bermuda triangle of learning & development
DESCRIPTION
For decades, dozens of planes and ships disappeared in the imaginary triangle formed by Miami, San Juan, and Bermuda. Why did it stop? Is it because of the improvements in equipment, instrumentation, or the accuracy of weather predictions? Perhaps it was a combination. In learning and development, for decades, thousands of projects have been lost. They failed to be completed on time, missed their objective or been cancelled completely, thus jeopardizing the company and business initiative sponsoring the project. How does this happen? What can stop it? In this session, we will examine the L&D Bermuda Triangle: standardization, infrastructure, and outsourcing. Your ability to excel in these categories will enable you to achieve great things. Failure in one or all of these categories spells doom for your organization. The Bermuda Triangle of L&D focuses on the fundamentals of standardization—design, adoption, orientation, adherence—and the role that technology plays. Standardization must go beyond style guides and “boxes and arrows” to be effective. We will focus on infrastructure necessary to support L&D operations, from planning to development to delivery, including the role of the LMS and the emergence of the development management systems (DMS). The LMS supports the planning and delivery processes, while the DMS supports the day to day operations and development processes. We will focus on outsourcing, including vendor selection and alignment, and how to promote a successful RFP process and outsourcing campaign. If you are outsourcing one project, your entire portfolio, or merely tapping into external expertise, the process is ripe with hazards and success stories are increasingly rare. We will discuss the secrets to success of each and how the three can work together to produce transformation. What we do in L&D is hard. The challenges are always vital to the organization and no two projects are the same. Extrapolate this across a global company, with hundreds of staff on hundreds of projects. The inability to control quality, consistency, and predictability sets everyone up for failure, from the CLO down to the teams themselves. The points of the L&D Bermuda Triangle hold the secret to creating a healthy organization that achieves success and can progress forward. The three points are also the three areas where organizations most often fail to achieve success. Standardization is hard. No one who needs it really wants it. Without the proper execution, then organization fails to adopt them. Infrastructure is fundamental, but the tools available only address the peripherals of day-to-day business. There has never been a tool to meet the wide range of needs. Outsourcing is valuable for campaigns both small and large, but only if it's done right. Otherwise you can encounter massive failures, embarrassments, and jeopardize the company’s ability to be successful. There are many stories of failure in our industry. We need more successes.TRANSCRIPT
The Bermuda Triangle of Learning and Development
Conceived by: William V. West
Quantum7
For centuries, dozens of planes and ships disappeared within an imaginary triangle between Miami, Bermuda,
and San Juan
Why did it stop?
Stronger vehicles? Improved radar accuracy?
Accurate weather predicKons?
Maybe a combinaKon?
What about the Bermuda Triangle
of Learning and Development?
For decades, thousands of training projects have been lost. They failed, missed their mark,
were cancelled and/or jeopardized business operaKons.
Why?
Let’s call it the Bermuda Triangle
of Learning and Development
Lack of Standards
Failed Outsourcing
Lack of Infrastructure
Lack of Standards
Failed Outsourcing
Lack of Infrastructure
-‐ The L&D industry has no standards -‐ Everyone must design their own -‐ Most organizaKons don’t
Lack of Standards
Failed Outsourcing
Lack of Infrastructure
Not all outsourcers are great – Not all clients are prepared –
Most relaKonships are not aligned –
Lack of Standards
Failed Outsourcing
Lack of Infrastructure
-‐ Visibility is fundamental to survival -‐ -‐ The business of L&D is complex -‐ -‐ There has never been an L&D ERP -‐
Lack of Standards
Failed Outsourcing
Lack of Infrastructure
True excellence requires all three in balance, tailored to your environment
Standards
What other business funcKon tolerates randomness?
Standards
Why should L&D endure unpredictability and
unreliability?
Outsourcing
It’s not a bad thing, if done right
Everyone needs a liZle help to reach their goals
Outsourcing
But choose the wrong partner and you may not end up where you want to be.
Infrastructure
This is your fundamental strength.
Infrastructure
With it, you have all the tools to take on any challenge
Without it, your abiliKes are
limited by your tools.
(Ever seen a Captain sails his ship with a spreadsheet?)
Sound scary?
It is!
What we do in L&D is hard.
Stakeholders have high expectaKons of internal L&D teams.
Outsourcing provider have to meet them as well, and make a profit!
There’s a constant barrage
Every project is different
No other business funcKon is as complex
You will fail without:
solid standards
strong infrastructure
effecKve outsourcing
Yo! Outsource providers!
The same is true.
Without standards, infrastructure, and an ability to align with your client,
You will also fail.
Sound daunKng?
It is not!
Secrets to Success -‐ Standards?
Documented standards OrganizaKonal commitment OrientaKon for all staff Compliance by all teams
Secrets to Success -‐ Infrastructure?
Implement technology to: -‐ support development (DMS) -‐ support delivery (LMS) -‐ support portability (LCMS)
IN THAT ORDER!
Secrets to Success -‐ Outsourcing?
Adopt the Seven AZributes to: -‐ select your best partner(s) -‐ align your relaKonship -‐ apply best pracKces
For decades we’ve had too much of this.
We need more of this!
Find out more at www.quantum7.com
www.sevenaZributes.com
