Chances are your organization's content management challenges pale when compared to those of the IRS.

IRS employees have to be expert on the complicated, voluminous, and constantly changing tax laws and guidelines that make up the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). The IRC covers all aspects of federal taxes - from income and corporate taxes to gift and estate taxes. The agency employs approximately 100,000 workers distributed throughout the United States.

The recently published case study, Large-Scale e-Learning Deployment: IRS Increases Training Efficiency with Enterprise-wide Technology Strategy, describes in detail how the IRS has transformed employee training through focus on content management, content reusability, and supporting technologies.

Anyone involved in content management can get valuable detail and perspective by studying the approaches and processes described in this 22-page document. The case study discusses the IRS's best-practice approach to meta-tagging, which has dramatically increased the efficiency and speed of creating training materials. You'll also read how the agency's reusability strategy has positively impacted all types of training and has helped accelerate workflow learning throughout the agency.

The case study also discusses how technology has supported these initiatives. Within the last two to three years, the IRS has implemented an enterprise-wide LMS (from Plateau), and LCMS (from Eedo), and a variety of tools for project assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and content development.

Members: Download this case study today.
Non-members: This case study is available to you for a limited time. Download today.

return to top

Four years ago, we coined the term "rapid e-learning" to clearly delineate between instructional content and informational content.

Back then, the cost of e-learning content development was very high -- $20,000 to $30,000 per instructional hour for straightforward online content and up to $50,000 per hour for courses with branching and other interaction. We recognized that such investments were not required for all learning needs. While skills development and compliance certification typically required more sophisticated courseware, information broadcasting and knowledge transfer could employ much simpler and less costly approaches and still be highly effective.

Products such as Articulate, one of the first PowerPoint-based tools, gave companies the ability to create content for product launches, new pricing models, or changes in processes in weeks rather than many months at a tenth of the price. And, they were simple enough for subject matter experts to use.

Fast forward to 2007. Today, we estimate that up to 40% of all instructional learning is accomplished through rapid e-learning. Product innovations have made content much richer, with animation, branching, simulations, audio, and even video. One of our 2006 Learning Leaders, Scottrade, used rapid e-learning tools to create customer service and sales training simulations. These include full motion video, timed assessments, game-like scoring, audio, performance support, feedback, and a community site. Only a few years ago, such content would cost in the neighborhood of $100,000 per hour to build. Today, the price tag is a fraction of that cost.

Because rapid e-learning courses are now so simple and inexpensive to produce, it's more important than ever to have a defined learning architecture that guides your team on which tools to use for different learning applications. In order to keep content development consistent and efficient, a learning architecture should also guide developers on the formats, features, and types of delivery to use for various learning projects. With so many choices now available -- and they'll only continue to increase -- such an architecture is a must for any corporate training organization.

See the complete article on this topic, which includes much more detail and a chart that breaks out categories of e-learning and the appropriate tools and delivery options for each.

return to top

Tell us more ... you could be a Bersin & Associates Learning Leader for 2007. Applications are due September 7 and winners will be announced in December.

There are several exciting new components to the 2007 program:

• Special recognition at industry event: Winners will receive a complimentary admission to IMPACT! 2008, the Bersin & Associates research conference to be held in April 2008 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Winners will be honored in a special awards ceremony and will have the opportunity to participate in the program.


• New way for vendors to participate: We created a category this year just for providers of learning and development solutions.

Click here for more information.

return to top

CLO
August 2007
The Emergence of Talent-Driven Learning
By Josh Bersin

Although talent management is creating change within the HR organization, it is also driving tremendous change in corporate learning. One of the biggest transitions is the increased focus on talent-driven learning. See article on page ten.

Training
August 1, 2007
Is Open Source Right for You?
By Sarah Boehle

In an industry in which learning management systems often command six figures, it's no wonder many find the allure of "free" software hard to resist. But are open-source learning platforms really free? And how do you determine whether they are right for you? Chris Howard says to look closely at your in house IT support capability, or "you could be setting yourself up for a monumental headache." Read more.

return to top

ANALYST BRIEFINGS

NEW
Power Briefings!

Bersin & Associates analysts are going back on the road this fall. Analysts will be conducting one-day briefings in four major cities. Our goal is to create forums in which you can hear the latest research on key issues, discuss findings with other professionals, and hear best practices and success stories from learning leaders.

And, because we recognize your time is tight, each Power Briefing is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We guarantee you'll leave with more information, more insight, and more ideas than you'd typically get from much longer events.

Leadership Development and Business Impact
Hosted by Josh Bersin and Kim Lamoureux

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, Baltimore MD
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - Yale Club, New York City NY

Talent Management: Building an Integrated Systems Strategy
Hosted by Chris Howard and Leighanne Levensaler

Thursday, October 4, 2007 - Georgian Terrace Hotel, Atlanta GA
Thursday, November 1, 2007 - Hotel Monaco, Chicago IL

Bersin & Associates can attend the Power Briefings at no cost. Non-members can attend for $199. Register now!

WEBINARS

Practical Approaches to High-Impact Leadership Development
Wednesday August 29, 2007, 2:00 p.m. ET
Kim Lamoureux, Analyst

This presentation will complement earlier webinars and elaborate on findings in the soon-to-be-published industry study on high-impact leadership development. Lamoureux will discuss the six best practices of highly effective leadership development programs, as well as key research findings. She'll also share tips for engaging senior leaders, considerations for selecting a program design model, and ways for integrating leadership development with other talent management functions, such as performance management and succession planning. Click here to register today.


Missed it live? Research members can view all recorded webinars by visiting the research center event archives. Not a member? Sign up for a trial membership today.

CONFERENCES

HR TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE & EXPO
October 10-12, 2007
Chicago, IL
Navy Pier
Chris Howard, Principal Analyst

What Is the Talent Management Suite? And What Are Vendors Actually Delivering?
Wednesday, October 10, 3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Leighanne Levensaler

What is a talent management suite? What are vendors actually delivering? How can these applications help increase organizational productivity? Levensaler will separate fact from hype based on findings of a comprehensive Bersin & Associates study of talent management suites (coming this fall).

What You Still Need to Learn About Learning and Performance Systems
Thursday, October 11, 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Josh Bersin

With today's demands for workforce performance, the LMS needs to be integrated with performance management as a core HR system. Bersin will demystify the components of both, explain and compare the leading vendors' products (including those for mid-market companies), provide a proven seven-step process for selection, and share highlights of a recent customer satisfaction study involving a dozen LMS systems.

Integrated Performance and Recruiting Shootout
Thursday, October 11, 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Leighanne Levensaler

Levensaler co-authored the scenarios to be used for the industry's first integrated performance and recruiting shootout with the CEOs of Authoria, Vurv and other leading companies. The event will focus on the integration of performance with recruiting. Vendors will be challenged to solve original problems, and participants will get to see products in use and cast their votes for the best.

Click here for more information and discounts.

TRAINING TECH SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE & EXPO
October 15-17, 2007
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Palace Convention Center

LCMSs: What They Are and How to Know if You Need One
Tuesday, October 16, 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Chris Howard

Howard will explain how LCMSs relate to training, how they differ from LMSs, what's available now and considerations for implementation.

Your LMS Short List: A "How To" Guide
Tuesday, October 16, 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Chris Howard

Howard presents a seven-step plan to guide your LMS selection process.

Learning Content Management Systems: A Discussion with Users
Wednesday, October 17, 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Chris Howard

Senior learning executives will talk about how their organizations are using LCMSs for on-demand learning, to more rapidly develop e-learning content, bring enterprise-wide consistency and efficiency to content authoring, and to more effectively manage a wide range of learning assets. Panelists include Joel Huchthausen, e-learning project leader with State Farm, and Chris Johnson, e-learning specialist with the Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union.

Click here for more information.

return to top

m-Learning:
The Latest Trends, Developments and Real-World Applications
This research report discusses learning and performance support ("just-in-time" or "on-demand" learning), and how this can be enhanced by such mobile technologies as handheld devices and learning delivered in mobility-driven formats. Download today.

Profit-Driven Training Programs for Partners and Customers:
Sage Standardizes Its Training Protocols
In this case study, Sage Software enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty by increasing the penetration of training among end-users and channel partners. Download today.

Global Customer Support Training:
Linksys Streamlines Agent Training to Improve Service
This case study shows how Linksys uses training and qualification standards to address the learning needs of sales and service personnel by extending the technology infrastructure to train customer support agents in outsourced call centers worldwide. Download today.

Large-Scale e-Learning Deployment:
IRS Increases Training Efficiency
This case study illustrates how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) implemented a new approach to employee development and agent knowledge maintenance via LCMS and EPSS systems to update and streamline current learning and development techniques. Download today.

Join our research community to access these reports.

Bersin & Associates' new Talent Management newsletter highlights research on: leadership development, performance management, competency management, recruiting, succession planning and the evolution of integrated talent management systems. In each newsletter you will find actionable research you can immediately apply. Subscribe today!

return to top