Companies are still struggling in 2024 to digitally train employees. Why? Many are unwilling to accept the training offers – even though they are plentiful. Too many other commitments, somewhat tiring, somewhat like "school," and learning doesn't really seem enjoyable. So what must a digital learning platform achieve to make people want to use it?
Regarding "Learning Platform"
A digital learning platform (English: Learning Management System) can be defined as an integrated system that provides technologies and tools to create, distribute, and monitor educational content for learners. It should support the learning process by facilitating access to learning materials, promoting collaboration, and enabling personalized learning experiences. These are all points of interest for companies, as they lead to progress, innovation, and competitive advantages.
At the latest since 2020, a large number of companies have either introduced such digital learning platforms or at least considered implementing them. However, there are still not many success stories. What is the reason for this? Probably not the hundreds of digital learning platforms that have sprung up, frequently called LMS, LXP, or something else, but which are very similar in terms of functionality and objectives.
Digital Learning Platforms Only for High Performers?
They all pursue the same goal: to equip employees with additional know-how and thus foster progress and development. Now, one might think that – besides the companies – employees are also interested in the aforementioned points: after all, they are also advancing their own lives and careers, potentially saving time and helping to climb the career ladder. Nevertheless, many of these systems are optimized for eager high performers and not for individuals who do not enjoy learning at all – but that's what such a system should achieve! We do not want to educate only those who are already doing it out of their own motivation, but also those who actually should, could, or ought to.
This places us in an age of digital inundation regarding the question: “Do I want to subject myself, in addition to my actual work, to digital learning content that additionally challenges my mental cognitive understanding? And even more importantly: Even if I do this, can I actually remember everything?”
This raises the demands on digital learning platforms, as it is of no use if thousands of contents are available, but I cannot consume them in a way that is as low-threshold as possible and within the limits of my mental capacity. After all, I am not really keen on more exertion. 😫 And then there are those reminder emails: “You have to do this and that…” And that stresses me more than it helps me.
The Catharsis of Digital Learning
So what would be the solution? Offer content in “bite-sized” pieces. Okay, short learning units are good because my attention span is partly at TikTok-level, thanks, I already knew that. But much more important is that the content interests me, fascinates me, and provides an obvious added value, as it ideally solves an urgent problem of mine. Otherwise, my school traumas around the topic of binomial formulas and vector calculation will come back, whose (at least for me) limited everyday utility made me feel like I was wasting a lot of time.
So let me come up with an example of how to turn unmotivated learners into learning aficionados:
Problem Solved: Never Again VLOOKUP!
I have just struggled with VLOOKUP in Excel again, which is doing some weird Excel things, and I have no idea why. Suddenly, I stumble upon a small video content in my digital learning platform (duration: 1:40 minutes) that shouts at me: “Here’s how to save yourself from VLOOKUP.”
How great would that be? And suddenly, I would have learned something valuable in a short time. Maybe I would then check the local LMS or digital learning platform more often as a motivated and satisfied learning customer. Apparently, there are helpful things here, and maybe I would even take a training course out of my own accord; someone must have really thought this through.
Digital Learning Platforms Should Foster Productivity and Save Time – But Often They Don’t.
This case is, of course, very constructed, but ideally, a digital learning platform should achieve exactly that: teach me need-based things and show me ways to save time and consequently be more productive.
From my perspective, a system must achieve the following:
Access must be simple and low-threshold.
The learning content must be well-tagged and easily found via full-text search.
The learning content must load quickly.
The learning content must be attractively prepared.
The learning content must help me precisely solve a specific problem.
I need to become aware of new content that matches my needs.
For the company or those creating the learning content, however, the world looks completely different.
The digital learning platform is for the learning responsible person something like the embodiment of revelation, a temple of knowledge that includes everything and more, and from which one only needs to serve oneself. Let’s take LinkedIn Learning: it really covers almost everything that people want and can learn nowadays. And the employees just have to go on and hit play. Great solution!
Low-threshold, accessible from anywhere, and also flexible for almost all areas of use. And yet, somehow no one does it… Why actually? It’s all there! And yet, I have to constantly remind people to complete their mandatory training via our own LMS. After all, we painstakingly created the content contained in it and keep it up to date - what a job, what a pain. Ungrateful people.
The Search for the “Learning KPI”
And still, I must achieve my goals (e.g. training quota X for ISO certification Y) before management and then also justify why the fun costs so much money … In the quest for the famous KPI that measures the learning effect and reflects the RoI, many have despaired. Progress individuals are simply different, and how and what they learn best is hard to generalize. There are at best learning objectives in the form of exams that test knowledge and require corresponding basic knowledge - but even here, the self-learning organization is far away.
The Current Status, Which Is Constantly Changing
The challenge and expectation remains to at least input current knowledge into the LMS and give people the opportunity to continue developing in line with the times. However, one would need to be reasonably knowledgeable in each of these areas, as different professional disciplines are required within the company. Not an easy task alongside daily business. One would have to curate content again, have it go through the hands of subject matter experts, and then distribute it accordingly. Effort, effort, effort… And then the person who can curate is on vacation, etc.
What Must a Digital Learning Platform Achieve Here?
Simply put: It must relieve work here instead of creating more work. In uncertain cases, learners will do the research themselves, as they know best what they want and need to learn. But for that, the aforementioned prerequisites must be met, and first and foremost: People must enjoy working with the learning platform! Ensuring that is much more difficult than it initially sounds. Perhaps the expectations placed on these systems as a cure-all and problem solvers are too high in some places; numerous functionalities, including course management, progress tracking, evaluation tools, and communication options, are merely functionalities that create requirements to solve the following problems:
Accessibility and Flexibility: Employees often have different schedules and working hours. Digital learning platforms make learning content accessible anytime and anywhere, which can enhance flexibility and participation or at least encourage it.
Cost Efficiency: Traditional training can be expensive and logistically challenging. Online learning platforms reduce travel costs, room rentals, and printing costs, which can lead to significant savings.
Centralized Management: A digital learning platform centralizes the management of training materials and processes, which increases efficiency and consistency.
Scalability: Companies are constantly growing and changing. Digital learning platforms can be easily scaled to meet the training needs of a growing company.
Individual Learning Paths: Employees have different learning needs and paces. Digital learning platforms allow personalized learning paths tailored to the individual needs and goals of the learners.
Progress Tracking and Analysis: Companies can track and analyze the learning progress of their employees to measure the success of training programs and continuously improve. Measurable results are also important as evidence for certification bodies, authorities, and supervising bodies.
Interactive Learning Methods: Modern learning platforms offer interactive and engaging learning methods such as videos, quizzes, simulations, and gamification, which can make learning more effective and interesting.
Compliance and Certification: Many industries require recurring training and certifications. Digital learning platforms ensure that all employees complete the necessary training and keep their certifications up to date. At the same time, it allows training officers to maintain an overview, send reminders, and monitor learning progress.
Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Digital learning platforms promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among employees, leading to better teamwork and innovation capabilities. In reality, however, this is difficult to prove.
Continuous Education: In a rapidly changing work environment, continuous education is vital. Digital learning platforms support the ongoing development of employees and maintain their skills up to date. However, this requires a lot of cooperation, unless a system is used that makes learning recommendations via AI and conducts individual upskilling.
These Functions Should Feature a Modern Digital Learning Platform:
User-friendliness: An intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows users to navigate easily and without requiring significant technical knowledge.
Enabling Mobile Learning: Support for mobile devices, so employees can access learning content from anywhere and at any time.
Personalized Learning Paths: Adaptive learning paths that meet the individual needs and abilities of the learners.
Interactive Content: Providing diverse and interactive learning content, such as videos, quizzes, simulations, and gamification elements to make learning more engaging.
Progress Tracking and Reporting: Comprehensive tracking and reporting features that enable monitoring and analyzing the learning progress and performance of employees.
Integration with Other Systems: The ability to seamlessly integrate with other business software solutions, such as HR systems, to synchronize data and processes.
Security and Privacy: High security standards and privacy measures to protect sensitive data of learners and the company.
Community and Collaboration Features: Tools that foster communication and collaboration among learners, such as forums, chat, and comment functions.
Automated Notifications and Reminders: Features that remind learners of upcoming courses, deadlines, and updates to enhance participation and completion rates of training.
Certification and Recognition: The ability to issue certificates and recognitions for completed courses and learning paths to increase employee motivation and meet compliance requirements.
As this breakdown shows, there is a gap between the learning needs of users and those of those who fill and/or operate the systems with content. This is entirely natural from the described roles, but different objectives have the disadvantage that digital learning platforms cannot truly meet the needs of either side, as they are forced to make compromises.
A Change in Thinking is Necessary
An interactive, easy-to-use system for the consumer in the frontend does not necessarily have to be equally simple and logical in the backend. The reason is that completely different needs must be satisfied within one software. This leads to both sides - sometimes rightly - being dissatisfied with their digital learning platforms.
However, it may also make sense not to fuel the desire for further training through features and software, but through interpersonal and corporate learning incentives, a productive and progress-driven work atmosphere, and leaders who do not measure progress, qualification, and learning success solely based on budgets. Therefore, a change in thinking is needed, which would greatly benefit the entire industry.
We hope you enjoyed this article and wish you continued success with digital learning!
