19

Is Tech the Answer?

Jerry Kaminski

Maria, vice president of operations, is reading Fast Company and considering using some new, really slick learning technology for her next project.

Steve, the company’s chief talent development officer, is sitting in his office when the phone rings. It’s Maria: “Steve, do you have a moment to discuss a proposition I have for the company?”

Steve is always open to hearing Maria’s suggestions. She starts by telling Steve about an article she just read detailing how new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and wearables are revolutionizing how training and talent development is delivered. Steve sighs. He’s been looking into many of these technologies as well, but continues to get resistance from both the IT department (“We can’t support those technologies”) and finance department (“Do you know how much it will cost to have these toys in our portfolio?”).

Not wanting to be a naysayer, Steve continues to listen to Maria’s ideas and enthusiasm about these technologies. She shares the article’s conclusion about how easy it is to develop solutions with these products and how much time and cost it can save the organization. Steve begins jotting notes from Maria’s ideas, and is particularly interested in reading the article and some of the sources she is referencing.

“Steve, why can’t we develop wearable technologies for our technicians to use in the field?” Maria asks. “We could track their completions of any required training, as well as provide our operator qualifications directly to our learning management system.”

Knowing that Steve is still listening intently, Maria adds, “I would also like to use AR and some form of game mechanics in the design. Could we make it like that game show—ask the audience, phone a friend, or eliminate two as a creative way to answer questions our technicians may have in the field?”

She continues explaining the what of the solution, but lacks many details about the actual content or the how or how-to needed to accomplish behavioral changes as a result of the solution. Her entire focus is on the technology and how she thinks it could revolutionize the company and its image as being tech-savvy.

What does Steve say? First, he asks for clarification: “Maria, can I ask some questions to help narrow down how our talent development team could help?”

“Sure Steve, ask away,” Maria replies.

So he asks the following questions:

• “Do you have a target content area that we could focus this on and not be so broad?”

• “Is there a timeline for development? A budget?”

• “Do you have the resources for subject matter experts my team can work with?”

• “Do you have senior leadership support to start this endeavor?”

• “How soon do you want us to start?”

• “What’s your vision for communicating these new technologies, and do we have a change management plan for the technicians?”

“Yes, I have answers to all these questions and more details,” Maria responds. “Let’s schedule some time next week to outline a plan I can present during the next senior leaders roundtable the following week. You know I like working with your group, and I think between the two of us, we can hit a home run with this project.”

Now what? Where does Steve start? How can he accomplish all that Maria has asked and do it within his resource constraints of budget, people, and technology? And most important, how can he provide a solution with real, meaningful change and benefits? According to Gartner (2017), “80 percent of social business efforts will not achieve the intended benefits due to inadequate leadership and an overemphasis on technology.”

Assessing New Technologies

Before we jump to emerging technologies, let’s do a quick review of current technologies. Many are grounded in the success of future technologies and understanding them is just as important as moving into the emerging technologies.

Steve starts assessing new technologies, focusing on those that Maria outlined: AI, AR, VR, and wearables. Maria also mentioned game mechanics. Steve’s team has been keeping tabs on these emerging technologies for some time and has been trying to identify a proof-of-concept project that might allow them to bring something into the company. This may be the ideal opportunity!

When assessing current and emerging technologies, the choices are all over the board in terms of vendors, technologies, costs, timelines, and “glitz factor.” While nonlearning professionals may be attracted by the glitz, they may not always be pleased by the outcomes. The good news is, Maria has outlined her ideal outcomes and thoughts, which Steve can focus his assessment on. She is looking specifically at wearables and game mechanics paired with the technical skills of the technicians. Steve believes this would be an ideal marriage of technology and performance, and would allow him to focus his attention on one technology rather than the entire spectrum. He is also excited because he recently saw a demonstration of a solution with wearables that sounds exactly like what Maria is looking to accomplish.

When reviewing existing technologies, consider how many will aid in the success of using emerging technologies. Explore current technologies that affect a digitization strategy first, and then look at the bigger picture of the emerging technologies for talent development.

Content Management

Content management is the process for collection, delivery, retrieval, governance, and overall management of information in any format. Generally, it applies primarily to digital content, from creation through storage and deletion. Examples of content include MS Word documents, PowerPoint, multimedia or e-learning files, movie files, audio files, graphics, or any asset used to support learning activities.

There are three major components to content management solutions:

• content storage capability

• tracking, logistic, and administration capability

• delivery systems.

Let’s start by defining some of these systems and how they affect technology use for talent development.

• Learning management system (LMS). An LMS is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of educational courses or training programs. This is the heart of logistical tracking of students’ content completion, tracking, and scheduling.

• Learning content management system (LCMS). An LCMS is a platform that allows you to create, manage, host, and track digital learning content. You can think of it as a one-stop shop for e-learning, from creation to delivery. The LCMS is essentially a storage facility for all your learning assets, including content, graphics, videos, and audio. It also has the ability to build a finished course.

What is the difference between an LMS and an LCMS? Because of their similarities, people often think LMSs and LCMSs are the same thing. In fact, the term LMS has evolved to describe products that have both LMS and LCMS functionality, which can be incredibly confusing for first-time users or buyers. But there are differences you can look out for to help choose the type of platform that’s best for your organization.

The biggest difference is that an LCMS is used to create course content, while an LMS is used to deliver that content to learners. Whether you have separate systems for your LCMS and LMS or use one LMS suite that includes both (which is common), they work in tandem to manage the entire learning process.

For example, say a developer needs to create e-learning content about updated managerial techniques. They can use an LCMS to collaborate on and author this content, combining pre-existing assets (such as videos, audio, and images) with content created in-system, such as text and assessments. The LCMS can then help arrange all this material into a logically sequenced, comprehensive course on the subject.

From there, developers can publish the finished content to an LMS. Trainees log in to the LMS to take courses and assessments, while managers and corporate trainers can access it to track learner progress and outcomes. Both the LMS and the LCMS should be integrated into your human resource information system (HRIS) as well as be aligned with your HR and training data.

Content Delivery Systems

Computer-based training (CBT or e-learning) was first introduced in the mid-1980s and championed as the tool that would put an end to instructor-led training (ILT). In fact, many predicted that learning organizations would no longer train workers in a classroom setting. Forty years later, however, the percentage of ILT remains very large—exceeding 50 percent in many organizations (much as it was in the mid-1980s). What has changed is the breadth of training offerings; instead of CBT wholesale replacing ILT, it just grew the base of offerings.

Many instructional designers and talent development managers agree that there is some considerably bad e-learning on the market—especially those e-learning courses that are no more than “sound on slide” presentations. The 1960s and early 1970s saw extensive use of 35mm slideshows synced with audio tapes; having an automated voice system advancing the projected slides was a revolutionary concept. Even with the advent of less expensive technology, graphics, video, audio, touchscreens, and mobile connectivity (laptop, tablet, or phone), many e-learning programs continue to look like those early sound-on-slide approaches. For advanced technology to be truly revolutionary or emerging, it needs to transform the way the tasks or training is conducted. Many emerging technologies are transforming how we do e-learning, such as using higher levels of interactivity, simulations, and virtual reality foundations to better prepare today’s workers. There is still a significant need for e-learning programs, and many companies still consider it to be an emerging technology (see appendix 2 for a list of technology platforms and systems).

In addition to technology, organizations also use aggregators (or curators) and integrators to help with their digital strategy. Here is a brief description of these different support organizations:

• Aggregators or curators. Content curation is the process of gathering information relevant to a topic or area of interest. Services or people that implement content curation are called curators. These services can be used by businesses and end users. In simple terms, the process of content curation is the act of sorting through large amounts of content on the web and presenting the best posts in a meaningful and organized way. The process can include sifting, sorting, arranging, and placing found content into specific themes, and then publishing that information to a targeted audience.

• Integrators. These are third-party companies (usually identified by LMS or LCMS vendors) that assist organizations with the implementation of their systems. The success of the integrator lies with its ability to fit all your systems together seamlessly and with minimum user interruptions. In some instances, the vendor may serve as the integrator, or a chosen partner will serve this role. The integrator brings considerable experience with the LMS or LCMS, and often the company’s HRIS, which is another critical component.

Examples of aggregators or curators and integrators include Accord, Axonify, Bamboo, Coursera, Degreed, EdCast, Exec Online, FUSE, Harvard ManageMentor, Joomla, LRN (ethics and compliance content), Pathgear, Pinterest, Red Vector (technical content), LinkedIn Learning Saba, SAP Hana, SAP JAM, Skillsoft Percipio, Udemy, Workday (social learning platform), and Your Learning.

Emerging Technologies

To this point, we have explored many of the current technologies within the talent development arena. However, these are all back-office technologies—those that reside predominantly in the development and logistics area. The majority of emerging technologies are in the realm of instructional design and content development, and don’t necessarily address delivery. If you recall from our opening story, Maria was looking for AI, VR, and AR. Let’s explore these emerging technologies and see how they affect the learning function.

Artificial Intelligence

AI is the theory and development of computer systems that are able to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision making, and language translation. AI requires considerable development around rule-based outcomes, and while it can supplement many routine tasks, it does require a higher level of sophistication to actually replace human intelligence.

AI is commonly used in decision trees or procedural tasks. Use of Bloom’s Taxonomy is key when developing an AI solution—questions and tasks must align with the six levels: knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, evaluation, and creation. While AI continues to grow and become more widespread, there is still considerable research needed to make it work for human performance. Consider this—ATMs were one of the first commercial applications of AI. They knew you were doing only one of three tasks: withdrawing money, depositing money, or inquiring about balances. Once you made that selection, the next question for the decision tree was whether it was for a checking, savings, or money market account. The decision tree was fairly specific and did not require human interaction or training on the user’s part to accomplish the tasks. Another use of AI is the self-checkout lines at many stores today.

Virtual Reality

VR has been prevalent for some time in complex, dangerous, or costly simulations, such as controlling nuclear reactors. This technology is composed of computer-generated simulations of 3-D images or environments that users can interact with in a seemingly real or physical way by using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors. VR is considered the ultimate simulation, allowing the user to perform a series of tasks or experience the environment. Flight simulators are another type of VR solution.

Augmented Reality

AR is a newer technology that shows the most promise and, when combined with wearable technology, has the potential to offer solutions never before imagined in the TD field. AR technology superimposes a computer-generated image onto the user’s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view. For Maria’s request, consider this scenario: A technician is dispatched to a customer site that has a serious equipment issue. While the technician is fully qualified to work on many pieces of equipment and platforms, they are not fully up to speed with this particular equipment and layout. So, the technician puts on a wearable set of glasses, calls up the customer and specific equipment in his portable-connected devices and then looks at the open equipment bay. The wearables pick up a QR code that has been installed in the equipment bay, pull up the appropriate schematic diagram along with step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting, and display it superimposed onto the actual circuitry. The technician is then able to troubleshoot and repair the equipment in a matter of minutes, never having to leave the workspace, pull out a manual, or even second guess if he’s got the right diagrams or solutions. While all emerging technologies have merit, AR is the leading contender for highly skilled jobs and roles. It allows for reality-based and real-time use or training for complicated roles, and leads to faster, more efficient repairs and reduced training for individuals.

Wearables

Wearable technology is a category of electronic devices that can be worn as accessories, embedded in clothing, implanted in the user’s body, or even tattooed on the skin. The devices are practical, hands-free gadgets that are powered by microprocessors and enhanced with the ability to send and receive data via the Internet. Wearables are not entirely new, but with the advent of smaller and faster technology and connections, they’re becoming more popular. When wearables are combined with augmented reality, it becomes possible to perform a multitude of tasks that no longer require extensive training, volumes of manuals, or fear of incorrect solutions or sequences (as in the example of the technician from the AR section). Wearables are revolutionizing the way people perform, work, and learn. Job aids were originally developed to reduce the instruct-to-recall, and wearables combined with AR take that thought process even further. These technologies will continue to expand and inspire new solutions as they come down in price and become more accessible for developers. Just as digital video cameras and editing software revolutionized the entire video media industry, so will wearables.

Drones

Drone technology is not specifically new or unique to talent development. A drone, in technological terms, is an unmanned aircraft, and they’re more formally known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Essentially, a drone is a flying robot that can be remotely controlled or fly autonomously through software-controlled flight plans in their embedded systems, working in conjunction with onboard sensors and GPS. Video capture is the most common use of drones in talent development, because they give you the ability to get high-resolution aerial photography that once was only available using aircraft. Drone technology is not very complicated, but combined with many of the other new technologies, it gives the TD function a much broader appeal of capabilities.

Gamification and Game Mechanics

Use of gaming theories falls into two distinct arenas: gamification and game mechanics. These both encompass the process of adding games or game-like elements to something (such as a task or training) to encourage participation and completion.

Game mechanics are methods invoked by agents designed for interaction with the game state, thus providing game play. All games use mechanics; however, theories and styles differ as to their ultimate importance to the game. In general, the process and study of game design are focused on developing game mechanics that allow for an engaging, although not necessarily fun, experience. The interaction of game mechanics determines the game’s complexity and level of player interaction, as well as game balance when tied to the game’s environment and resources. Some forms of game mechanics have been used for centuries, while others were invented within the past decade. Complexity in game mechanics should not be confused with depth or even realism.

Budgeting

So how much do these new and emerging technologies cost? When you start thinking about budgeting and cost for emerging technologies, it’s like buying a car. Do I want a low-cost car, a midlevel car, or a luxury model? Technology is much the same: There are price points for all solutions and budgets.

When you’re entering into a partnership with technology vendors, one of the first questions they’ll ask is, “What is your budget?” They’re likely not trying to upsell you on more expensive solutions (although there’s always a chance that they are); instead, they are trying to judge a solution that best fits your budget amount. Obviously you can always grow your budget, but be realistic up front; you may tell your business partners you can deliver X only to find out your budget can only deliver Y. A common mistake when dealing with technology-related projects (not just within talent development but across all disciplines) is overpromising a solution for the budget you have. Make sure everyone has realistic expectations of the outcomes as well as the budget being spent.

Before you start developing your budget projection—especially for an emerging technology—there are several cost considerations to keep in mind. They’ll affect how much you’ll be spending, as well as your project’s ROI.

Audience Size

While your business partners may want a technology solution for all problems and audiences, consider that it may not be as cost effective as you think. Normally solutions for fewer than 250 people are not cost effective. To fully identify your minimum audience size, complete an ROI analysis using both the cost of the solution and the cost of the problem. Audience size may vary based on the solution cost, but always consider it in your decision-making process before agreeing to implement the solution. Ensure your requestor confirms the audience size before committing to development.

Audience Distribution

Just as audience size is critical, so too is audience distribution. When dealing with technologies such as wearables or computer-based VR simulations, having a large, distributed audience can be costly. Make sure to complete a thorough assessment of your audience’s makeup and locations, as well as your ability to support large-scale technology. The term scalability is critical to the decision process. While you may be able to develop an emerging solution for one location, implementing it worldwide to 50 locations may be both a challenge and a huge cost consideration.

Content Volatility

One of the more overlooked cost factors with budget is content volatility—how long will the content remain current before it needs revision? Developing a solution that has a shelf life of two months means you may be right back at square one developing a new solution. While up-front costs for equipment, staff, or software are high, the cost for development may be even higher, especially if you use a vendor for development. Emerging technology solutions can cost upward of $250,000 per project. So, make sure you consider the content shelf life when doing your analysis and planning.

Technology Readiness

While it’s not a direct cost or budget consideration, you should consider the technology readiness of your development team, IT department, and end users. Do they require specialized training and should that be included in the budget? What about specialized hardware and software? Make sure you’re not selecting an emerging technology that is too advanced, cumbersome, or costly for your user population. And if you do, include that in your costing and budgeting analysis before you start. You’ll also want to involve your communications and change management teams as you embark on your project—what good is a perfect solution if nobody knows about it?

Cost

Again, consider if you want the low-, medium-, or high-cost solution. As with most projects, solutions are available at all price points. When deciding, make sure the price point you select matches your expectations for outcomes, as well as your requestor’s. Telling them they are getting top-of-the-line solutions, only to see marginally different outcomes, will do considerable harm to your reputation and ability to request additional projects. Cost savings could also include grants, joint-project budgets, and co-op work with your vendor.

Return on Investment

Lastly, after collecting all the cost factors, complete an ROI analysis. Identify the cost of the problem you are attempting to solve and the cost of the solution you are implementing. Ideally, you want the cost of the solution to be less than the problem. Exceptions to that are when a solution is mandated or you are attempting a proof-of-concept project, which will have learning implications for future projects.

Summary

Determining your digital strategy is not a straightforward decision. First, you should be very cautious and thorough in all your decisions, especially for emerging technologies. Next, consider using an accomplished vendor, benchmarking others who have implemented similar projects, doing your homework and research, and being prepared for setbacks and failures. Finally, use an Agile approach to your work; that is, use sprints to do small cycles of development, test your hypothesis at each one, and improve each time.

So, getting back to our story … What did Steve do?

Steve connected with a local vendor he had used in the past and outlined the project he wanted to pursue. They came up with a solid project plan outlining a wearable glasses solution that linked to the LMS as well as an internal help desk. The wearable used AR real-time overlays and work instructions.

Technicians put on the wearable glasses, connected to the LMS, LCMS, and help desk. The glasses then recognized a QR code displayed on the equipment and pulled up the schematics, overlaying them on the viewer along with the troubleshooting instructions. Technicians were now able to fix customer problems in half the time, as well as fix customer equipment in a fraction of the time it used to take. Also, with real-time access to the help desk, technicians now had an immediate connection to a senior technician if they encountered issues outside the normal work instructions.

The solution has been such a huge success by marrying two technology solutions (VR and QR codes), revamping technician processes and procedures, and retooling the technicians. While all components were critical to the change in performance, the technology was essential for making this solution the desired outcome. Both Steve and Maria were recognized at the last senior-leader town hall and received promotions.

While the ROI was huge in terms of costs to fixing customer equipment problems, a larger benefit was realized that no one had considered. The company became a leader in technical repairs—resulting in six new customer contracts. Those new businesses realized a profit well into the multimillion-dollar range, which gave Steve and Maria sufficient funding to add QR codes to every piece of equipment for all customers going forward.

Key Takeaways

Don’t take on the world—start small, with technologies you are comfortable using. If you are not currently doing e-learning, taking on a VR or AI project may be overwhelming. Start with solid, existing technologies to build your team’s confidence before embarking on new technologies.

Select successful vendors who can help you succeed. Make sure you benchmark and ask others which vendors can help provide the solutions you are looking to accomplish. Networking is key in helping you identify a vendor that best meets your needs and aligns with your organization.

Expect it to cost more, take longer, and be more complicated than anticipated. Just remember, technology can be very expensive. You will likely have to purchase hardware, software, equipment, services, programming, maintenance, and even technical support. Be realistic when planning and budgeting the project.

Be transparent and communicate frequently with the team, stakeholders, and end users. This goes without saying for any project, not just technology-related ones.

Celebrate minor and major successes throughout the development. You are in it for the duration. Have both intermittent and final benchmarks.

Keep accurate and thorough notes, records, and assets during the entire development cycle. Record keeping is critical, especially if this is your first project. The better your notes and records are, the better your next attempt will be. It will also offer you insights into timing and costs.

Complete lessons learned and close-out meetings when the project ends. Again, these are critical steps not just for technology projects but any project in the project management life cycle.

Questions for Reflection and Further Action

While these questions can apply to any organization, the focus is for organizations just embarking on an emerging technology solution. When first starting out, seek assistance from vendors and other organizations that may be more mature in their emerging technology journey. These questions help frame your journey and are meant to keep you from getting stalled in your use of technologies.

1. What ideas from this chapter do you want to pursue further?

2. How might you find additional information?

3. What is your current practice when you receive a call from the Marias of the world?

4. Where does your organization rank regarding using technologies to leverage learning?

5. Based on your current situation and context, what is your next step?

6. Do you or your team have the required skills to take on these types of projects?

7. Does it make sense for your organization to go down this path right now? For this project?