wrong content = wrong results - axonify · wrong content = wrong results: why the right content is...

Wrong Content = Wrong Results:Why the Right Content is Key for Propelling your Business Forward

November 2017

© 2017 Brandon Hall Group. Licensed for Distribution by Axonify. 2

Wrong Content = Wrong Results:Why the Right Content is Key forPropelling your Business Forward

Table of ContentsContent as a Percentage of the Learning Budget 3Build or Buy? 4Types of Content 5Why Buy? 6How Do We Get From... 7Content Challenges 7How Content Impacts Performance 8The Blending Effect 9Learning and Performance Convergence Model 10Content Starts With the End in Mind 11Case in Point 13Key Takeaways 16Authors and Contributors 17About Axonify 18About Brandon Hall Group 23



Content typically represents a significant chunk of the learning budget, with more than half of companies devoting 20% or more to the creation or acquisition of content. Over the next 12 months, almost one-third of companies expect the amount they spend on content (as a percentage of learning budget) to increase.

Content as a Percentage of the Learning Budget

1.9%

10.8% 10.1% 10.1%

15.2% 16.5%

19.0% 16.5%

0% 1% - 4% 5% - 9% 10% - 14% 15% -19% 20% - 25% 26% - 49% 50%ormore

16%16%

19%

15%

10%10%11%

2%

31%Expectto

increase



Companies have a variety of places to turn for their learning content. They can build it themselves, have someone build it for them, buy it ready to use off the shelf, or subscribe to a content aggregator that provides access to a library or libraries. One thing is for sure: most companies don’t use just one source. Most content is created in-house, while content aggregators are relatively new and represent a small segment of the current content universe.

The sourcing of content is equally varied when we look at different subject areas. Topics like performance support, job-specific skills, and product/services knowledge are more likely to be taken care of in-house, while companies are comfortable looking externally for leadership development, compliance and general business acumen content.

Build or Buy?

Purchasedofftheshelf Createdin-house Customoutsourced Contentaggregatorsubscription

21%

57%

10% 10%

1% 2%

37%

15%

38%

7%

24%

53%

9%13%

54%

37%

5% 3%1%

None Some About half More than half All



Formal:Primarilyinstructor led,course-basedlearningevents,aswellaspublishedmaterialsandacademicinstitutions

Informal:Learningthattakesplacetypicallyinanunscheduled,adhocform,typicallythroughpeertopeercollaborationandsocialnetworking

Experiential:Learningthatinvolveshands-onexperiences,suchason-the-jobtraining,actionlearning,jobrotation,roleplay,simulations,etc.

Currently, about 45% of content on average is considered to be formal. Companies are relatively evenly split on the rest being informal and experiential. Informal and experiential learning often does not actually involve content, per se, which would explain the heavy focus on formal content. However, over the next year or so, companies expect to soften their focus on formal content slightly and increasingly look at informal and experiential content.

Current Focus

Future Focus

Types of Content

28%46%

26%

Formal:Primarilyinstructor led,course-basedlearningevents,aswellaspublishedmaterialsandacademicinstitutions

Informal:Learningthattakesplacetypicallyinanunscheduled,adhocform,typicallythroughpeertopeercollaborationandsocialnetworking

Experiential:Learningthatinvolveshands-onexperiences,suchason-the-jobtraining,actionlearning,jobrotation,roleplay,simulations,etc.

30% 40%

30%

Formal: Primarity instructor led, course-based learning events, as well as published materials and academic institutions

Informal: Learning that takes place typically in an unscheduled, ad hoc form, typically through peer to peer collaboration and social networking

Experiential: Learning that involves hands-on experiences, such as on-the-job training, action learning, job rotation, role play, simulations, etc.



Why Buy?Content Purchase DriversThere are many reasons why companies look externally for learning content. The biggest reason is that they lack the in-house skill to create everything they need, whether it is a lack of instructional designers, a technology issue, or something else. In other cases, they simply do not have the headcount. The key finding here is that reducing costs is near the bottom, meaning that this decision is based more on quality and efficiency than cost.

27%

28%

35%

44%

47%

50%

Accesstoinnovation

Reducecosts

Fasterdevelopmenttimes

Lackofin-housesubjectmatterexpertise

Staffingcapacity

Lackofin-housecapabilities(ID,technical,etc.)

27%

28%

35%

44%

47%

50%

Accesstoinnovation

Reducecosts



Staffingcapacity


27%

28%

35%

44%

47%

50%

Accesstoinnovation

Reducecosts



Staffingcapacity


27%

28%

35%

44%

47%

50%

Accesstoinnovation

Reducecosts



Staffingcapacity


27%

28%

35%

44%

47%

50%

Accesstoinnovation

Reducecosts



Staffingcapacity


27%

28%

35%

44%

47%

50%

Accesstoinnovation

Reducecosts



Staffingcapacity


27%

28%

35%

44%

47%

50%

Accesstoinnovation

Reducecosts



Staffingcapacity


Cost does become an issue when companies choose a content partner, either for custom content or content libraries. But cost still finishes second to quality when making purchasing decisions. It is not so much about saving money but rather getting value for the price that is paid.

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise

Instructionaldesignexpertise

Flexibility

Subjectmatterexpertise

Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality

9%

30%

39%

41%

43%

47%

59%

77%

82%

Personnel

Timeliness

Trust

Industryexpertise


Flexibility


Cost

Quality



How Do We Get From...

Content Challenges

ADDIE

AnalysisDesignDevelopmentImplementationEvaluation

AGILE

In order to meet the rapidly changing needs of the business, learning needs to move away from more traditional content creation methods to a more agile approach.

Contextual

Dynamic

Personal

Relevant

Timely

to

20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%

Notenoughcontentoverall

Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent

Difficulttoincorporate/integrate

Toomucholdcontent

Notenoughrelevantcontent

20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%


Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent


Toomucholdcontent


20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%


Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent


Toomucholdcontent


20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%


Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent


Toomucholdcontent


20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%


Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent


Toomucholdcontent


20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%


Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent


Toomucholdcontent


20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%


Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent


Toomucholdcontent


20%

28%

29%

31%

35%

40%

50%


Difficulttosearch

Nocuration

Low-qualitycontent


Toomucholdcontent


When it comes to content libraries and aggregators, half of companies using them say they find there is not enough relevant content. This is a challenge that must be met as companies create and buy smaller, more engaging content that drives adoption. If the content is successful, it drives even more use, requiring more relevant content to follow it up. Curation can be a challenge as well. Combined with poor search functionality, learners can get lost in a sea of non-relevant content.



How Content Impacts Performance

Traditional Content:Traditional thinking that more content is better just doesn’t fit the brain or the workflow, isn’t formatted to keep employees engaged, and doesn’t focus on a clear business result.

The Modern Workforce Needs Access to Content that Is:

Focused Fitted

Ondrivingbusinessresults

Ononlycriticalandrecentknowledge

Forabusyemployee’sschedule

Inasizethebraincaneasilydigest

Inthemediumthatfitsthebusinessobjective

Toconstantlychallengeandhelpretainknowledge

Formatted



The Blending Effect

5%

29%

46%

20%

Notatall

Smallextent

Moderateextent

Greatextent

ImprovedLinktoIndividualPerformance

10%

37%

37%

16%

Notatall

Smallextent

Moderateextent

Greatextent

ImprovedLinktoOrganizationalPerformance

Organizations that take an approach to learning that includes formal, informal and experiential learning, and provides it via multiple media and modalities, report that they have been able to improve the link between learning and both individual and organizational performance.

95%

91%BHG 70/20/10 Study, 2016 (n=243)



Learning and Performance Convergence ModelLearning is No Longer the Outcome... It’s Behavior that Drives PerformanceBrandon Hall Group’s Learning and Performance Convergence Model aligns well with Axonify’s Instructional Design Methodology. In both cases, organizations need to start with business outcomes and determine the content types and modalities that will best drive the learner behaviors that will meet those outcomes. The content needs to be created and delivered in an agile, iterative way that allows for quick changes if outcomes are not being met, or if they change.



Content Starts With the End in Mind

• Strategic Training Plan• Business Goals• Behaviors• Key Learning Points

• Questions• Micro videos• Performance Support

What is modern content?

Axonify uses the Axonify Instructional Design Methodology™ (IDM). It starts with a clearly defined business outcome, then works backward shaping the entire ecosystem of content that’s needed to generate the desired outcome. By starting with the end in mind, the content focuses on the need-to-know information that strategically generates your desired results. Axonify’s Instructional Design Methodology ensures that your employees will remember the most important things needed to elevate your business.



To fix the content problem, it’s important to understand the solution shouldn’t address just the issue of content creation. We can’t squeeze old content into new technology, nor can we do the reverse. Content and technology play equal roles in modernizing the entire employee learning experience.

Companies looking to modernize learning have begun to transition away not only

from traditional LMS platforms, but also the way they look at learning content. They want systems that rely on better content to fuel employee knowledge, change behavior, and achieve business impact. Many have transformed their own instructional design teams to build content using a focused outcomes-first approach. The key is to develop content that is results-focused, micro-sized, video-first, and question-based; and use platforms that are adaptive, gamified, continuous, and available anywhere.

How much of the problem is content vs. delivery?

We have no problem with either

We have a content delivery problem

We have both a content problem and a content delivery problem

We have a content problem

20%

32%

44%

4%



Case in Point

• Knowledge 92% (+14%)• Participation Rate 94%• Participation Frequency 10 times/month

• 90% Violations• Participation Frequency 10 times/month

50,000 employees

500+ locations

Business Goal: Reduce alcohol sales to minors violations

National Multi-brand Retailer

Results

Business Impact



• Knowledge +14% Lift across all safety topics

• Participation Rate 80+%• Participation Frequency

8.5 times/month

• 40% Reduction to RIR• 31% Reduction to LTIFR

20,000 employees

50+ facilities, 10 languages

Opportunity: Reduce costs associated with workplace injuries (RIR and LTIFR)

Global Manufacturer

Results

Business Impact

Case in Point

Reduction in both Recordable Incident Rate and Lost Time Injury Frequency rate



• Knowledge 86% (+14%) • Participation Rate 78%• Participation Frequency

7.9 times/month

• 14s Call Handling Times• 22% Repeat Calls• 5% Customer Value (4)

1,000 call center employees

Opportunity: Reduce call handling times, reduce repeat calls, increase customer value

Fortune Global 500 Service Provider

Results

Business Impact

Case in Point



Key Takeaways

• It’s not just content or delivery, it’s both.

• Learning content needs to be aimed at specific business outcomes.

• If you build it, they will not come. Give them a reason.

• Content needs to be agile and iterative.

• Focus on results!



Authors and ContributorsDavid Wentworth ([email protected]) wrote this report. He is Principal Learning Analyst at Brandon Hall Group, focusing on all aspects of learning and the technology that supports it. David has been in the human capital field since 2005 and joined Brandon Hall Group as senior learning analyst in early 2012.

Craig Wahl is Vice President of Client Experience at Axonify.

Emma Bui ([email protected]) is the Graphic Design Associate at Brandon Hall Group and created the graphics and layout for this report.



About Axonify

With the Axonify Employee Knowledge platform, you do more than train people. You drive performance through knowledge. In only minutes a day, your employees log-in to get the right learning, at exactly the right time, so they can do the right things for your business. What makes us different? Our platform uniquely combines adaptive microlearning, brain science and gamification to make learning sessions irresistible, and ingrain knowledge deep enough to change behavior on the job. But what really sets Axonify apart is our ability to help you measure learning’s direct impact on your business. Finally, you have a way to tie learning trough to behaviors that impact the things that matter most.

Axonify – The World’s First Employee Knowledge Platform



Axonify Case StudyPowerhouse home décor retailer, At Home, boosts sales by investing in the right kind of associate training

How do you scale employee training across multiple stores at an accelerated pace to ensure ev-eryone — from the store associate to the store director — has the information required to drive profitability and growth?

That’s the question that faced retailer, At Home, as it underwent a complete transformation from a tired pottery warehouse (formerly known as Garden Ridge) to a powerhouse home décor brand — in less than 24 months.Searching for an effective training solutionChief People Officer, Valerie Davisson, knew that the right kind of employee training program was integral to At Home’s successful transformation. The company needed to align more than 3,000 employees across 100 stores, in 28 U.S. states, while continuing to expand its store presence. But, with a lean training team and limited budget, Davisson faced the additional challenge of finding a way to train employees quickly and effectively without breaking the bank. “I needed a very simple solution that could easily scale, was easily understood and was flexible enough to meet my needs. And, if it hit all that criteria, I could also afford it,” said Davisson.

Company:At Home is an American home décor retailer with more than 100 stores across 28 states in the U.S.Industry:RetailKey Challenges:Find a lean training solution that was easy to use, flexible, and would scale with the company as it expandedCreate a consistent onboarding process across all store locationsEngage associates in training ongoingReduce safety incidentsComply with certification requirementsTie learning to business results

Solution:Implemented Axonify in 100 stores across the U.S., to more than 3,000 associates.Results:Increase in sales among stores with the highestknowledge levels36% drop in safety incidents among associates on the platform90% reduction in onboarding time94% voluntary participation on the platformFaster compliance (78% of employees com-pleted annual PCI compliance training within 2 weeks)



Unlike many retail organizations, At Home didn’t have a Learning Management System (LMS) in place to provide universal learning to its employees. In fact, because training was virtually nonexistent in the old Garden Ridge days, Davisson had to start from scratch. Instead of simply going down the LMS route, which she knew wouldn’t engage associates or help them truly build their expertise around At Home’s new way of doing business, she decided to search for a tool that would better meet her needs.

“The LMS is not something that lends itself to the world we’re living in, and the retail business that I’m in,” said Davisson. “Tracking whether or not people went to training and that whole kind of framework, as well as the amount of resources and support it requires you to have in place, doesn’t fit where we’re at and where we’re going. It’s like shoes that don’t fit. I wouldn’t go out and buy shoes that don’t fit, no matter how nice the shoes are. So, the LMS doesn’t fit. It doesn’t strategically fit our business model.”

Davisson knew she needed to take a fresh approach to employee training that would align with the company’s modern transformation. Specifically, instead of pushing out large volumes of content and hoping that it would stick, she knew it was critical to find a way to build associate knowledge ongoing to ensure this customer-facing workforce would take the right actions on the job to ensure the company’s success. She chose Axonify.

Simply put, Axonify is an Employee Knowledge Platform that helps employees build, sustain and share knowledge in a fun, engaging and gamified way. It personalizes learning to target and close individual knowledge gaps, giving employees the confidence to perform their role to the best of their ability. A confident, knowledgeable workforce helps organizations achieve their potential, because employees take the correct actions that ultimately drive real business results.

Davisson believed Axonify’s revolutionary methodology was just what At Home needed to make a cultural shift that would place employee learning at the forefront of achieving organizational objectives. So, she initiated a 6-month pilot with Axonify in 2014.

Each day, associates logged on to Axonify through kiosks in the breakroom to answer three to five questions about safe work practices, while playing a fun game. Then, based on their answers, Axonify identified areas where each associate needed more training and delivered learning to fill those gaps. The platform also reinforced the material they already knew, so they would keep it top of mind. This approach helped improve long-term memory around safety topics and build additional knowledge over time. It also helped store directors identify where employees needed coaching so they could give them the assistance they required to be successful.

Saying “No” to a Learning Management System and “Yes” to an Employee Knowledge Platform

“It’s like shoes that don’t fit. I wouldn’t go out and buy shoes that don’t fit, no matter how nice the shoes are. So, the LMS doesn’t fit. It doesn’t strategically fit our business model.”

Valerie DavissonCHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER,

AT HOME



Using a continuous learning approach to create significant business impact

The results of the pilot were incredible! At Home identified a 14% average increase in employee knowledge for critical safety topics, which contributed to a 36% drop in safety incidents among associates who were learning on Axonify.

Armed with this proof, Davisson then proceeded with rolling out the new training initiative to At Home stores across the U.S. and hasn’t looked back. In fact, by using Axonify, she was able to train 2,500 associates (with no field support) in 4 weeks, which would have previously taken 6 months — contributing to an overall 90% reduction in onboarding time and time-to-capability.

“Axonify helped me learn a different way, with little questions and games,” said Ryan Porter, a store associate who has been with the company for a year and a half. “By the second week, I was really getting into the flow of things. Axonify helped me to not only learn what I needed to know, but remember it, too.”

Today, At Home employees not only receive daily learning on safe work practices, but also get training on leadership, customer service and support, company mission and values, and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). The results continue to impress. In addition to current employee knowledge levels averaging 92%, there is also a 94% voluntary participation rate on the platform. And, within two weeks of rolling out the annual PCI compliance training, required by almost all retailers, 78% of At Home's existing 3,200 associates had completed the certification — a phenomenal turnaround rate for this type of initiative. Associates even take extra training sessions at their own will, almost doubling their additional training between June and August 2016!

“I’m thrilled with the decision to use Axonify”

Valerie DavissonCHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, AT HOME



Stores with higher associate knowledge levels also show an increase in performance drivers such as sales and conversion. On average, these stores have 10% higher associate knowledge levels and achieve greater sales per week.

The difference that Axonify has made to At Home’s operations can be felt from the top floor to the store floor. Everyone from senior executives to middle management to the associates themselves are seeing the business impact firsthand.

“Axonify has really helped me reduce turnover,” said Demond Winfree, a store manager in Richmond, VA. “The average turnover rate in retail, if you’re decent, is 100%. Last year, my turnover rate was only 25%. So I’ve seen firsthand how, if Axonify is utilized correctly, it can absolutely help keep associates on the payroll. I think it’s because they’re learning on an ongoing basis and have more confidence in their role.”

Anecdotal results are also significant. A robbery took place in one of the stores on a Saturday in mid-September 2016. One of the operations leads later received an email from the store director thanking her for Axonify. Every employee who was in the store during the robbery said they knew how to respond correctly because of the training they received through the Axonify Employee Knowledge Platform.

“I’m thrilled with the decision to use Axonify,” said Davisson. “But it’s more important to say that my field operations people are thrilled with the decision. We’ve been able to deliver them an end-to-end solution that will evolve and grow with our business, scale with our business, and require very little of their time and attention from a day-to-day standpoint. And, yet, we’ve given them very engaging tools to help support the development of their teams.”



Brandon Hall Group is a HCM research and advisory services firm that provides insights around key performance areas, including Learning and Development, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Talent Acquisition, and HR/Workforce Management.With more than 10,000 clients globally and 20 years of delivering world-class research and advisory services, Brandon Hall Group is focused on developing research that drives perfor-mance in emerging and large organizations, and provides strategic insights for executives and practitioners responsible for growth and business results.

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