Acknowledgments

Much of what I’ve learned throughout my career has resulted from collaboration with smart, creative, and talented people. In particular, I want to acknowledge four colleagues from whom I have learned so much over the years. Thank you, Marc Rosenberg, John Larson, Alan Cohen, and Rob Davis.

Thanks to Lisa Mattson and Sandra DeCastro at IMS Global^® for providing information related to the LTI^®, QTI^®, OneRoster^®, Common Cartridge^®, Thin Common Cartridge^®, Caliper Analytics^®, and Open Badges specifications.

Thanks to Andy Johnson, Jason Haag, Robby Robson, and Peter Berking at ADL, as well as the cmi5 Working Group, for providing information on the total learning architecture and the xAPI, cmi5, and CASS specifications.

And now a walk down memory lane to acknowledge the InfoMedia Designs team of the mid- to late 1990s, who worked with me to develop a very early web-based learning management system for a multinational communications company. Our LMS was focused on supporting what would eventually become known as blended learning programs. Complementary solutions included a socially adaptive knowledge base and online communities of practice. Together, these platforms provided technology and process support for an early learning and performance ecosystem. Thanks to Rob Davis, Carl Chase, Bill Weisbach, Rick Ziminski, Alan Zeldin, Dean DesRosiers, Jackie Figueroa, Vanessa Fox, Alon Baram, Stephen Dempsey, and John Larson for all that innovative work. You were ahead of your time.

Thanks to all the InfoMedia Designs customers who have hired us over the years to assist in evaluating and selecting, implementing and integrating, and optimizing and improving operations for their LMS.

Many thanks to Justin Brusino, Jack Harlow, Caroline Coppel, and all the other hardworking folks at ATD, who helped bring this book to fruition.

Additional thanks to my longtime friend and colleague Marc Rosenberg for providing valuable guidance, suggestions, and edits.

And a very special note of thanks to Patti Shank, who first suggested I write this book and put me in touch with Justin and ATD.