of a program can
help make sure that the resources
| 18
allotted to it are maintained, and
help with the recruitment of new
resources for program growth. It also
aids in strategic decision making, by
reflecting on real past performance
rather than speculation. Keeping these
motives in mind while evaluating data
can help cater the analyses to different
audiences, and maintain focus.
For business-level data in customer
training, the audience is most likely
training leadership, in addition to
executives such as the vice president
of customer success or professional
services. While this audience cares
how much the customers enjoy the
learning experience, overall, they’re
most interested in the impact of the
program on their bottom line.
Surfacing the impact that the program
has on key business metrics can help
them understand ROI. For customer
training, it’s typical to see organizations
taking one of three approaches to
demonstrating ROI. The approach
depends on what is important to a given
company and how leadership thinks
of training as a lever in the customer
journey. For some organizations,
training is primarily a lever to improve
customer retention, renewals and
upsells. Other companies care more
about reducing costs, or increasing
product usage. All of these outcomes
have financial benefits.
When looking at customer renewals, a
key question to ask is whether training
is a driver for customer health. One
way to assess this is by calculating if
customers who take training renew at
a higher rate than those who don’t. The
training course enrollment data and
contract renewal data are needed to
perform this calculation. Other relevant
questions are, given the following
accounts that expanded their contract
value, what percentage took training?
Or, given the following accounts that
churned this year, what percentage
took training?
While many companies create an ROI
story around training revenue, there
is also a compelling case to be made
around reduced costs. For example, a
strong proactive training program will
often aid in support ticket deflection.
Tracking the number of support tickets
per customer or support tickets per
topic over time can help demonstrate
the impact of a training program that
addresses these areas.
Another key area, especially for
software companies, is product usage.
Increased product usage can lead
to increased value for the customer,
so it’s important to assess if training
helps drive usage. To measure this,
capture customer behavior with user
behavior software or plug ins. Then,
compare time spent using the product
with learner session time (time spent
in training). Ideally, a well-trained user
will spend more time in the product.
Once these analyses are complete, it
becomes simple to determine if there
is a correlation between training and
these positive or negative outcomes.
If a high percentage of customers
who take training don’t renew, it’s
cause to take another look at content
and make sure it addresses the right
knowledge gaps and value adds. From
an executive perspective, failure to
address the business need may be
acceptable, so long as it’s evident
that a data-driven approach is in play
to course correct. It’s better to invest
in making training meaningful and
impactful than to continue to spend
valuable resources on a program that’s
ineffective. Whichever way things go,
when presenting data to an executive
audience, it’s useful to elevate
the conversation to true business
outcomes and align on expectations.
COURSE-LEVEL DATA
Course-level data, or training
engagement metrics are a training
manager’s best friend. They help assess
if the program is reaching the right
people, if the content is engaging, and
most of all, the data is often easiest to
come by. The audience for this level
of data tends to use it to inform their
tactics for marketing coursework,
onboarding customers and creating
new courses.
Since every organization has different
needs, it’s important to establish
baselines from past performance, or
if the program is new, take time to
collect initial training data and see
how different tactics affect outcomes.
The major metrics at play here are
course registrations and completions,
and student satisfaction.
Registration and completion data
provides insight into which topics
interest learners, or how discoverable
courses are. If a customer registers for
a course, but drops out, it’s possible
TRAINING DATA
SHOULD BE A ROUTINE
PART OF ANY TRAINING
PROFESSIONAL’S
WORKFLOW.
that the training content wasn’t
engaging or relevant. Additionally,
this information can help optimize for
course length, if drop off is consistent
on longer courses.
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Smile sheets, or student satisfaction
surveys, determine whether participants
find training favorable, engaging and
relevant to their jobs. There are many
possible questions to include on these
surveys. Using a net promoter score (NPS)
question can help align training program
reviews with those of the company as
a whole. They ask a simple question:
How likely are you to recommend this
training to a colleague? NPS is globally
benchmarked, and many companies and
training programs include it on surveys,
so it’s useful for comparison.
CONTENT-LEVEL DATA
A training program is of course only as
effective as the content within it, and
data can help with evaluating content
assets, as well as prioritizing content
creation and revision. Unfortunately,
training professionals often “set and
forget” their content. It can be hard
to find the time to revisit and rework
existing content with the variety of
other day-to-day priorities. Since
content can become quickly outdated,
it’s advantageous to use data-driven
approaches to prioritizing content
revisions and creation.
The best place to begin is with the
low-hanging fruit. Data can be used
to determine what content is needed.
Start by analyzing the company’s most
popular knowledge-based articles, as
well as the most popular topics for user
education support tickets. Then, create
content that addresses those needs. This
should prompt quick improvement in
those areas.
Next, use data to keep the most popular
content fresh. Look at registration and
completion rates at the course level
to understand where to focus revision
efforts. This way, the company is putting
its best foot forward for frequently
viewed content.
CONCLUSION
In this world of ever-increasing
data, customer training programs
can benefit in a multitude of ways
through data analysis. From executive
proposals for starting new initiatives,
to instructional designer content
prioritization, data is powerful. A solid
understanding of the audience for the
data, the specific metrics needed, and
the purpose of the analysis will help
avoid the risk of being overwhelmed
and uncover valuable insights.
Linda Schwaber-Cohen’s expertise lies in
building and growing onboarding and
training programs at software companies.
She currently serves as head of training at
Skilljar, a Seattle-based customer training
platform and LMS. Email Linda.
CUSTOMER TRAINING DATA
CHEAT SHEET
Business-level data
• Customer retention
• Customer expansion
• Training participation by account
• Product usage data
• Support tickets per account
Course-level data
• Course registrations and completions
• Student satisfaction surveys
• Training net promoter score
Content-level data
• Knowledge base traffic
• Support ticket topic volume
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www.niit.com
 ADAPTIVE LEARNING
CAN ELEVATE
CORPORATE TRAINING
BY NICK J. HOWE
Recent advances in virtual
and augmented reality and in
techniques such as gamification
are creating excitement in
corporate education, yet chief
learning officers (CLOs) today
still grapple with the same basic
problems they’ve faced for more
than 30 years: How to train
employees and increase their skill
levels effectively and efficiently.
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Traditional online learning has been
driven by cost and convenience, but
efficacy of learning outcomes has been
largely absent. What’s clearly needed
is a better learning solution that
satisfies the logistical need by offering
courses “anytime, anywhere,” while also
addressing the much larger issues of
effectiveness and learner engagement.
Rather than rush to “cool yet unproven”
solutions, CLOs should consider adaptive
learning: a personalized, software-
enabled teaching approach that
delivers proven outcomes. Research has
consistently demonstrated the benefits
of adaptive learning, especially in K-12
and post-secondary education, where
it is widely deployed. For example, in a
study of seven U.S. universities, adaptive
learning increased passing and retention
rates, as well as instructional efficiency.
Although adaptive learning is already
deployed in most universities, and
one-third of public school districts are
committed to adaptive learning, in
the corporate space, it’s still an early
adopter technology. Yet, judging by
the attendees of the 2016 and 2017
Association for Talent Development
(ATD) annual conferences, over the past
year and a half there has been a dramatic
uptick in awareness and acceptance
of adaptive learning in both small and
large enterprises. But there still seems
to be some confusion about what
adaptive learning means and what it’s
capable of achieving.
As the marriage of computer science and
cognitive research, adaptive learning
delivers a personalized, online and tutor-
like teaching experience at scale. For
corporate learning, it offers tremendous
potential to establish effective and
time-efficient pathways to mastery that
are unique to every individual, while
improving business-based outcomes.
To showcase this potential, here are
six ways adaptive learning can elevate
corporate learning.
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1
GREATER TIME
EFFICIENCY – AND LESS
TIME OFF THE JOB
A personalized adaptive approach can
cut in half the amount of time it takes
the typical learner to achieve mastery,
compared to other learning approaches.
With one client project, for example, a
two-and-a-half-day instructor-led course
was converted to a series of adaptive
learning modules. Most learners
mastered the adaptive material in less
than eight hours, and some achieved
mastery in as little as four hours.
The reason is the personalized approach,
which adapts to each learner. There
is no need to reteach what people
already know; instead, adaptive learning
focuses on where they need to become
competent. For workers in fields such as
call centers, retail, or nursing, where time
off the floor is critical, or for expensive
resources like salespeople, improving
time efficiency in training is crucial.
2
GREATER COMPETENCE
MEANS BETTER OUTCOMES
Across every industry, there is a need
to improve employee proficiency by
identifying and addressing competency
gaps. In the best-case scenario,
employees are aware of what they
don’t know – they are “consciously
FIGURE 1
Results of 317 learners in adaptive learning course.
-80% -60% -40%
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ADAPTIVE LEARNING FOCUSES
ON WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO
BECOME COMPETENT.
incompetent.” In the worst-case
scenario, which is becoming more
common, employees are unaware of
the gaps in their understanding: they
are “unconsciously incompetent.” Such
ignorance can be very costly to the
company and the satisfaction of its
customers. Addressing conscious and
unconscious incompetence is of the
greatest importance when learning
outcomes have clear consequences, such
as driving revenue, improving safety, or
addressing customer satisfaction.
Figure 1 depicts results of 317
salespeople who took an adaptive
learning course. The blue lines to
the right reflect correctly answered
questions where learners were confident
in their responses. The green bands
are where they answered correctly, but
were unsure. The lines to the left show
where they struggled, knowingly or
unknowingly. The yellow shows where
learners didn’t know the answer and
-20% 0% 20% 40%
Metacognitive Results
knew they didn’t know it - they were
“consciously incompetent.”
The problem area is in orange: Learners
answered a question and said they
were confident in their responses, but
their answers were incorrect. Such
“unconscious incompetence” is the
source of many workplace errors and
potentially serious ones. The best training
course cannot be effective if it is not
capable of identifying and remediating
unconscious incompetence. Adaptive
learning is unique in its ability to
both identify and remediate for
unconscious incompetence.
3
A QUESTION-BASED
APPROACH GATHERS
LEARNER DATA
Adaptive learning takes a question-based
approach to learning, probing what the
learner already knows and where they
have gaps. The result is a large volume
of very granular data, which makes it
possible to analyze groups’ performance
as a whole, in particular areas, or even
on specific questions.
Adaptive learning also keeps track of
what people learned, so if training
needs to be updated, the course can be
modified and made available to learners
without worrying about material being
redundant. Equally important, using a
60% 80% 100%
n=317
Source: Area9 Learning
question-based approach helps build
confidence along with competence as
learners gain mastery and become surer
of what they know.
4
PERSONALIZED
LEARNING FOR A
HETEROGENEOUS GROUP
Learners within any group are never
the same. Tenure in position or in
the company, as well as the skills,
knowledge and experiences a person
brings from previous jobs or the outside
world, all make each individual unique.
Even individual learners are not the
same day to day due to mood, health,
the morning’s commute, even subtle
choices such as drinking tea have been
shown to affect learning and memory.
Adaptive learning is ideally suited to
heterogeneous audiences – which
really means all audiences. Adaptive
learning adjusts to novices and experts
alike, avoiding the dreaded “one size fits
none” of traditional e-learning with its
static content.
5
MOVING AWAY
FROM “CHECK THE
BOX” COMPLIANCE
In the corporate world, a subset of
courses is often required to be taken
repeatedly, year after year. Unfortunately,
these tend to be dry and uninteresting
from a content perspective. Compliance
courses are perfect examples, despite
them being critical to mitigate material
risk to the company. Nonetheless, when
people are forced to review dry content
to simply “check the box” that they
completed the course, very little learning
typically happens, which undermines
the original purpose of mitigating risk.
“Test-out” strategies allow employees
who can prove they know the material
to skip the course. But tests are gross
approximations of the real world. And
what if someone scores, say, 90 percent?
Are they forced to take the training,
wasting their time as they cover material
they already know – while hopefully still
being engaged when they come to the
material they don’t? Or is 90 percent
“good enough?” How much risk is
associated with the missing 10 percent?
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THE KNOWING-DOING GAP
The data generated from the adaptive
learning process confirms learning has
occurred. But there’s no guarantee the
learner will apply this knowledge in the
workplace. The next major advance in
adaptive learning will be the ability to
capture observational assessments of real-
world, on-the-job performance and link
Because adaptive learning’s question-
based approach involves the learner,
even dry material becomes more
engaging. It also allows people who are
relatively proficient, thanks to taking
repeated courses multiple times, to skip
over what they’ve already mastered and
focus only on what they don’t know.
By combining the assessment and the
learning content into the adaptive
engine, duplication is avoided - while
remediating unconscious incompetence
and the risk associated with it.
6 CONFIDENCE ALONG
UPDATING TRAINING WHEN
INFORMATION CHANGES
FREQUENTLY
Traditional approaches to training are not
well-suited to information that changes
rapidly. In face-to-face instruction, the
teacher can deliver the most up-to-date
material. But what about those who
went through the course previously?
Traditional online approaches do not
accurately track what people have
learned and could not adjust if they
did, which makes it difficult to add new
material without making learners go
through everything again (wasting time
and reducing engagement). Adding the
new material as an addendum may work
for those who have already taken the
course, but it can confuse new learners.
To avoid such messiness, companies
often limit the number of updates, but
that delays new information getting out
to the employees.
The solution, once again, is adaptive
learning. When changes to the course are
introduced, the system can differentiate
between material a learner has already
covered and new areas to be mastered.
In fact, two people could take the same
course, and the system would behave
that back into the adaptive model – this is
currently in the experimental stage. For now,
there appears to be some indirect evidence
of a link between confidence and transfer.
Anecdotally at least, the confidence instilled
through the adaptive approach makes it
more likely the person will apply knowledge
and skills on the job.
differently depending on the amount
of content each learner was previously
exposed to. Adaptive learning also
provides the ability to incrementally
author content, releasing the highest-
priority subjects first and then adding
new content to the system.
USING A QUESTION-BASED
APPROACH HELPS BUILD
WITH COMPETENCE.
There are many other benefits to
adaptive learning, but in closing, it’s
important to note one in particular that
is crucial for CLOs: line of sight. CLOs
look for a “seat at the table” as an integral
member of the executive team. That
requires speaking the language of the
business and demonstrating business
impact. Measurement of training impact
is notoriously difficult, and adaptive
learning provides a clear advancement
in this area. The combination of closely
aligning learning objectives to business
outcomes, along with granular evidence
from the formative assessment process,
gives CLOs the capability to effect
and measure tangible change in the
workforce, becoming a generator of
business value.
Nick J. Howe is chief learning officer of Area9
Learning, a provider of adaptive learning
technology across a range of industries,
specializing in sectors particularly well-
suited to the adaptive approach. Email Nick.
| 23
Facilitating a Robust
Social Learning
Experience for
Geographically R on, the senior vice president of sales,
has just called to give you a heads
up – the CEO is about to announce there
has been a merger and the company’s
Dispersed Teams product line will be expanded. All existing
sales teams will be reconfigured, and
team members will need training on
the new product lines. The learning and
development (L&D) team is responsible
for training the sales staff and facilitating
their transition into new, globally
dispersed teams. You have two weeks to
formulate a plan to train 1,200 individuals
across five different time zones. Many of
these individuals have never met face to
face and will be working virtually most of
the time. Sound familiar?

Whether your company is large or

small, geographically dispersed teams
are becoming more common, requiring
L&D departments to develop effective
training on content while facilitating
virtual team building at the same time.
While there are many techniques to
address these two items separately,
social learning provides a highly
flexible, low-cost way to tackle learning
and team building together. In fact,
teams may already be incorporating
social learning techniques into their
daily routine! This article will explore
strategies you can use to promote
engagement within virtual teams by
integrating social learning experiences
into traditional learning programs.

The challenges within virtual teams

are well-known. Communication, or
lack thereof, is a primary pain point.
Research on methods of communication
has long promoted the importance of
visual cues, such as body language, to
truly understand what is being said.
Most virtual teams communicate via
email or phone and are not able to
pick up on these important visual cues.
BY DAILA BOUFFORD Virtual teams also suffer from a lack of
shared experience. A funny moment in
the break room, a favorite restaurant or

| 24
a local cause to rally around all create
shared experiences that build emotional
connections within a team. Teams with
limited face-to-face time have a greater
degree of social distance, meaning they
have trouble establishing an emotional
connection with one another, which
limits their ability to trust each other.
These inherent challenges must be
overcome to ensure a successful and
effective learning experience.
INTEGRATING SOCIAL
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
WITHIN TRADITIONAL
e-LEARNING
Social learning typically refers to
individuals learning from each other
as they share an experience. It can
occur online or in person and the most
effective programs tend to incorporate
a mix of the two environments. On a
recent project, I designed a series of
social learning components to augment
a traditional e-learning course. The
client was looking for a way to bring
a geographically dispersed team
together, strengthen their relationships
and create a more engaging learning
experience. Building on the traditional
online discussion forum, we developed
creative ways for the team to connect
with one another. For example, during a
lesson on active listening we asked the
learners to post a fun image and caption
it with one of the benefits of listening
actively. Extra points were awarded for
creativity in image selection. Not only
did this get the learners to think about
the content in a new way, it allowed
them to develop an appreciation of
one another’s sense of humor as they
reacted to each other’s posts.
Integrating social learning activities
into traditional e-learning has many
benefits and can be a great way to
develop relationships. Although
mentoring often comes to mind,
social learning activities also develop
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relationships between peers and even
among business units. For example,
an internal sabbatical program that
allows individuals to be “loaned out” to
a team in a different business unit can
establish connections among teams
BE PROACTIVE
IN CREATING
CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN
LEARNING
ACTIVITIES
AND REAL-
TIME WORK.
that normally don’t interface with each
other. The individual being “loaned
out” engages with the new team in
their daily work while providing a fresh
perspective based on his experience
in a different part of the company.
This activity may require more face-to-
face time than others, but if done well,
it can lay the foundation for lasting
partnerships that provide benefits long
after the sabbatical has ended.
OVERCOMING
CHALLENGES WHEN
ESTABLISHING SOCIAL
LEARNING PROGRAMS
Social learning has received some
criticism over the years. There are
many instances where the final output
doesn’t quite measure up to the stated
objectives for the activity. When
incorporating social learning activities,
it helps to have a long-term view of
success. There may be some quick wins,
but the real value is in the learning
networks that are established as the
result of social learning experience.
Facilitating social learning for
geographically dispersed teams requires
careful planning. The technology tools
that enable discussion and sharing
need to be user friendly, and are ideally
something that the learner is already
familiar with. If a new platform or
software is needed, be sure to provide
technical support and encouragement
as learners become accustomed to using
the tools.
To help managers see the value and
promote social learning within their
team, design activities in a way that
allows learners to share their knowledge.
For example, ask the learner to arrange
a one-on-one with their manager to
discuss what they learned and how
it can be applied to a current project.
Or, encourage the learner to share a
challenge they are facing with their
learning cohort, so the group can tackle
it together. Be proactive in creating
connections between learning activities
and real-time work. This ensures your
objectives are on track and is the best
way to help learners retain the content.
THE INFLUENCE
OF CULTURE WITHIN
SOCIAL LEARNING
When working with global teams, it is
essential to understand how culture
affects the social learning experience.
“The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer is an
excellent resource to better understand
how communication norms and business
practices differ across the globe. Culture
affects how we manage conflict, how we
perceive other’s actions and words and
how we participate in shared learning
experiences. For example, in group
discussions, individuals from hierarchical
cultures may be less inclined to speak
up, especially if there are higher ranking
members among the group. Identify
| 25
potential cultural barriers as you design
the experience and create a plan for all
learners to feel safe when participating.
Cultural differences can lead to
conflict. Although difficult to manage,
a conflict-based exercise can be a
fun catalyst for learning. When used
effectively, conflict allows learners to
challenge their existing views, increase
their cultural awareness and assess
their initial understanding of the
content. It is important to prepare for
a conflict-based activity by building
a strong foundation of trust so that
learners feel comfortable in expressing
their opinions. Using a conflict activity
in a discussion board format can be
troublesome, as a learner with an
outside view may feel ostracized from
the group. It is better to establish a
team-based social learning activity that
builds comradery while challenging
common assumptions. See sidebar for
an example of a conflict-based exercise.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
WHEN WORKING WITH
GLOBAL VIRTUAL TEAMS
As you design social learning activities,
there are a few concerns to keep
in mind. Although English is the
A CONFLICT-BASED LEARNING EXERCISE
A team debate is a great example of a
conflict learning exercise. Divide your
cohort into two teams. Create an online
networking space for each team using
a tool such as Yammer, Slack, etc. Give
the teams a week or two to collaborate
and build up their case. Then, host a
debate via video conference. As the
debate takes place, team members can
communicate supporting information
| 26
predominant language used within the
business environment, it is important
to recognize that it is a secondary
language for many, which can impede
participation in certain activities.
Consider how you can accommodate
those who may struggle with a rapid
DESIGN
ACTIVITIES
IN A WAY
THAT ALLOWS
LEARNERS TO
SHARE THEIR
KNOWLEDGE.
pace of communication. Design
activities that dial down the dominance
of native speakers and dial up the
engagement of those who are less
fluent. Encourage participants to refrain
from using euphemisms that may be
hard to understand or even offensive to
a culturally diverse population.
to each other via a chat tool, such as
Skype. In this exercise, a geographically
dispersed team dives deeper into the
content through sharing perspectives
with their peers. They can identify
gaps in their learning and develop an
appreciation for differing points of view.
The social activity creates a shared
experience for the team to build on as
they continue to work and learn together.
Although global teams benefit from
a diversity of backgrounds and
experiences, it is important that they
are also able to rally around a unifying
factor. Consider adding a fun activity
at the start of the course to help teams
develop their emotional connection with
each other. One idea is to have the team
come up with a mascot or team motto.
After the training is complete, this can
serve as a reminder of what was learned
or a commitment to performance. With
each team training activity, you are
adding to the team’s shared experience,
helping them to create their own unique
team culture.
Social learning serves as a bridge
between formal learning and learning
on the job. Individuals and teams
should be encouraged to seek out social
learning opportunities on their own, in
addition to formal learning programs.
In my organization, our instructional
design team gets together once a month
on Skype to share insights from articles,
conferences and webinars. These
meetings ensure that we regularly take
time to seek out new knowledge and
hone our skills.
I’ve been part of a virtual team for eight
years and have enjoyed participating in
social learning activities that make me
feel as if my colleagues were down the
hall instead of half a world away. So, the
next time you are faced with the dilemma
of how to get a geographically dispersed
team trained and communicating
effectively, consider how social learning
may play a role. The tools are easy to use,
the design possibilities are endless, and
the benefits are lifelong.
Daila Boufford is the manager of learning
design at ansrsource. She has more than
15 years of professional experience in
client service, content development and
instructional design. Email Daila.
If You Want
Your Best
Employees
Around in
the Future,
Give Them One
Cornerstone’s software helps the world’s leading
organizations to realize the potential of their people.
Find Out More at csod.com/training
 creating training
appropriate Rob Liano once said:

to the role
“Knowledge is power? No. Knowledge on its
own is nothing, but the application of useful
knowledge, now that is powerful.”

Adapting a role-based training

curriculum produces training that can be
consistently applied to an employee’s job.

Oftentimes, employee feedback reveals

By Ashley Korneagay, CPTM that they feel over-trained in various
functions such as soft skills, and under-
trained in other core competencies
that directly pertain to their day-to-day
role. Middlesex University conducted
a study on work-based learning and
discovered that 74 percent of the 4,300
workers felt that they weren’t achieving
their full potential at work. The creation
of training appropriate to the role
ensures that employees are receiving
training that will be applicable to them
and in return will help them meet their
full potential.

Employees possess a desire and a need

for training that is pertinent to what
they actually do. They want to be able
to learn more about their jobs. A 2016
study by Udemy revealed that 44 percent
of respondents cite a lack of learning
opportunities as a reason they left their
last job. That is a significant number of
employees looking for opportunities
outside of their current role. It is the
role of the learning developer to create
training appropriate to the employee’s
role. Here are a few steps to developing
role-based training.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

While general training provides a basic
understanding, the trick is to design and
deliver training content in a digestible
manner so that employees can apply
it to their roles. When designing role-
based training, it is wise to start with
getting to know the audience. The
learning developers should have a basic
understanding of what the audience’s

| 28
roles and responsibilities are within the
organization. This will help to establish
the appropriate areas to cover as well as
the desired outcome from the training.
Learning about the audience can be done
through reviewing internal documents
and procedures, conducting interviews,
performing on-the-job observation, or
even spending time in the employee’s
shoes. The learning developer should
gather and document the knowledge
gained from these observations. The
next step is analyzing this information
and pulling from it everything that can
and should be used for developing
the training regimen. This knowledge
will help ensure that the training is
significant and impactful.
CREATE A CULTURE
OF ACCOUNTABILITY
A 24X7 learning survey revealed that
only 12 percent of learners say they
apply the skills from the training they
receive to their job. This is where learning
developers need to not just know
their audience, but understand their
role within the organization. Establish
a specific action for the audience to
take with them to establish employee
accountability and ownership.
When employees see how they can
apply their knowledge they continue
to be engaged. Training should not just
cover the “what’s in it for me,” but also
educate employees on how this impacts
them and what to do next. This leaves
them with a better understanding of
how they can apply what they learned
to their jobs.
Adapting role-specific training does not
necessarily mean reinventing the wheel
or constantly creating custom content.
Organizations should have documented
policies and procedures for their business
practices. Training should always direct
employees to applicable policies and
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procedures. While much of the time,
these documents may be sitting on the
top shelf, it is time to take them down
and blow off the dust. Acclimating these
policies and procedures into the training
content has multiple purposes. For
starters, it keeps the documents living
and breathing instead of becoming
forgotten about. Often utilized policies
and procedures are frequently viewed
by key stakeholders and subject matter
experts, which is prime motivation for
keeping them up to date.
EMPLOYEES POSSESS
A DESIRE AND A NEED
FOR TRAINING THAT IS
PERTINENT TO WHAT
THEY ACTUALLY DO.
ONLY PROVIDE
APPLICABLE CONTENT
One out of three employees say that
“uninspiring content” is a barrier to
learning. Training is most optimal when
the content is customized to what the
employee does on a day-to-day basis.
For example, is the training for a
customer service employee who handles
general customer inquiries the same
training given to a collections employee
making outbound calls to collect on a
debt? Both employees are speaking to
their company’s customers, but they
each have their own procedures as their
roles are different. Should an employee
who works with welding equipment
receive the same training as a machine
operator? Both need to know about
safety procedures and requirements, but
more specifically, they should be trained
on what could happen during their shift
and what to do in that scenario.
Similar job positions are often combined
from a training perspective, but might
not be the best approach. Role-based
training should not be one-size-fits-
all. Training needs to be tailored to the
employee’s role so that it can be wholly
applied on the job.
TRAINING DELIVERY
When developing the training content,
the material may change depending
on the direction and overall tone of
the training. This delivery execution is
critical to how employees will retain and
apply the material. In a growing age of
e-learning, a virtual course may have the
same (or greater) impact than a meeting
that lasts for an hour.
According to eLearning Industry,
corporate e-learning has increased by
an astonishing 900 percent over the
last 16 years. When working through
scenarios, an interactive virtual
classroom or live cohort may be the best
choice. In a primarily Gen-X workforce,
ATD reports that social learning
approaches have a 75-to-1 ROI ratio over
web-based training.
In addition to knowing the roles
and responsibilities of the audience,
take into consideration factors such
as classroom size and participants’
location. These factors will also have
an impact on deciding how to best
conduct training.
Strong training content alone does not
make a training session impactful. While
the content is good, the delivery and
presentation materials should have an
equal impact. To tie the training content
to the overall session, supporting
training materials and activities keep
the audience engaged. When generating
the supporting training materials,
| 29

STRONG TRAINING
CONTENT ALONE DOES
NOT MAKE A TRAINING
SESSION IMPACTFUL.
consider how the employee performs
his or her job.
Aligning training materials with the
employee’s role will in return help the
employee apply what they have learned
back on the job. If the employee’s role
is primarily working independently at
a desk performing a specific task, self-
paced e-learning may align best with
how the employee prefers to learn.
Taking employees out of their comfort
zone may be helpful in some situations,
but if the audience changes their focus
or becomes distracted then the training
will be less beneficial to them. On
the flip side, employees who work in
sales and often interact with groups of
people would benefit more from a
classroom and/or group setting. This
| 30
training could include activities and
interactions that promote group
interaction and mirror their daily
atmosphere. Having an instructor lead
the training session will help to drive
conversation and interactivity.
Providing applicable case studies are
great reference materials on real-life
examples. Working through scenarios
and simulations often have a greater
impact on professionals who are
specialized in a specific skill, such as
a heart surgeon, machine operator,
manager or bank teller. These learning
scenarios could be conducted
individually or as a group, depending
on the employee’s role. This is a great
time to be innovative. With growing
technology, virtual simulations could
put the trainee “in the moment.” The
training should speak as specifically as
possible to that employee and his or her
day-to-day tasks.
IMPLEMENT REINFORCEMENT
AND EVALUATION
The next step is to monitor and ensure
that employees are applying what
they have learned. Reinforcement
helps to close any gaps and ensures
that employees are knowledgeable
and applying what they have learned.
Again, this assessment should be
tailored to the employee’s role. During
the “getting to know your audience”
phase, it is important to determine
how the audience is evaluated. The
training reinforcement should equate
to the employee’s normal evaluation.
As employees are evaluated on their
performance after training, it should
mirror how they are evaluated on their
day-to-day performance.
CONCLUSION
The average employee only devotes 1
percent of their work week to training.
That equates to 4.8 minutes a day
and 24 minutes a week. As learning
professionals, it is critical to help
employees make the most of that 1
percent. Role-based training provides
employees with the tools and resources
they need to not just do their job, but to
perform it accurately. Role-applicable
training can optimize an employee’s
skill set and set them up for long-term
success in their role.
Ashley Korneagay, CPTM, is a regulatory
compliance training program specialist
and administrator at Alliance Data. She
is responsible for executing strategic
training plans and delivering role-based
training opportunities to compliance
professionals and first line of defense
employees. Email Ashley.
 USING DEVELOPMENT MAPS
TO ALIGN AND UNLOCK PERFORMANCE
BY KELLY SMITH & BRIAN BLECKE

| 32
LIKE A ROAD MAP GUIDES YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION, A DEVELOPMENT
MAP GUIDES EMPLOYEES ALONG THEIR DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY. SIMPLY
STATED, A DEVELOPMENT MAP PROVIDES A PICTURE OF THE LEARNING AND
DEVELOPMENT (L&D) EXPERIENCES NECESSARY TO MOVE FROM ONE LEVEL OF JOB
PERFORMANCE TO THE NEXT.

Looked at another way, each level of encompassing all of the developmental

performance is a common destination, experiences needed to achieve a
and is an outcome to be achieved by all measurable performance outcome.
members of the role. And because each
employee brings unique experiences, By naming and showing the relationship
knowledge and skill to the role,
development maps are adaptable to
between various L&D experiences (i.e.,
formal learning, informal learning,
FOR A
the employee, with the potential for
unique, individualized journeys from
on-the-job experiences, available
resources, which may include job- DEVELOPMENT
one outcome to the next.

When designed well, development

maps balance the various needs
and goals of the business, the L&D
function, and the employee. Creating
a development map is an opportunity
for business leaders and L&D to work
together to look holistically at a role and
to identify and optimize the sequence
of learning needed to achieve levels of
job performance. It is because of this
performance context that decisions
about learning and development are
more balanced, more economical,
more efficient and more valuable to the
organization and to the employees.
ELEMENTS OF A
DEVELOPMENT MAP
Development maps are different than
traditional training plans or course
catalogs because they move beyond
formal training offered in isolation to
establish a comprehensive roadmap
aid libraries, intranet sites, content
delivered via employee performance MAP TO WORK
support systems, etc.), a development
map provides a more complete and
realistic roadmap to performance.
EFFECTIVELY,
During the process of creating a
IT SHOULD
development map, learning outcomes,
learning modalities and learning
ALIGN WITH
technologies are evaluated, and
decisions and tradeoffs are made to BUSINESS
balance impact, effectiveness, and
other factors in consideration of the GOALS.
entire development journey, which
helps resist the inclination to chase the
latest “shiny object.”
Optimizing the learning experience
takes on different characteristics
when contemplating a development
journey stretched across a year or
more versus when contemplating
a solitary learning event. When
tightly connecting performance
outcomes to business goals, those
considerations evolve yet again.

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| 33
A development map may use different
types of development events to achieve
a performance outcome (e.g., informal
learning, on-the-job training, formal
instruction, or resources).
Well-designed development maps
clearly anchor the developmental
experience to performance and connect
various knowledge and skill topics to
job performance. Development maps
answer the question, “When will I use
what I’m learning?”
The first step to creating a development
map is to effectively uncover and
organize the performance outcomes to
be achieved (from there you can define
the development events needed to
achieve those outcomes). For example,
if an employee’s role requires them to
troubleshoot, there may be multiple
levels of performance to be achieved
over some period of time.
Performance outcomes may differ
in terms of the number of stages
needed to achieve the required level
of performance. In most roles, one
performance outcome is often a building
block to more advanced performance
downstream. Figure 1 provides a
conceptual view of a development
map for a management role.
As employees move left-to-right across
the development map, they encounter
a variety of development experiences
and assessment milestones.
If the work hasn’t been done to
organize the developmental journey,
employees are left on their own to sort
out how to use multiple training paths,
lists, or checklists to navigate their
way through onboarding, compliance
training, soft skills training, technical
skills training, etc. It can be difficult
to fit all the pieces together – taking
more time than is necessary, negatively
impacting employee engagement
and satisfaction.
While development maps provide
structure, they should allow for
flexibility where warranted. In
the example provided in Figure 1,
| 34
Figure 1.
DEVELOPMENT MAP WITH MULTIPLE STAGES
STAGE 1
Entry-level
Managing
Work Track
Managing
People Track
Managing
Results Track
KEY
Performance Assessment
Outcome Milestone
most employees would follow the
progression from one performance
outcome to the next – completing all
the development events indicated.
However, using performance-based
assessments can allow the learner to
skip certain developmental events or
jump past a performance outcome.
While Figure 1 provides a very simplified
example, a development map is often
graphical, making it a user-friendly
tool that shows an entire development
journey on a single page. Much like a
blueprint for a home lays out the home’s
structure, but doesn’t show the interior
design of each room, a development
map shows the overarching structure
of the development journey, but
doesn’t include all the instructional
design details.
A development map shows relationships
among development events using
proximity, lines and arrows to display
sequence and dependencies or
connections among events.
STAGE 2 STAGE 3
Proficient in Role Advanced in Role
To Next
Leadership
Role
Off-Ramp to Parallel
Leadership Roles
BUSINESS ALIGNMENT
For a development map to work
effectively, particularly for business
leaders, it should align with business
goals. When business leaders can trace
the connection between their goals
(both short- and long-term) and the
performance outcomes depicted on
the development map, it gives them
confidence and bolsters their support
of the training and the L&D function.
Establishing clearly defined performance
outcomes and timelines is the important
link back to the business goals.
When creating development maps,
it is necessary to work with business
stakeholders and top performers in the
role to capture and understand:
• Performance dimensions
• Performance outcomes
• Work outcomes
• Processes and tasks
• Measures of quality, quantity and cost
• Knowledge and skill requirements
• Typical gaps
Additionally, organizational performance
and financial data should be used to
more fully understand the performance
outcomes and to correctly organize
and sequence them. As xAPI and
other business intelligence capabilities
continue to mature, the process for
creating and maintaining development
maps will evolve.
Traditional training design processes
(like ADDIE) don’t work well as a
method for creating development
maps. Like the process for interior
design is different from the process
of creating an architectural blueprint,
development maps require a different
approach. The focus of a development
map is often the entire role and
accounts for all the development
and learning needs from day one to
mastery of the role, and that scope
requires the designer to approach the
design in a different manner.
A development map allows the design
team to engineer and sequence
learning and development experiences
– not just by linking one learning
objective to the next, but by linking
one aspect of the job to the next. This
mindset encourages the designer
to assemble the smaller building
blocks of courses and experiences
into larger models of learning and
ultimately to performance outcomes.
In part, the process requires
consideration of a wide range of
developmental modalities – both
formal and informal, as well as real
world work experience. Along the way,
tradeoff decisions must be made based
on availability of resources, budget
and projected return on investment.
Tricky though it is, development maps
provide an excellent opportunity to
judge the value of each aspect of
performance in comparison to others.
Some aspects require investment
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while others can remain in the “figure
it out on their own” category.
BENEFITS OF A
DEVELOPMENT MAP
Business leaders, the L&D function and
the employee are all stakeholders who
benefit from development maps.
For employees
A development map is a practical,
simple to use tool that helps
them stage and put a timeline to
their growth in their role and in the
organization. Because development
maps demonstrate that the
organization has done its homework,
employees often see development
maps as evidence of the organization’s
commitment to their success
and respond in kind with greater
commitment and higher engagement.
DEVELOPMENT
MAPS PROVIDE A
MEANS AND A
MECHANISM TO
CHANGE THE GAME.
For managers
For managers, a development map
simplifies employee career and
development planning activities by
eliminating waste from the process and
saving time. By using a comprehensive
roadmap, managers and employees
avoid scouring the organization for
resources as they plan “what comes next”
in the employee’s development journey.
Managers are able to help employees
make turn-by-turn decisions to reach
their destination.
For business stakeholders
Business stakeholders can use the maps
to trace the organization’s strategic and
tactical goals to important performance
and learning outcomes. Since
performance outcomes can be traced
to business goals and are evaluated
using meaningful metrics, it is easier
to demonstrate measurable business
value. With learning outcomes set
inside the context of performance, the
impact of learning can more readily be
determined. Invariably, when the goals
and outcomes are tied to meaningful
metrics and results, perceived and
actual value goes up.
For L&D
Development maps also benefit the
L&D function. First, they depict a
common perspective shared with
business stakeholders that ultimately
simplifies communication with those
business partners. Second, since the
map can trace learning outcomes
through performance outcomes to
business goals, decisions regarding the
importance and value of development
activities can be assessed, ultimately
guiding L&D decisions. And third, when
dealing with ad hoc training requests
throughout the year, development
maps can be used to judge requests
based on how well the request fits (or
whether the request is redundant in
some way). Development maps are tools
that help L&D in their role as a trusted
advisor to their business partners.
CONCLUSION
When designed well, development
maps unlock and improve employee
performance and bring into balance
the goals of the business, L&D and
the learner. Aligning around business
and performance, development maps
provide a means and a mechanism to
change the game.
Kelly Smith and Brian Blecke are founding
partners and performance consultants at
Actio Learning. Email Kelly and Brian.
| 35
FUTURE-PROOF TRAINING
The need to demonstrate the business
impact of learning is paramount
in today’s data-driven, increasingly
transparent world. Today’s fast-paced
and often disruptive business climate
makes it harder than ever to engage
diverse skills, abilities and backgrounds
and ensure organizational readiness
to perform, let alone quantify
it. Geographic dispersion often
compounds the challenge.
To solve these problems, CLOs are
turning to adaptive learning, or systems
of artificial intelligence that optimize
each learner’s experience in real
time, enabling him or her to learn as
efficiently and effectively as possible.
The technology creates a more human-
centered vision of learning that is also
more scientific and can be directly tied
to business outcomes.
| 36
At their best, adaptive learning platforms
provide CLOs with technology so fine-
tuned and intelligent, it’s like having a
one-on-one instructor for every learner.
Essentially, adaptive drives learning
mastery in a personalized way at scale.
MASTERY,
PERSONALIZATION, SCALE
Mastery-based learning, the idea that
learners’ progression through a course
is dependent on mastery as opposed
to seat time, lies at the core of adaptive
learning. The concept is actually intrinsic
to corporate life. Our progress up the
corporate ladder is based on factors
generally unrelated to seat time:
achievement, initiative and networking.
Progress isn’t about the passage of time,
it’s about focus and intensity. Adaptive
learning applies this principle to
learning: If mastery is what’s important
in learning, then why not optimize for it?
Adaptive technology takes this
concept of mastery one step further by
personalizing it, so that each learner
progresses not only according to his or
her accuracy level but other factors like
confidence and engagement as well.
To achieve this, adaptive learning
incorporates algorithms. Different
theories work together to give adaptive
learning its reflexes, the way an
instructor might pivot strategies from
learner to learner.
For example, metacognitive theory
holds that people learn best when
they know what they know and don’t
know. Another principle often used
in adaptive learning is the theory of
deliberate practice, which suggests
that understanding weaknesses helps
refine and focus practice. To address this
principle, an adaptive learning platform
continually tailors content based on the
individual learner’s weaknesses, saving
time and focusing energy for maximum
efficiency. At the same time, this theory
can be tempered by the theory of fun
for game design, which holds that
learners are most engaged when they
are challenged but not too challenged.
Adaptive learning can put this concept
to work by continually adjusting the
content to challenge but not overwhelm
the learner.
Additionally, the concept of spaced
repetition, which holds that to truly
learn something, learners must commit
it to long-term memory, and that the
best time to do so is just as learners are
about to forget it. Incorporating this
theory, an adaptive platform can use
data to predict when a learner is likely to
lose a concept from short-term memory.
WITH ADAPTIVE LEARNING
It can then automatically reintroduce
this content just before it slips away,
solidifying it in the learner’s mind as
long-term memory.
It’s called adaptive learning not just
because it adapts seamlessly to a
variety of learners, but also because
it’s flexible enough to transform almost
any content – technical, qualitative
or quantitative – into an adaptive
course. Whether it’s technical skills,
accounting or public speaking, a
successful adaptive learning platform
can take any content and transform
it into a modularized course that’s
responsive to each learner’s specific
needs and capabilities.
OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS
VS. ORGANIZATIONS
For individuals, the benefits are clear.
Adaptive learning improves outcomes,
including proficiency rates, efficiency
and engagement. Time and energy
are allocated to the areas where a
learner most needs to focus in order
to make the greatest gains. Learning
becomes a more satisfying process and
engagement levels improve because
learners always have a clear path
forward. They’re presented with the
content they need to see at the precise
moment they need to see it.
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For corporate organizations, the benefits
are holistic and far-ranging. Adaptive
technology drives training ROI and
unlocks organizational performance. I
would loosely break down the benefits
into five categories.
PROGRESS ISN’T
ABOUT THE
PASSAGE OF TIME,
IT’S ABOUT FOCUS
AND INTENSITY.
1 | MEASUREMENT
According to a CEB industry report,
36.7 percent of L&D teams say that
“measuring learning impact” is their
top priority. Learning teams need to
articulate a next-generation vision of
learning that is both human-centric in
design and delivery and directly tied to
business outcomes. Because adaptive
learning requires a fine-grained
approach, it achieves this naturally.
BY CHRISTINA YU
Whatever the ontology or the authoring
mechanisms, adaptive requires some
granular mapping or breakdown of
concepts that lays the foundation for
true measurement.
Because it collects data on an atomic
level, adaptive yields insight into
learning down to the granular level of
the learning objective and each learner’s
interaction with it. This is data we can use
to measure the process of learning and
find patterns, tie learning to business
outcomes, and most importantly,
optimize each learner’s progress toward
mastery. This happens in different
ways depending on the platform, but
is typically surfaced through reporting
dashboards and helpful visualizations
natively built into the adaptive program.
2 | MASTERY
As described above, adaptive is
inherently mastery-based, not seat-
time based. The technology, in other
words, is optimized for mastery.
Accordingly, each learner in an
adaptive program achieves 100 percent
mastery of the specified objectives. In a
situation where compliance is at stake,
70 percent mastery is different from 100
percent mastery. The gap can translate
into misallocated funds or a major
security breach.
| 37
Figure 1. CASE STUDY | TRACKING TIME TO COMPLETION
10
HRS 5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6
In traditional education, we’ve been
accustomed to accepting the standard
outcomes distribution curve, where
some perform well, and others don’t.
Exemplary performance is usually
reserved for those who are gifted in a
subject or who possess great discipline.
(The very concept of grades and an all-
consuming final assessment condition
is to accept less from ourselves. A vs.
B students, for example.) But what
if real mastery, rather than relative
performance, were the goal for each
individual? Adaptive learning puts each
learner on the path to actually achieving
total mastery. On an individual basis, this
is a nice-to-have. On an organizational
basis, when compliance and security are
at stake, it’s a must-have.
3 | EFFICIENCY
Personalized learning paths that show
each learner only what they need to see
at the moment they need to see it results
in time saved. In Figure 1, the time-to-
completion for the one-size-fits-all
course was originally five hours. With an
adaptive course, in which each learner
achieves mastery in their own way, the
average time-to-completion became
3.4 hours, resulting in an immediate ROI
of 32 percent in full-time hours of work
recovered, the saved time redistributed
toward other activities.
Not only is the course more effective (the
learners on the right achieving mastery
where they might not have otherwise),
| 38
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
LEARNER
it’s more efficient (the learners on the
left achieved mastery in less time than
they would have otherwise).
4 | ENGAGEMENT
There’s a lot of talk in the corporate
space about engagement. The perks
(free dinner and yoga, massages in the
office), the culture (whether it’s “radical
honesty,” “ownership,” or “humility”) and
the social recognition (likes, upvoting,
badges) that produce engagement,
ADAPTIVE
LEARNING IS
INHERENTLY
MASTERY-BASED,
NOT SEAT-TIME
BASED.
the X-factor that is supposed to
make an organization blossom and
achieve relentless innovation and
competitive advantage.
This is all beneficial, but I want to argue
for something more straightforward. Can
we motivate learners simply by showing
them a clear path to attaining their goals
AVERAGE
= 3.4HRS
and by providing immediate feedback
and targeted remediation along the way?
By focusing on the organization of content
and optimizing each learner’s interaction
with every piece of it, adaptive motivates
learners by keeping them in a state of
flow. It removes distraction and boredom
and drives focus, like a cognitive “work-
out machine.”
5 | AGILITY
Real-time intelligence for every
stakeholder (learners, trainers, content
authors and managers) results in more
real-time action and responsiveness for
each stakeholder.
Learners, for instance, can access reports
on their performance at any given point
and are able to adjust their practice
accordingly. Trainers/managers grasp
cohort dynamics through real-time
analytics and know exactly what their
learners are struggling with, so they
can quickly adapt training. Authors
understand what content works and
doesn’t work, so they can continually
refine content and keep it evergreen.
At its core, the fine-grained data-driven
approach of adaptive delivers benefits
to every stakeholder, holistically
powering the organization and making
it more agile.
Christina Yu is the head of marketing for
McGraw-Hill Education Learning Science
Platforms. Email Christina.
 Cultural Considerations
in a Non-Global Organization
BY CAROL E. BROGAN

| 40
C ulture is tangible and intangible.
It is in what is seen, but more
importantly it is in what is experienced
in nearly every interaction that occurs.
Even in a seemingly mono-cultural
group of people, cultural considerations
must be taken into account when an
instructional designer sits down at
the computer, when a trainer enters
the learning environment, when a
coach or mentor interacts with others,
and when a chief learning officer
executes a strategy.
It has been ascertained that when
cultural consideration is not given,
diverse teams are not as likely to
innovate as homogeneous teams are due
to perceived or real cultural incongruity.
There are few homogeneous groups
within organizations, even for those
operating at local levels. Intentionally
considering cultural differences and
accentuating the strengths will increase
innovation and engagement, ultimately
making for a stronger learning culture
and greater business returns.
What is really meant by cultural
consideration, and for that matter,
intercultural interactions? A large part
of each person, especially as it relates
to behaviors in the workplace, is
cultural and related to worldviews and
cultural drivers. As much as segments
of society may try to categorize and
separate people, cultures are not
uniform and differences within cultures
are sometimes profound.
In the standard sense of the definition,
cultural contexts include national,
ethnic, generational, organizational,
gender and sexual orientation-based,
institutional, and a variety of other
contexts and sub-contexts. National
cultures exert a powerful influence, but
so do generational, disciplinary and
institutional cultures, and their effects
are difficult to discern, analyze and
disentangle. Embedded in the larger
cultural contexts are micro-cultures
that form based on commonalities
and similarities, yet may be divisive
across the spectrum. Individuals within
cultures differ and bring different
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - ADAPTING LEARNING 2018 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
personality traits that bear on any
cross-cultural interaction.
Attributes of the diversity found
within society include values placed
on education, religion, individuality
and status, just to name a few. People
bring backgrounds grounded in their
cultural upbringing. Things like goals,
aspirations and ways of interacting
that individuals feel are positive, may
conflict with others’ goals and ways of
interacting. Personal motivations are
deeply influenced by, if not caused by,
People bring
backgrounds
grounded in
their cultural
upbringing.
cultural factors and nuances. No wonder
even within a non-global workforce
culture needs to be considered!
OPPORTUNITIES TO
ACCENTUATE VARIOUS VIEWS
IN THE LEARNING CULTURE
Interestingly, cultural values,
characteristics and preferences that
develop with ethnic or national
upbringing tend to merge, adapt,
or alter according to predominate
organizational or local cultural values,
but they do not disappear. They
remain underlying and are impactful.
Learning professionals must accept
and acknowledge these and find ways
to utilize, and in the best situations,
accentuate them for the positive.
Learning professionals must listen
and observe when walking through
the hallways, sitting in their cubicles
or workspace, eating in the common
area. Most importantly, observing
others must take place in the learning
environment, whether live or virtual.
Professionals must check for accuracy
of their own interpretations of the
observations. Resources abound on
predominate cultural traits, values and
attributes. Even asking questions of the
learners directly is an invaluable tool in
assessing cultural influences.
The development of trust can bridge
differences. People tend to trust the
familiar, so leverage the power of in-
group bias. The tendency for people
to categorize others into “in-groups,”
according to social categorization
theory, lends itself to activities that seek
out commonalities creating positive
bias. When facilitating a learning session,
create an environment of inclusiveness
where commonalities are identified,
and differences are perceived as an
asset rather than a liability. This can be
accomplished through case studies, if/
then scenarios, and other relational
learning. Learning professionals
must always conduct these with the
consideration of individualistic and
collective learning values.
Being culturally intelligent and
considerate requires that learning
professionals develop a flexible set of
skills, including the ability to listen and
pay attention, reflect on the meaning
of underlying behavior, seek out
relevant information and advice, and
adapt resourcefully. It requires being
aware of, and willing to challenge,
one’s own cultural assumptions. If a
learning professional has the focus of
aspects in the learning environment
being planned and reliable, yet the
learners respond more to flexibility
and less structure, the professional
must consider how the impact may
affect the intended outcomes. If the
organizational culture is competitive,
should the learning opportunities
confirm or encourage competitiveness,
or should they place higher value on
cooperative growth? Only the learning
professional who observes interactions,
is aware of their own assumptions
and values, and has knowledge of the
| 41

cultures imbedded in the individuals
and the organization will successfully
navigate questions such as that.
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR
ENGAGING IN MEANINGFUL
DIVERSE INTERACTIONS
Learning professionals,
onboarding and continuous quality
through
learning offerings, influence not only
the culture within an organization,
but impact the business development
of that organization. When the talent
develops the ability to interact with
others of diverse cultures, opportunities
for personal and professional fulfillment
abound. When those who rely on
learning professionals, and the learning
professionals themselves, have some
understanding of different cultures, but
also have problem-solving strategies and
effective adaptations that work across
or within different cultural contexts,
business growth is a direct result.
Cultural considerations in the learning
environment support multicultural
team effectiveness. Multicultural team
members’ abilities to interrelate
translates to abilities to take the
perspectives of a diverse customer base.
Questions for Cultural Considerations
• What are the cultural characteristics of
the members of the target learners?
• What are the types of technology
used by the learners? What is their
usage of and access to that technology?
• What gestures, clothing and
forms of physical contact have
negative connotations for any
participating learners?
• How explicit do the instructions need
to be? How much guidance is needed
for clarity for all learners?
• Does time for socialization and
relationship building need to
be factored in to learning events
and meetings?
| 42
These abilities and team effectiveness
drive profitability and cost-savings.
Success in culturally diverse
markets can be linked directly back to
engaging successfully in meaningful
diverse interactions.
FINAL CULTURAL
CONSIDERATIONS
o Distinct cultural groups are not
merely linguistic, matters of
race or about specific ethnicity.
o Each individual or perceived cultural
group is different, and their unique
cultural, psychological and economic
personalities demand subtle,
tailored responses.
o The commitment to integrate
diversity and cultural competence
into an organization will increasingly
pay big dividends in the coming
years.
o Integrating cultural competence
into an organization does not
happen by accident.
Even if an organization does not operate
on a global scale, the cultural interactions
within the working environment can
• If translation of language is required,
what timing and logistical issues may
need to be dealt with?
• If the learners’ first language is not
that of the facilitator or instructor,
but translation is not requested, what
terminology, words or phrases, must
be adapted to accommodate the
internal understanding for the learners?
• What colloquialisms or idioms are
imbedded in the script that may
be regional and not easily translated
or interpreted?
• Do any resources or articles intended
for use have aspects of, or suggest
an ethnocentric bias toward a
particular culture?
Learning
professionals
must observe
others in
the learning
environment,
whether live
or virtual.
impact the innovation and development
of the talent. As learning professionals
come across diverse opinions, it becomes
important to understand how and in
what ways culture shapes individuals,
teams and the organization, and how
they in turn shape learning.
Carol E. Brogan has a Master of Science
in international administration and is an
CQ Certified Advanced professional by
the Cultural Intelligence Center, LLC. She
currently works with others on their cultural
and professional development in the diverse
city of Miami, Florida. Email Carol.
• What role does status play in the
culture of the organization or of the
values of the individuals involved in
the interactions? How does that
impact planning and activities?
• Is the type of approach, from
very simple didactic to complex
constructivist, appropriate to the
cultural representation of the learners?
• Are adaptations to accommodate
individuals needed or essential to
accomplish the goals or objectives?
Or can individuals adapt or ignore
the differences?
• Ultimately, are the needs of the
learners, the workforce, and the
content, methods and media aligned?
 CUT THROUGH THE NOISE

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 Linking Competency
Models to Modern
Learning Strategies

By Matt Donovan

With the rise of digital disruptions and “next
generation” talent management strategies,
nearly all HR and learning and development
(L&D) teams are being pushed to work
in concert together to create seamless
employee learning, performance and
development experiences. I truly believe
that this is a great thing – the real beneficiary
here is the employee/learner/performer
(whichever term you prefer). However, the
collaborative efforts between HR and L&D
have brought out some long-standing
differences between the two functions.
One of the pain points across these
two similar yet different functions
has been around the incorporation of
competency frameworks in modern
learning experiences. While HR teams
have historically seen the value of strong
competency models, performance
improvement consultants and learning
professionals have struggled with
seeing how competency models
support the design and development
of relevant, modern and learner-centric
curricula. The result is a passionate
debate over how to link research-based
competency maps into the design
of authentic and valid performance-
centric learning curricula.
Two Views on the Performer
Essentially, competency models and
learner/performer-centric outcomes are
two paths to define and benchmark the
same performer population. To better
understand the different paths, it is
important to grasp the fundamental
premise for each. Figure 1 (see page
46) compares features of a competency

| 44

model/map and modern learning
experiences using an outcomes-based
approach. It is important to note that
when I refer to competency models, I am
referring to those that are anchored in
research across a range of organizations
and have some degree of statistical
analysis behind it.
Key Elements
of Competency Models
Competency models and maps are
designed to support the organization
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - ADAPTING LEARNING 2018 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
IF HR AND
L&D TEAMS CAN
COLLABORATE,
THE LEARNER
WILL VALUE FROM
A RESEARCH-BASED
AND ROLE-RELEVANT
LEARNING JOURNEY.
in defining associated competencies • Providing general
for roles, which include large groups development guidelines for
of performers. They tend to be individual improvement
blueprints outlining the desired state
for role performance in general terms
of required knowledge, skills and A key goal of a standardized competency
abilities. They are designed to support framework is to establish a common
the organization in: language around what “good looks
like” within a generic role or functional
• Creating an objective framework for context. This common language is often
defining/assessing performance in a role used to reduce the subjectivity for the
review, evaluation and development of
• Assessing the readiness of individuals employees in a role. Refer to sidebar on
in a population to perform in a role page 47 for descriptions of key concepts.
| 45
Key Elements
of a Modern Learning
Experience Using Outcomes
Modern learning experiences using
outcomes are focused with the learner
in mind. Learner/performance-centric
curricula includes learning interventions/
experiences that enable learners to
close specific performance gaps
between current state and desired state
for role performance. They are designed
to support the learner/performer with
detailed relevant insights and actions
in creating specific outputs, including:
• Gaining the knowledge required to
perform critical tasks and activities in
the role,
• Developing the skills required to
perform critical tasks and activities
in the role,
• Establishing and refining abilities
critical to execution of tasks and
activities in a role, and
• Leveraging a system of
performance support.
Performance consultants and learning
professionals approach role excellence
by identifying the critical performance
outcomes with the outputs of top
performers as the source of the data set.
Then, to build a curriculum that meets
the needs of the modern workforce,
the learning interventions must include
a mix of activities that meet a range of
needs and the social learning roles.
Bringing It All Together:
Building the Best Modern
Learning Experiences
Both approaches can provide valuable
results when it comes to designing
modern learning experiences that
you can gather value from. While
the competency model can help
organizations determine the readiness
of its employees and identify areas
to build skill sets, it does not provide
the detailed, specific inputs required for
a relevant modern learning experience.

FIGURE 1
COMPETENCY MODEL/MAP MODERN LEARNING EXPERIENCES USING OUTCOMES

Intended The organization, talent recruitment, individual’s managers The organization, individual’s managers and
Audience and individual learners/performers individual learners/performers

Focus Competencies Outcomes in terms of critical performance outputs

Scale Large-scale application to roles across all functional units Focused application targeting a learner population
in the organization. within a shared role or need.

Purpose • Create an objective framework for
defining/assessing performance in a role.
• Assess the readiness of individuals in a population
to perform in a role.
• Diagnose which competencies an organization should
focus on and competencies that may be lacking overall
in an organization.
• Provide general development guidelines
for individual improvement.
• Gain the knowledge required to perform critical tasks
and activities in the role.
• Develop the skills required to perform critical tasks
and activities in the role.
• Establish and refine abilities critical to execution of tasks
and activities in a role.
• Leverage a system of performance support.
• Provide a pervasive learning ecosystem that meets
a range of moments of learning need.

Source of Analysis of large sets of data looking at generalized roles
Analysis and performers across multiple organizations. Usually does
not include variations for different components in the
organizational value chain (e.g., manufacturing, sales,
research, etc.).
Analysis of the organization’s top “A” performers, determining
key performance outputs and performance criteria. This is
usually done at the group or function level. Lessons learned
can be applied to other functions. Empathetic interviewing of
the “B” performers to help shape the journey, including moments
of learning need, social learning roles and the performance
support network.

Key • Competency model/map. • A list of outcomes (performance indicators) that include tasks
Deliverables • Diagnostic and results for individuals highlighting areas performed to achieve those outcomes.
for improvement. • A series of personalized learning experiences that meet
• Diagnostic and results for organizations highlighting key a range of needs based on a certain role.
competencies to invest in. • An avenue to build mobile, social, networked learning
experiences for those new to role, gaining proficiency, or
growing as an expert within a role.

| 46
When creating a learner/performer-
centric curriculum, start with the
top performers and the performer’s
outcomes, but always keep sight of the
structure of the competency model
and identified competency gaps. In
the end, a successful curriculum will be
evidence-based and built on a
foundation of specific, descriptive,
learner-centricity and a clear description
of what good looks like from the
relevant performers.
MODERN LEARNING
EXPERIENCES USING
OUTCOMES ARE
FOCUSED WITH THE
LEARNER IN MIND.
The following are key best practices
to consider:
• As a learning professional, take
time to learn as much as possible
about the competency framework/
model and the diagnostic tools and
research that backs it.
• Leverage insights from the competency
framework and diagnostics as potential
inputs into the learner journey, a
reflection on key competencies and
potential areas to focus.
• Ensure your modern learning
experiences further defines role
excellence by focusing on job-relevant
accomplishments and create relevant
scenarios/performance narratives.
• Throughout the experience, create
learner-centric bridges from general
competency descriptions to very
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - ADAPTING LEARNING 2018 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
specific job accomplishments within
a particular role.
• Where applicable, provide guidance
for the learners on how to use the
competency model in supporting their
own development.
• Create/curate additional resources
to support learner remediation or
stretch goals.
• Provide clear mapping and coaching
guidelines for managers to support
continuous growth.
• Provide practice and feedback systems
that deliver learners with targeted
insight into their own development.
Conclusion
Competency models play a critical role
in supporting the design of modern
learning experiences but should not
be the only framework in guiding the
design of the learning solution. Because
competency maps lack detail about
performance outcomes and tasks for
a particular role, they can miss the
mark for developing relevant learning
experiences. A performance-centric
focus on outcomes is necessary to meet
specific learner needs.
The key is realizing that competency
maps can add value to augment the
modern learning experience, and
an analysis around specific targeted
performance is critical to create the most
relevant modern learning experience.
If HR and L&D teams can collaborate
together, rather than argue, the learner
will value from a research-based and
role-relevant learning journey that
is designed to create measurable
business results.
Matt Donovan is the vice president of
GP Strategies Learning Solutions Group,
where he leads global learning design,
development and delivery organization for
Fortune 500 companies. Email Matt.
KEY CONCEPTS
• COMPETENCE: Ability of an individual
to perform his or her role in a proper manner
or being adequately qualified to perform a
specific role – typically anchors to the basic
requirements.
• COMPETENCY: Description of the requisite
knowledge, skills and abilities to effectively
perform a job role – typically anchors to
performance excellence.
• COMPETENCY MAP/MODEL: An off-the-
shelf model often based on an analysis of
quantitative, qualitative and market-based
data across organizations and industries.
Many frameworks are modular in nature and
are comprised of 35-50 competencies, which
can be grouped and/or clustered.
• COMPETENCY DIAGNOSTIC: An associated
employee diagnostic administered to
employees in the covered roles/functions. In
more rigorous competency maps/frameworks,
they can identify the competencies most
linked to success for the role/function.
• PERFORMANCE/OUTCOME: The
accomplishment of a certain task measured
against known standards of completeness
(e.g., accuracy, cost or speed).
• PERFORMANCE OUTPUT: The observable
deliverables or asset(s) created during the
accomplishment of a certain task.
• SECRET SAUCE: Very specific actions or
tasks that a top performer does to achieve
success. This may or may not be consciously
understood by the top performer,
but is critical.
• LEARNER JOURNEY: An experience map
that begins with the learner/performer’s
perspective, focuses on key performance
points, incorporates a range of moments of
learning need, and a range of social learning
roles to meet the needs.
| 47
 DEVELOPING TRAINING WITH
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN MIND Oprah Winfrey often talks about what she
refers to as “teachable moments” – moments
when something bad occurs and you can turn
that bad situation into something positive.
Basically, the lesson in the message. Diversity
GREAT BRITAIN
and inclusion (D&I) is one of those teachable
moments. As learning and development
(L&D) professionals, we have probably had an
SOUTH experience one time or another that is similar
KOREA
BRAZIL to the below scenario.

A colleague designed a virtual course

NAVAJO NAT
ION
that checked all the boxes: length was
great, it was engaging, interactive
and it was informative. Perhaps you
even learned a thing or two. The one
thing it was missing was a diverse set
of characters and experiences. No one
INDIA PARIS
looked like you, behaved like you or like
many of your peers. The main character
was a white male. No women, no people
of color, no differently abled individuals,
or underprivileged persons. Not only
was he a white male, you guessed it,
he was also the leader. Now, there is
nothing wrong with this per se, however,
PHILLIPPINES once the training was concluded,
NY
GERMA you felt slightly disconnected from
what you experienced. You felt as if
your experiences were not taken into
ICELAND consideration. You discuss this with your
colleague. They nod in agreement, but
you are not sure they fully understand
your concerns.
MEXICO Incorporating diversity and inclusion
IRAN
is perhaps one of the most important
roles of an L&D professional. The
learning experience is varied and
should be represented as such in
training programs. We so often focus
on developing programs that offer a
BY TIFFANY MCLEAN consistent message, language, look
and feel that we often forget the
most important aspect of all design:
the people.

| 48

WHAT IS DIVERSITY & INCLUSION?
Diversity and inclusion has different
meanings to different people, but let’s
all work with this definition for the
purposes of this discussion. Bersin
defines diversity and inclusion as “the
variety of people and ideas within
when creating a course, ensure that as measurement. Fresh perspectives
you truly keep your audience in mind.
Consider factors such as course content,
are needed for all aspects of learning,
including just-in-time solutions, creative
any activities that may be a part of the and innovative delivery models, and
course as well as awareness of their unique modes of assessment.
background and skills. Taking time to
consider these items will help to ensure
that an inclusive environment has been
created and your audience will be better

WE OFTEN FORGET THE MOST

a company, and the creation of an able to focus on the material as well
environment in which people feel as provide value to the organization.
involved, respected, valued, connected Just as there are multiple branches of

IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ALL

and able to bring their “authentic” government to ensure the balance of
selves (e.g., their ideas, backgrounds, democracy, there needs to be for the
and perspectives) to the team and to sake of organizational stability “checks

DESIGN: THE PEOPLE.

the business.”
Note that Bersin’s definition did not
mention race or gender. This is vitally
important as oftentimes that is exactly
what people tend to think of regarding
diversity and inclusion. Organizations
want to make sure they can mark the
checkbox. Woman? Check. Asian? Check.
LGBTQ? Check. However, it is so much
more. Diversity and inclusion, especially
in the L&D space, is about ensuring that
there are “checks and balances” in what
we do.
It is imperative that L&D practitioners
consider multiple factors when
preparing for a course. For example,
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS MORE THAN A CHECKBOX
and balances” to the designing of
learning programs. Learning has never
been a one-size-fits-all affair and the
incorporation of diversity and inclusion
is no exception.
L&D professionals should ensure that
diversity and inclusion is reflected in our
learning programs. As such, diversity
and inclusion needs to be a part of all
learning activities as it is an essential part
of any workplace and critical to fostering
a diverse and inclusive organizational
life. How, where and when it occurs is
dependent on identifying both formal
and informal solutions for planning,
access, execution, reinforcement, as well
Now that we have some idea of what it
looks like, let’s think about what diversity
and inclusion feels like. Successful
programs implemented by L&D should
introduce and encourage new ideas,
increase participants’ awareness, and
offer valuable skills and suggestions
to develop and enrich an employee’s
implicit biases. It should also provide
an inclusive space and opportunity to
engage with these issues and grapple
with their complexities. It should feel
open and welcoming, a place equally as
dedicated to exploration and support as
it is to L&D.

Diversity and inclusion encompasses more than race and gender. D&I addresses the
variety of people and ideas within a company, and the creation of an environment in INCORPORATING D&I INTO TRAINING
which people feel involved, respected, valued, connected and able to bring their ideas, So how does a modern learning leader
backgrounds and perspectives to the team and business. ensure that diversity and inclusion is not
an afterthought in the work we do? Here
To build a more inclusive culture, L&D professionals need to keep their audience in mind are a few things to keep in mind.
when developing a training course. Consider factors such as course content, activities,
as well as the background and skill set of the learners. Training courses should reflect the Develop a strategy. Work with your
organization’s people, culture and values. Taking time to consider these items will help organization to commit to creating
to create a more inclusive environment. an inclusion strategy. This will help to
elevate L&D’s seat at the table as

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| 49
this shows a willingness to partner
and consult. This provides the perfect
opportunity for learning leaders to
help guide the strategy and direction of
the organization. This partnership
also helps to ensure that diversity
and inclusion are tied to learning
objectives as well as the financials for
your organization.
LEARNING HAS NEVER BEEN A
ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL AFFAIR
AND THE INCORPORATION OF
D&I IS NO EXCEPTION.
Review your onboarding experience.
The usual onboarding focuses on
corporate culture and values. How do
you highlight that to new employees?
Consider ways to include diversity
and inclusion thinking regarding how
onboarding is presented.
• Can all employees regardless
of socioeconomic status
access the information? This
is especially important for
virtual onboarding experiences.
• Visually, do the images capture the
true makeup of your organization?
• Host an employee panel where
diverse populations can speak
to how they learned to navigate
the company culture.
| 50
Create well-rounded leadership
development programs. Developing
leaders is a high priority for
organizations, as many studies have
shown. This is an area where most
L&D teams excel. When creating these
programs perhaps use a different lens,
not just based on race and gender,
but focus on other areas of acquired
diversity. Keep in mind, for example,
educational background, social status
and socioeconomic status, amongst
other things. This will help to ensure a
well-rounded program that will cater to
all participants.
Look for ways to address diversity
and inclusion. Include diversity
and inclusion as part of employee
engagement and organizational health
surveys. This is where partnering
with the executive team and other
departments can really benefit L&D.
Track the talent pipeline. Assess
the success of your leadership
development programs by tracking
the diversity of the talent pipeline
over time. Note a specific increase in
the number of minorities promoted
for example.
Review turnover numbers. Work with
your talent acquisition teams and review
turnover numbers. Are there particular
groups of employees who are leaving
the organization? If the answer is yes,
then review your programs and
make appropriate changes.
OUTCOMES
Now let’s take one last look at our
colleague’s course from the beginning of
the article with updates that incorporate
diversity and inclusion. The length was
great, it was engaging, it was interactive
and it was informative. You learned even
more this time. You congratulate your
colleague on a job well done. Then you
stop. You reflect on this new course
and realize that although this course
was the same, it looked different, it
felt different. You then realize why. The
course was offered in different
modalities, online and with an
instructor-led training component. It
had multiple generations of people
represented, the leader was a Muslim
woman who partnered with the white
male in the original version, and they
were peers. Wait … did you recall
seeing your company’s diversity and
inclusion mission statement in the
background of one of the scenes?
This course ultimately becomes the
showcase for how to implement a
diversity and inclusion program into
L&D at your organization.
The results are impressive. Your
organization sees an increase in morale,
in open dialogue and the financials
begin to improve. Diversity and
inclusion has gone from a teachable
moment to a moment where the true
business value is realized and lives
are positively impacted. Your seat at
the table has been established as you
saw a problem, proposed a solution
and ultimately tied learning objectives
to the overall business strategy,
which in turn, positively impacted the
bottom line. As L&D professionals, isn’t
that truly the goal? As we continue to
focus on developing new programs,
new initiatives, do not forget the
most important part: the people.
Tiffany McLean is the learning and
development manager at General RV Center,
where she develops learning strategy for
more than 1,500 employees in six states and
12 locations. Email Tiffany.
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 CASEBOOK
ELEVATING
NEW LEADERSHIP
Building strong leadership teams can
make or break a company. Investing
in managers to help them inspire
action, instill company values, increase
retention, and ensure every employee is
fired up to come to work can generate
exponential value for the business. This
investment can create a multiplier effect
– a powerful cornerstone that is essential
for an organization to be successful.
With over 500 global employees,
AdRoll strives to build the most
powerful marketing platform through
performance, usability and openness.
The company’s core values are embodied
by its spirit animals (see Figure 1 on page
53). The owl resonates most with the
values of the training and development
team, as it represents the value of “Hire
great people and help them grow.”
Growing our people, keeping them on
an Everest-steep learning curve at all
times, making sure they feel challenged,
motivated, pushed out of their comfort
zone, and they have resources to help
them learn and grow – that is the crux
of our job in training. It’s a mission that
is backed by our company values, and
that comes through in every project and
initiative we work on.
THE PROBLEM
Over the last several years, AdRoll has
offered strong people development for
the greater organization, and leadership
development programs for its managers.
However, we noticed a gap in our
offerings in early 2017: While we serve
| 52
BY CHRISTI MOOT
our current managers well, we’ve lacked
a curated, purposeful path for new
managers who get promoted or join the
company. Our initial solution for newly
promoted managers was to enroll them
into any upcoming leadership trainings;
however, having them join programs
mid-cohort felt disjointed and ineffective.
We needed a direct path for new managers
– a cohort program where new managers
could build strong relationships with
leadership across departments. Where we
could assess skills, provide foundational
new management training, and build
from there.
This is what we set out to solve for in
Q2 of 2017. The project team consisted
of two representatives from the people
team and two representatives from
the training team. We wanted to build
a program that was deployed twice a
year, after each promotion cycle. We
also needed this to be a global solution
that would work for all regions. Our
goal was to see a clear improvement in
manager skill sets after they completed
the program.
THE ANALYSIS
Research that went into building the new
manager training paths was extremely
comprehensive. We gathered intel in
the form of qualitative assessments
from HR Business Partners (HRBPs),
who have had ongoing dialogue with
every manager for several years, and
we looked for any themes that emerged
from the conversations.
The project team interviewed seasoned
(and newer) managers on what they’d
like to develop within themselves.
Themes of strategic decision making,
motivating teams to perform, and
retaining top talent were top findings
from this research.
We went deep into industry
benchmarking and research. What
are similar companies doing? What’s
working/not working at other companies
our size, with similar cultures? Having a
resource group for this type of data-
generation really helps. I have a San
Francisco-based monthly meet-up
with peers across quite a few tech
companies that is always a valuable use
of our time. We learned that we weren’t
alone in this gap; not many companies
have established new manager ramp
programs that are separate from
ongoing leadership development.
Lastly, we wanted full executive buy-in
for the new program, and to get their
point of view on how new managers
can best drive value for AdRoll. We
presented a strawman proposal to
our exec team, and they were fully
behind the idea. They shared some of
our company’s top initiatives for 2017
so that we could build a program that
would help new managers drive results
around these top goals.
Doing robust and varied research helped
give us a strong baseline before diving
into program creation. We huddled
in a room (and over video conference),
made sure we had plenty of whiteboard
space, and set to work transforming
all the inputs and feedback we’d
collected into a meaningful program for
new managers.
THE SOLUTION
Here’s what we came up with:
• Timing: A three-month program, run
twice each year was chosen to ensure
an expedited ramp (one quarter), but
would also give managers time to form
relationships in their cohort, absorb
material in a meaningful way, apply
new skills and come back with
challenges/feedback.
• Type of training: Blended learning
would occur through articles, e-learning
(built internally and through Udemy),
webinars, live in-person sessions, book
clubs, roundtables and exec panels.
• ROI: We’d measure success of the
program through survey feedback (Did
managers like it?), self-assessments built
in throughout the path (Do managers
feel like they are getting better at
management skills?), and team/peer
feedback (Do manager’s reports agree
with manager self-assessments? Do
HRBPs see measured improvements?).
We also wanted to create a forum for
ongoing dialogue between the new
managers in the cohort. AdRoll uses
Slack, a messaging platform that allows
you to build customized and specific
channels for different purposes, as
a primary means of communication.
We built a Slack channel for new
FIGURE 1 OUR SPIRIT ANIMALS EMBODY OUR CORE VALUES
Owl Jellyfish
Hire great people Be open and
and help each authentic
other grow
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - ADAPTING LEARNING 2018 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
managers to use to discuss trainings,
things they’ve tried, what’s worked/
what hasn’t worked, ask questions
and crowdsource ideas. This gave us
space to post new articles, blogs, book
recommendations, podcasts, TedTalks,
and any additional relevant content.
The content itself is the meat of the
program, so it was critical we nailed
that piece.
The paths were input into our LMS
(AbsorbLMS) so that new managers
had easy, clear access to their learning
path as soon as they joined AdRoll as a
manager, or got promoted.
We formally rolled out the new
manager learning path in July 2017,
so that all new managers promoted
in that cycle could partake. We also
BUILDING
STRONG
LEADERSHIP
TEAMS CAN
MAKE OR BREAK
A COMPANY.
retro-enrolled any new managers from
January to July of that year, so we had
a big first class. During pre-rollout, we
went big on communication. We made
announcements to the entire company
via email, Slack posts and posters
Bee Terrier
Build innovative Do right by the
products that customer and
work for lots community
of people
around the office, so that people were
aware that this was a resource for new
managers, and an investment AdRoll
was making in future leadership. We
made sure our recruiting team had full
insight into the program, so that they
could use this as a value prop when
recruiting new leadership talent into
our company.
THE OUTCOME
After several months of heavy lifting,
it was extremely exciting to launch
in July. Rolling out this new manager
learning path was a huge success for
the organization. It demonstrated
that we were investing in our people.
It provided directive, relevant, high-
touch learning to a group that
can make a huge impact on our
company. It established relationships
that lasted far beyond the three-month
training period.
Feedback was and continues to be wildly
positive. The training and people teams
continue to learn and iterate to ensure
we are offering a best-in-class learning
experience for every new manager at
AdRoll. We’re proud of what we built
to fill a gap, and are excited to keep
elevating this path as we learn more.
Christi Moot is the head of training at
AdRoll, where she creates globally scalable
organizational training strategies across
sales training, people development,
leadership development, new hire
onboarding, and LMS/vendor-management.
Email Christi.
Monkey Beaver
Take work Do more
seriously but with less
not ourselves
| 53
MEASURING
I M P A C T
GAUGING THE SUCCESS OF
SUBSCRIPTION-BASED EDUCATION
Professional survival depends on
education in today’s world of rapidly
accelerating transformation. At the
same time, for organizations to stay
competitive, they must have a way to
measure the success of that education.
Instructional training is typically
delivered as a transactional service,
limited to occasions when individuals
need to acquire new skills. But the pace
of change today, especially in technical
disciplines, has become so rapid that
employees now need continuous
education. This need for ongoing
education has driven the growth of
subscription-based training.
THREE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS
BASED ON LEARNER NEEDS
The first component is technology
adoption, on which a company
decides to deploy some exciting new
technology. The IT team must have the
right skills before they can start. So,
they enroll in a class to learn new skills.
| 54
BY MILIND GURJAR
When the skills are acquired, the need
for training is fulfilled.
The second component involves
ongoing management. For centuries,
employees learned trades through
apprenticeships. When their training
was complete, they had all the
knowledge needed to practice
their trade for the rest of their
professional life.
However, the rapid pace of technological
change renders this system obsolete.
Software and hardware are updated,
security patches and protocols
are implemented, and systems are
expanded and integrated. It’s easy to
imagine an IT professional needing to
update their skills with information that
has changed since their initial training.
In the midst of doing their job, they
need an occasional lifeline to help them
stay productive.
The third component represents
another product of our rapidly
changing work environment: career
development. To stay competitive,
companies need employees’ skills to
be up to date. Individuals work to keep
their skills current to reduce career risk.
Others see new skill acquisition as a
path to career advancement.
The three components align with the
different models for education delivery.
For the most part, technology adoption
aligns with the transactional model. A
defined set of skills is learned in order
to complete a project. The other two
components of education, ongoing
management and career development,
require continuous learning, with
constant access to skills, information
and knowledge. By nature, these are
better fitted to a subscription model.
MEASURING SUCCESS OF
EDUCATION SUBSCRIPTIONS
Educational theorists have suggested
that training can be evaluated on
five levels:
• Reaction: how learners feel about
the learning experience or training.
• Learning: how the learner’s knowledge
has increased after training.
• Application: how much the learner is
applying what they learned on the job.
• Outcomes: the effect of the learner’s
new skills on the business environment.
• ROI: the financial return on the
training investment.
The easiest level to measure is surely
the first one, reaction. It’s simple to
ask, “How effective did you think
this training was? How useful was
the course material?” This provides a
reasonably useful yardstick on training
effectiveness. The other four levels are
more difficult to measure. It’s hard to
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follow up with a learner six months
later to measure real-world training
effects – especially in a subscription
model where the timing of training may
be different for each individual.
Measuring outcomes is also useful. One
outcome to measure in IT training is
increased employee productivity. The
second is improved uptime. It makes
sense that there should be a correlation
between training and productivity.
Increased network uptime might seem
like a simple measure, but it’s not
always easy to establish causality. If
there is an improvement in uptime, was
it because of training? Or was an expert
hired? Or was it because a vendor fixed
a critical bug?
AT THE END,
ONLY THE
LEARNER KNOWS
WHETHER THE
TRAINING HAS
MET THEIR NEED.
However, it is likely that the best
method for measuring educational
success is to return to the three
components of education and
evaluate training with the needs
of the learner and of the company
in mind. For technology adoption,
two measurement approaches stand
out. The first is time to value. If a
trained team can complete a project
in four months, while an untrained
team takes six to eight, this is a clear
demonstration of value. Another
approach is to compare error rates
on new projects between trained and
untrained individuals. What does it
cost to find errors and fix them later?
How much money can the company
save by reducing errors? This may be
difficult to measure with precision,
but no one would argue that training
doesn’t reduce mistakes.
LOOKING AT THE NEEDS
OF INDIVIDUALS
As for the ongoing management and
career development components, it’s
important to consider the specific
needs of the individual receiving the
training. Subscription-based education
is typically much more focused on the
individual than instructional learning.
Individuals frequently make their
own decisions about what they want
to learn. Often, they proceed at their
own pace. At the end, only the learner
knows whether the training has met
their need.
The individual must be the primary
focus of effective evaluation of
subscription-based learning. It must
answer the questions: What were
the individual’s initial goals and
expectations? Has the training helped
them meet these goals? What elements
of the training were most effective
and least effective in meeting these
goals? Ultimately, how has the training
helped the individual on their journey
to success?
What makes subscription-based
learning so timely and valuable is that
it provides learning content tailored
to the individual learner’s needs in
an on-demand format. Consequently,
measuring this type of training’s
effectiveness cannot be reduced to a
one-size-fits-all assessment. Instead, it
comes down to gauging effectiveness
at the individual level.
As the senior director and general
manager for Learning@Cisco, Milind
Gurjar is responsible for training Cisco’s
top-tier customers, channel partners and
employees worldwide. Email Milind.
| 55
Recycled & Reused
Repurposing Training Content for Digital Delivery.

Read the Report


ADAPTABILITY
Much has been written about the values
and advantages of adaptive learning
and testing. Both use computer-aided
technology to allocate and deliver content
based on learners’ needs. And both are
sound strategies for delivering content
and evaluating a learner’s abilities. These
approaches to adaptability are based on
the notion that adaptability is a function
of technology – meaning that through
machine learning, we can leverage
information to adapt to the differences in
learner styles and abilities.
I would suggest we think of adaptability
in an alternative way as well. Let’s consider
how an individual can and should adapt
themselves to changing conditions in
their workplace, and how they adapt the
use of information while learning so that it
becomes more personal, or more relevant
to them.
According to research by Dr. Anders
Ericsson, a psychology professor and
neuroscientist at Florida State University,
adaptability is a skill set found in all of us.
He argues that all humans have the gift to
adapt the human brain and body based on
their experiences and changing conditions
in their environment. His research has
found that individuals who demonstrate
extraordinary performance in their chosen
profession also demonstrate the ability to
be adaptive, to learn from experiences,
good and bad, and get better through
deliberate efforts.
We all have the ability to adapt, but some
learn how to be more adaptive than
others and can achieve much higher
performance. In other words, adaptability
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is a skill set that can be learned and
developed. We learn to be adaptive
by learning how to process training or
the consumption of formal instruction
and day-to-day experiences. The more
deliberate and purposeful we are about
how we turn this information into behavior
change can determine how successful we
can be in our profession.
ADAPTABILITY
IS A SKILL SET THAT
CAN BE LEARNED
AND DEVELOPED.
In his book, “Peak: Secrets from the New
Science of Expertise,” Dr. Ericsson shows
that individuals who best leverage their
ability to adapt by being purposeful and
deliberate in getting better at what they
do, consistently improve at levels greater
and faster than those who haphazardly go
through the motions of repetition, doing
tasks over and over with no clear approach
to getting better.
As simple as this sounds, the concept of
deliberate practice has huge implications for
learning and development professionals.
Corporate training organizations have
traditionally been guilty of assuming that
their responsibility towards improving
an individual’s performance happened
within the classroom or structured
learning environment. And assuming how
the individual applied skills or knowledge
from the training course on the job was
the responsibility of the learner.
What we can take from this research is
that the more deliberate we as training
SECRETS OF SOURCING
DOUG HARWARD
professionals are at preparing the learner
to adapt in workplace conditions, and
how we shift our focus from being a
course provider to a performance support
organization can and will have huge
implications to the value we provide to
the business.
THREE LESSONS
From where I sit, there are three very
simple lessons we should consider adding
to job training in our organizations. First,
let’s become deliberate about how we
teach adaptability. Adaptability is a skill
set that deals with knowing how to assess
and diagnose on-the-job situations that
may be out of the norm, how to determine
alternatives that may be suitable solutions,
and how to be deliberate about improving
through repetition.
Secondly, we must consider how we
design and formalize on-the-job training.
We all recognize that employees learn
more on the job than in the classroom,
so let’s assume the responsibility of
teaching workers how to get better on
the job. Consider on-the-job training as a
formal experience.
Lastly, consider how you can teach the
process of deliberate practice. The more
an individual learns to be deliberate, and
how we personalize our own learning and
performance improvement, can not only
be a game changer for us on the job, but a
life-changing experience as well.
Doug Harward is CEO of Training Industry,
Inc. and a former learning leader in the high-
tech industry. Email Doug.
| 57

LEARNING IS A
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Being selfish is typically frowned upon
in most areas of our lives. The adage,
“There’s no I in team” comes to mind
when an individual is ridiculed for
exhibiting a self-centered attitude. But
in training, these rules don’t exactly
apply. In fact, there are two I’s in training.
When you think about it, learning
is a personal experience. It’s about
self-exploration, gaining knowledge,
building confidence and expanding
skill sets. Regardless of how it
occurs or whether it’s for personal or
professional growth, learning is about
the individual.
LEARNING IS ABOUT
THE INDIVIDUAL.
In corporate training, we must realize
that each employee is unique, and these
differences will influence outcomes. As
an example, consider one department at
your organization where multiple people
perform the same job. Now, think about
the backgrounds of these individuals
(e.g., education, experience, age, etc.).
Then, consider their weaknesses and
strengths. And finally, consider their
interests and long-term goals.
While these individuals may perform the
same job, they are dynamically different
people who will progress at different
speeds and interpret information
differently. In this context, we can see
why a one-size-fits-all training program
would fail to meet the needs of all
the employees.
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THE RISE OF
PERSONALIZED LEARNING
Technology is transforming our lives
– both inside and outside of the
workplace. Today’s learners have grown
accustom to personalized experiences
in their day-to-day lives. From consumer
websites recommending products based
on previous searches to GPS tracking
offering a recommendation based on
your specific location, it is only natural
for employees to expect that same level
of customization in training.
Modern learners want to be at the center
of the learning experience. They are
concerned with the specific skills they
need to perform their job and focused
on the speed in which they can achieve
growth. Before sinking their time into
countless hours of training, learners
want to understand what’s in it for them
and how their role is making an impact
in other areas of the business.
Personalized learning is engaging
and impactful because it provides
the relevancy learners want and that
organizations need to meet business
goals. For example, adaptive learning
technologies can monitor the progress
of employees, providing learning and
development (L&D) with data and
insight into their performance.
The technology uses a question-
based approach to check learner
comprehension and enables the learner
to place-out of content they may
have already mastered. This ensures
the learner is not wasting their time
on content they already know and
LEARNER MINDSET
MICHELLE EGGLESTON
allows them to focus on more
challenging information.
COMING TOGETHER
The learner is just one side of the
equation. The priorities of the business
must also be taken into consideration
when developing corporate training
initiatives. When you get down to it,
high-performing organizations develop
training programs that reflect the needs
of the business. L&D must translate the
organization’s mission, values, goals
and objectives into training programs
that will maximize the performance
of its employees to deliver on the
intended outcomes.
While the learner and the business
operate with individual goals in mind,
L&D must serve as a “liaison” advocating
for the needs and expectations of both
audiences. Training is the catalyst to
driving organizational performance. It
could be argued that L&D should view
those two I’s in training as representative
of the learner and the business. One is
irrelevant without the other.
Without strategically aligned training
programs, organizations will likely fall
short in preparing their employees to
meet their goals. By acknowledging
that learning is a personal experience,
L&D can bring relevancy to training
that will benefit the learner as well as
the business.
Michelle Eggleston is the editorial director at
Training Industry, Inc. Email Michelle.
| 59
ARE YOU BEING HEARD?

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Start by speaking their language. Earn your Certified Professional in Training Management
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3 CONSIDERATIONS
WHEN PERSONALIZING
LEARNING
The past decade has rapidly increased
our access to personalized experiences
in every part of our lives. Heading to
lunch? An app of your choosing will be
there to recommend restaurants based
on your past experience. Leaving your
house for the day? A prominent map app
will make an educated (and most likely
correct) guess at where you’re heading
based on the day of the week, time of
day, etc.
As our use of technology becomes
more and more personalized, we
should be clear in assessing the
WITHOUT A
“BIG WHY,”
ENGAGEMENT
WILL BE
SHALLOW.
potential of personalization in learning.
It is important to not overlook the
context and overarching end goal of
learning personalization, aligning our
employees, our initiatives and our
technology accordingly.
THE BIG WHY
At our company, we often talk about
our “big why,” the motivating and
inspirational reason behind our mission
and vision. The “big why” allows all of
us to passionately take part in driving
forward the mission and vision we share.
Some of the examples of personalization
I mentioned above, and others in
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areas like music, entertainment and
tourism are useful, but are missing a
“big why.” Without a “big why,” interest
and engagement will be short term
and shallow.
Fortunately, in learning, the “big why”
is consistent and easy to call out. Every
employee is interested in their career
and the development of their skills. We
need to emphasize the “big why” when
we provide personalized learning so that
employees are always reminded of their
long-term goal. We believe that each
employee should have a skill plan that
contains personalized learning, giving
them direction and bringing them closer
to their career goals.
CONTEXT MATTERS
The personalized skill plan is great at
guiding and directing employees to
progress in their career goals. However,
if a skill plan is something I, as an
employee, have to explicitly visit on
my own, it will have limited traction. In
other words, what good is
personalization if the user never sees
it? Personalized learning should be
surfaced to the employee in an efficient
and low-energy way.
In addition, our team has seen a higher
level of activity on learning items
that contain the context as to why
the user is seeing it. For example,
I am much more likely to watch a
video if I know it was also watched
or recommended by a coworker. The
context makes all of the difference!
WHAT’S NEXT IN TECH
ERIC SHARP
TECHNOLOGY
Everyone is talking about putting the
employee at the center of the learning
universe, but how do you put that
into practice? Now that we all agree
that personalization and adaptive
learning are key to putting the learner
at the center, how do we make that
happen? I would suggest an examination
of your current technology is the best
place to start.
Technology can have a dramatic effect
on your ability to personalize your
learning landscape. Machine learning
can be leveraged to draw correlations
from similar employees across your
business and surface the personalized
learning to them. Technology capable
of analyzing the complexities and
variations of employee learning and
presenting a personalized, engaging
learning experience is transformational
in an organization. Do your due
diligence on the technology you use;
buzz words are not enough!
I am pleasantly surprised at the level
of engagement our employees have
when you place a personalized skill
plan in front of them (reiterating their
“big why”) and then create frictionless
ways for them to find the context of
learning presented to them. Bring
personalization to the forefront of
your efforts and you will see increased
employee satisfaction and employee
engagement, which can transform your
company culture.
Eric Sharp is the co-founder and chief
technology officer at Degreed. Email Eric.
| 61
 CLOSING
D E A L S
MANAGEMENT COACHING PLATFORM USES AI
TO ENGAGE TEAMS AND DEVELOP LEADERS
Simon Rakoski, David Mendlewicz and
Marcus Perezi-Tormos saw a problem:
New leaders, promoted early in their
careers, lacked the training in leadership
and soft skills to prepare them to
manage teams and people effectively.
“We saw leadership training as a huge
white space in the market,” says Rakoski.
That’s why they created Butterfly, a
management coaching platform that
uses artificial intelligence to collect
real-time feedback from employees.
Managers use that feedback, according
to Rakoski, the COO, “to gain insight on
factors that can enable them to make
NO GENERATION
OF EMPLOYEES
FEELS THEY GET
WHAT THEY
NEED FROM
THEIR LEADERS.
better people decisions, have a bird’s eye
view of the mood of their organization,
and show employees that happiness
is a top priority.” The feedback, which
is anonymous, is collected weekly or
biweekly through a pulse survey based
on engagement factors identified
by advisors from The University of
Oxford and Columbia University. Alex,
the platform’s artificial intelligence
(AI) leadership coach, “gets to know
managers over time and provides
custom and ongoing leadership training
via digestible content.”
| 62
BY TARYN OESCH
Butterfly, which was named a top-five
messaging app by the Webby Awards
last year, announced a $ 2.4M seed round
in October, led by venture capital firm
Daphni, to “evolve Butterfly’s platform
and expand the team to support
increased client and product demand”
based on current partners, who
Rakoski says “represent Fortune 500
organizations across various industries
and regions.”
ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP
COACHING FOR
MILLENNIAL MANAGERS
“Education is really only powerful to the
extent that it’s relevant,” says Rakoski.
Effective manager coaching should
be relevant, personalized, iterative
and ongoing. AI helps organizations
meet these coaching needs at a scale
previously impossible.
Artificial intelligence is the ability of
a computer or robot to perform tasks
like identifying patterns in data, speech
recognition and decision-making,
which previously needed a human to
complete. It’s used in adaptive learning
platforms to personalize content based
on individual learner data, such as
team member feedback or answers to
assessment questions.
Butterfly’s platform is especially targeted
at millennial managers, who are entering
leadership ranks at increasing rates as
baby boomers retire. Those millennials
are used to real-time communication
like texting and instant messaging,
and looking to use those tools in the
workplace. They also value immediate
feedback and are very coachable – but
they want their coaching to be based
on data. However, according to a 2012
Harvard Business Review article, the
average manager becomes a supervisor
around age 30 but doesn’t receive
leadership training until age 42.
A 2016 study by PDT and Leading
Dimensions Consulting found that
millennials tend to prefer a coaching
style in their own leadership. They enjoy
collaborative cultures and succeed at
gaining consensus among stakeholders
and, according to PDT managing
director Paul Findlay, “may cultivate a
more transparent culture with leaders
who are more inclined to seek feedback
and buy-in.” However, Findlay also says,
“Millennial leaders may risk settling
into a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to
leadership” due to their ability to adapt
to the fast pace of business. Using a
platform like Butterfly may help by
providing instant feedback and teaching
leaders how to make adjustments based
on that feedback.
Ultimately, a recent Life Meets Work
study found, no generation of employees
feels they get what they need from
their leaders. That includes millennials
but also Generation Z, Generation X
and baby boomers. It’s clear that we all
need better managers who understand
their employees and know how to
lead them well. Perhaps by using new
technologies like artificial intelligence
to provide feedback and adapt learning,
we can enter 2018 with leaders who are
better prepared to guide employees and
organizations to a successful future.
Tary n Oesch is an editor at Training Industry,
Inc. Email Taryn.
 C O M PA N Y
N E W S
ACQ UI S I T I O N SAN DPA RTN E R SHIPS
VitalSource, the leading platform for
institutions, campus stores, publishers,
and companies to create and deliver
educational and training content,
has acquired the assets of Seattle-
based corporate learning-technology
leader, Intrepid Learning. Intrepid
Learning’s and VitalSource’s corporate
and professional business platforms
will launch under the brand Intrepid
by VitalSource™.
Instructure, a leading software-as-a-
service (SaaS) technology company in
education and learning and performance
management, has acquired Practice, an
applied video microlearning solution
used to sustain continuous learning
cultures and drive innovation.
INDUSTRY NE WS
INDEX TO QUANTIFY AND
BENCHMARK SALES READINESS
MindTickle, the company with a
comprehensive enablement platform
and a trusted by global sales leaders
to ensure always-ready sales teams,
launched the Sales Capability Index
(SCI), a capability score that, for the
first time in the industry, provides a
holistic, quantified assessment of sales
reps and team readiness, while also
producing a leading indicator of their
expected performance.
LEARNING SCIENCE RESEARCH
Fuse Universal, market leading next-
generation learning solutions provider,
will collaborate with the computer
science department at University
College London (UCL) to explore
machine learning driven personalized
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - ADAPTING LEARNING 2018 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
HighGround, a transformational employee
engagement platform provider, has
acquired Yoi Corporation, a leader in
predictive situational coaching. The
acquisition places HighGround at the
forefront of continuous performance
management, arming customers with a
new approach for enhancing employee
coaching, learning and performance.
Corel Corporation has acquired
ClearSlide, the sales engagement
platform leader that enables sales,
marketing and service teams to drive
more successful customer interactions.
With this acquisition, Corel will invest in
the development of ClearSlide’s cloud-
based platform, fueling its technology
leadership and enabling ClearSlide to
grow its business in new markets.
learning experiences. The project’s
aim is to look into human learning
trends, to drive the development of
novel e-learning software systems that
provide a learning environment and
corporate training within organizations.
NEW SELF-REVIEW EVALUATION
15Five, the performance management
platform, announced a new quarterly
performance review feature, the Best-
Self Review, designed to replace annual
employee evaluation. This research-
backed performance management
software facilitates quarterly or
biannual performance check-ins
where employees and their managers
reflect on progress over the previous
quarter, and work together to map
each employee’s career trajectory and
development path.
Kaplan Professional Education
(Kaplan Professional), a unit of global
education provider Kaplan, Inc., signed
an agreement to acquire the College
for Financial Planning (CFFP) from
Apollo Education Group, enhancing
its leadership role in educating and
preparing professionals in the financial
services industry globally by expanding
its already superb selection of offerings.
Callidus Software, a global leader in
cloud-based sales, marketing, learning
and customer experience solutions,
announced that it has acquired Learning
Seat, a cutting-edge provider of adaptive
training and compliance learning
content. The acquisition enhances
CallidusCloud Litmos Learning Platform
by adding nearly 500 courses.
VIRTUAL REALITY
MICROSIMULATION EXPERIENCE
Aquinas, the premiere learning
reinforcement software company,
unveiled a cutting edge virtual
reality simulation product. Dubbed
“Microsimulation Engine,” the product
was recently previewed at the NYVR
Expo, where Aquinas co-led the
creation of the conference and advised
on the overall production.
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