IF INTERESTED #168: HR Tech Stack Part II - Learning & Development Tech Stack
Corporate Learning Strikes Back
hi,
In the previous issue I covered HCM (Human Capital Management systems, the backbone) and ATS (applicant tracking systems). Continuing on the simpler view of the HR Stack, next stop is learning management platforms, or learning experience platforms. (LMS / LXP)
Step Two: Corporate Learning Platforms: LMS / LXP
I mentioned that Josh Bersin has a good and thorough understanding of this technology stack. Here is a link for their L&D report, I believe it requires a corporate membership, but probably a simple Google search can help.
The learning and development market has seen tremendous expanse in the amount of players joining and fragmentation with some of those players specializing only in niche topics. Those aspects make decision making more difficult in the learning tech stack area.
Here is the visual from Bersin that outlines the L&D technology stack:
It is a comprehensive view, and in the report (link above) they explain each layer in detail. Comprehensive views tend to get complicated as well : ). The picture above raised some questions for me, one example: how is content development different than performance support and leadership coaching. Aren’t they also content? The more I look at this visual the more confused I get. I am sure there is a good, logical explanation for those questions, but a simpler “walk-through” is what I need.
I will focus on LXP (Learning Experience Platforms) because, at the end of the day, that’s what we will buy and use as organizations. I know it is only part of the picture, but as promised, this is a simplistic approach.
First the definition of LXP:
An LXP is an AI-driven peer learning experience platform delivered using software as a service (SaaS). LXP’s were born out of a new approach to corporate learning platforms, addressing perceived shortcomings with learning management systems (LMS).
The Learning Experience Platform (LXP) is a consumer-grade learning software designed to create more personalized learning experiences and help users discover new learning opportunities. By combining learning contents from different sources, recommending and delivering them with the support of Artificial Intelligence, across the digital touch points, e.g. desktop application, mobile learning app and others.
The main feature of an LXP is that the platform or peers can curate learning paths towards specific skills, interests and roles using different sources like Udemy, MIT, Coursera. It aims to create suggestion algorithms, upskilling paths, and a community feeling and for a self-developing organization. It is a difficult task, and having a good LXP doesn’t always guarantee success.
Some leading LXPs in the market:
Degreed: Good interface, easy to create learning paths, which are a collection of online content to gain a specific knowledge or skill. Good integration to HCMs like Workday and SuccessFactors. Easy to use.
They are moving into Skills Assessment through short questionnaires, limited number of Skills for now, but they are going in the right direction.
If you put a good L&D analytics on top of Degreed (or any other company) you can follow the skill progression of your talent and have an idea of skill inventory in the company. Still, mostly the system relies on self-reported skill levels, but some skills have a notion of assessing skill level through a short questionnaire.
They also have an OK mobile App, almost looks like an app you would download to your personal phone.
Edcast (Cornerstone): Edcast is slightly behind Degreed but catching up fast, I hear. They are bought by Cornerstone, primarily because of their fast growth and the superior skills engine. Together with cornerstone, they are a powerhouse. Easy to create pathways, allocate skills to individuals and keep track of the development together with content providers. Much like Degreed.
HCM Learning Modules: All major HCMs (SuccessFactors, Workday, Oracle) have their own learning modules. So, if you don’t have an extra budget to spend, or you have more urgent HR priorities like foundations of hiring, you can very well settle down with those learning modules. They are OK to deliver online courses, keep track of the attendance etc. Not a great user experience, and lacks a good skills interface, but should do the basic work if you don’t want to invest in additional platforms.
Microsoft Viva: Apparently Microsoft is going full on with Employee Experience through Viva, leveraging already established access points like MS Teams. I am impressed by Viva’s analytics and suggestions so far, I don’t think they have a complete learning solution that can compete with Degreed and Edcast yet, but with the power of Microsoft and LinkedIn, they will catch up very fast. Especially their unlimited access to skills in the market through LinkedIn is an amazing advantage, they will leverage.
LinkedIn is also going towards a valid Skills Assessment approach, not only relying on self-reported levels.
There are many other smaller learning management systems, and there is LinkedIn Learning HUB. I will skip them, as they are not complete LXP solutions.
There are also niche / specialized content providers like Pluralsight (with which I am very impressed with), Coursera, Skillsoft, Udemy etc. They are good additions on an already working LXP. I think some LXP like Degreed offer a partnership with some of those content providers, but something like Pluralsight requires extra budget.
Let’s also mention YouTube here, because 80% of the things I learn are from YouTube. The YouTube content and suggestion algorithm is amazing, best subscription value I pay monthly (considering I am paying for Disney+, it is a low bar, I know). Yes, YouTube is for consumers mostly, but companies leverage YouTube with the product information videos, branding and support content, so I struggle to understand why companies don’t integrate YouTube more to their content arsenal. And why content providers don’t copy YouTube more. So, here is an honorable mention and kudos to YouTube and its content creators.
Another topic is the new platforms like TikTok changing the way our attention is being grabbed. Micro learnings can use platforms like that, but those will be complimentary, even effective additions for “reminding what the training last week was about in 4 minutes”.
What makes Learning Systems / Learning a success:
A few things:
Content. A learning platform is useless without good content. I mean, really good content. Attention of people is limited, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter algorithms made sure of that. To be able to keep people engaged and make them click to a training session, the content should be really good. Most of the time companies value quantity over quality, boast about things like “there are more than 20 thousand courses on our platform”. That’s a recipe for low adoption and usage.
Have a good rating & review system, and test the content / trainings with a good sample of employees (non-HR). People value recommendations of credible people in the organization, get them to select good content.
Curation. Curation of good pathways or a series of trainings are important. A collection or a playlist of good content specific to the needs of different segments or skill levels. The curation of content relayed through quiz vs community learning vs micro learning vs a 3-hour decent session. All of those require thoughtful design. What we see today is “learning pathways” are crowd sourced by mostly putting everything related content in that pathway. Fastest way to lose interested people.
People with design and curation expertise, hopefully from the business should curate programs. With A/B testing and adoption analytics, we can understand what content creates adoption, and what content doesn’t. It is not that different than Netflix algorithm.
Suggestion Algorithms. Decent suggestions go a long way, we all know it. LXPs lack that algorithm, which is interesting, because they know the “career aspirations” through skills and development. A good algorithm, supervised by a good design team in your company can do wonders. LXPs take a lot of liberty in calling their product AI-based when they often have little more than a crappy recommendation engine.
Learning Brand. Learning departments should put some distance to “mandatory trainings” like OHS, D&I, Secutiry. It just hurts the image of modern learning departments. The mandatory trainings should be handled by admin functions. (And can I make a suggestion: everytime you start a new company, probably we don’t need to learn about OHS and biases from scratch. Maybe a short reminder is good enough : ).
Resources. Most companies might not have the expertise or bandwidth to curate and design content. Buying a platform like Degreed is only 10% of the work. The orchestration of curation and design requires a team of professionals. Also organizations need partnerships with niche content providers like Pluralsight, and to manage a large ecosystem that will work on their LXP. Also collaborate with internal HR functions like Talent Management for rotations and similar advanced upskilling methods. Can I just say that watching 3 hours of learning online is just not upskilling : ). All of those require resources, lots of expert resources.
Community. It is essential to have a community of people learning together and commenting / sharing. Only good content, curation and a decent platform make good people come together and build a community around common interests. Once you have the communities, they becomes self sufficient units with their own curators, a little governance will be enough.
Employees as content creators. This is the next big thing. In every organization, there are many experts on products, competition and the market. That knowledge (still a corporate knowledge) with the experts is waiting to be shared with broader audiences in a repeatable and scalable way. If we can make them content creators by providing the right tools: some coaching about content creation (podcasts, streaming), studios, editors, and LXP platforms; the amount of knowledge sharing in organizations will drastically increase. Information elaboration is a key competitive advantage for every company, and having employees as good content creators will be priceless.
I know 7 is a large number. If you want to take the most important 3: Content, Curation, Community. No, i will not call it 3C’s : ).
It is good to be in learning business right now, and the Learning Experience Platforms are amazing enablers, the field has amazing potential. The work that can be done as HR solutions together with talent marketplace and a layer of learning analytics will be impactful.
Before you go, one last term: xAPI.
The Experience API (or xAPI) is a new specification for learning technology that makes it possible to collect data about the wide range of experiences a person has (online and offline). This API captures data in a consistent format about a person or group’s activities from many technologies. Very different systems are able to securely communicate by capturing and sharing this stream of activities using xAPI’s simple vocabulary.1
Experience API will also help learning and development units to understand the content that engages the talent, which trainings people leave and when, which parts of the training are being watched over and over again, what is being shared etc.
This was supposed to be about the Learning tech stack, but I went over towards the ways of working as well.. I will continue with talent management, employee listening software in the next issue, Part III.
Again, I have probably missed one or two important players in the market, or maybe I misinterpret some of the features. But hopefully, these insights will trigger good conversations.
If Interested.
burak
https://xapi.com/overview/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=natural_search