Streamline Your Training Program with Digital Tools and Technology
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Companies are choosing to use digital learning for their employees, vendors and other stakeholders more than ever to make training more convenient, accessible and effective. The growth of digital learning tools continues to increase and accelerate as companies realize the content and robust functionality can be as engaging as anything offered in-person. Advancing LMS (learning management system) technology makes things like video breakout sessions and group work possible, helping to create a sense of community that mimics the face-to-face experience.
Digital learning also has the advantage of focusing the majority of company resources on what really matters. Consider the time and money spent on sending employees to in-person training events. It’s more than the travel time and cost – it’s prep and event time, too. An attendee could easily fall two days behind in other work for one day of training. With digital learning, the time lost and costs involved are dramatically reduced, and participants have more time to practice the concepts they have learned.
Customer training is another area where digital platforms provide continuity of education with an innovative experience. Signal works with clients who are instructing/certifying end-users on the proper handling of their products, on safety measures and other corporate procedures. So if you’re already developing employee training on an LMS platform, see if you can repurpose elements for both audiences to foster efficiency and cost savings by setting up training assets that could be adapted for internal or external use.
Today’s platforms enable e-learning for all
There are platforms for companies of all sizes – from nearly free programs to large-scale enterprise suites. Each offers organizations the opportunity to provide training without the need for face-to-face interaction.
Participants can be invited or can register to take courses online. These platforms offer automated invitations and emails, with the ability to segment users through grouping participants or providing a custom registration form that allows users to only see or enroll in those courses on their “track.”
Additionally, the platforms offer personalization of the content as well as the assessment style. Incorporate videos and existing PowerPoints, or whatever content you have available. Showcase your most important points and ensure that users see what’s most vital. Deliver the required content to employees, clients, or vendors and give them a certificate at the end.
4 best practices for implementing your digital learning program
Understand your learning requirements. Before you begin your search for an LMS, consider your company’s unique training needs. Who are you training and where? Do you need global registration and online navigation of courses? Is it important to test participants on the content they’ve learned, time their responses, display their progress, or provide certification at the end of the training? How much personal interaction do your trainers need? Exactly what is required to take your current training content into a digital format? Having an in-depth understanding of your training needs is vital to finding the right LMS.
Select the right platform. There are a variety of options in digital platforms – from low-cost and simple to expensive global enterprise suites with all the bells and whistles. Factors to consider include ease of integration, analytics and reporting; pricing; and the level of customer support provided. While it may be tempting to go for more expansive LMS options, keep in mind the features you actually require and will likely use to meet your training needs. Don’t overload your LMS with features you won’t use.
Consider your course content. Gather content for your program and determine if it’s clearly organized and designed in a compelling format that will engage users. Use the right balance of text and supporting imagery and include audio narration, video or animations to showcase key concepts. Develop interactive assessments to ensure your audience thoroughly understands all relevant information.
Plan out your success. Once you’ve chosen your LMS, know that you’ll need to take some steps early on to do it right:
Develop a learning community. You’ll be able to use your LMS’s tools to create engaging spaces for shared conversation among your users.
Preview your content. Audit your existing content. What do you have that can be easily adapted for an LMS? What core content needs to be developed from scratch?
Plan for interaction. Think about your content on a digital platform. What would the ideal learning experience look like? Where can you make use of virtual tools like breakout rooms and chat?
Personalize your participants’ learning experiences. Today’s LMS platforms allow you to deliver training by function, role, or seniority level – or assign employees to different tracks.
Project Spotlight: Signal developed a product application training program for growers based on Rise Articulate 360 and Docebo that included interactive presentations, quizzes, a certificate of completion and reporting.
Digital learning is becoming the top choice for many companies who realize the benefits it offers. Give Signal a call for help making your digital learning program the best that it can be!
