Training Industry Magazine - Spring 2024 - 63

WHAT'S NEXT
IN TECH
DR. NABEEL
AHMAD
INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY THAT
MAXIMIZES THE UPSIDE
Fifteen years ago, I was working at IBM
on advanced learning technology to
support employee growth. While on a trip
to California, I met a former IBM employee
who was a research scientist at Google.
During a walking tour of the Googleplex,
the scientist told me about his biggest
challenge: While Google has a great
search engine, we know little about how
to use search effectively. Even Google
engineers knew less than expected!
He began teaching people (including
those engineers)
about
search,
developing search skills and learning
how to use search engines effectively
for research.
FROM SEARCH TO PROMPT
Technology is often ahead of users. This
is true with today's generative artificial
intelligence
(AI)
A SIMPLE TEST FOR
VALUE-ADDED TECHNOLOGY
Divide your learning technologies into
two categories: downside minimization
and upside maximization. Downside
minimization focuses on making sure bad
things don't happen, such as not missing
compliance training. Most organizations
focus too much on downside minimization.
While being non-compliant is undesirable,
the advantage of doing more than the
minimum is unclear.
LEARNING LEADERS
MUST CONSIDER WHAT
THEIR LEARNING
" NORTH STAR " IS.
tools. We know AI is
powerful, yet we need guidance to take full
advantage of it. As with any technology, AI
tools for your employees are only as good
as their ability to use them.
To maximize the value of your technology
investment, learning professionals need
to audit existing technology systems to
identify the most and least used features.
Remember, you're already paying for it, so
you need to decide whether to use more
of what you have or look elsewhere.
DEFINE YOUR NORTH STAR
To determine the right learning
technology, learning leaders must
consider what their learning " north star "
is. In other words, what is the purpose
of their training? Whether it's to check
the box with compliance training or
provide strategic value by integrating
learning with organizational strategy,
learning leaders must know the answer.
Upside maximization deals with
untapped opportunities in highgrowth
areas for success. Many talent
and learning and development (L&D)
systems have a high upside when
implemented strategically. Let's explore
how you can get the most upside from
core learning technology systems:
* LMS: From Learning Content
to Integrations
Most organizations push content
to learners with their learning
management system (LMS). While
important, consider also using your
LMS to integrate with other systems.
Messaging, communication and
collaboration tools such as Microsoft
Teams, Slack and Zoom can facilitate
learning and assist with managing and
reporting on the learning experience.
* LRS: From Courses to Activities
Learning comes in all shapes and sizes.
It's important to capture who learns
what, no matter how they did it. Consider
using a learning record store (LRS) and
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - SPRING 2024 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
xAPI statements to get a holistic view of
your learners' skills. Generative AI tools
can provide performance support so
you can ask a question, get an answer
and get back to work.
* LCMS: From Proprietary to
Generated Content
Done is better than perfect. Many
internally developed courses take too
long or remain incomplete because of
a quest for perfection. Sidestep this by
focusing on speed using generative AI
or a learning content management
system (LCMS) to create courses
specific to your industry, roles or subject
matter. Use this as a foundation to start
from and adjust as needed.
* LXP: From Crowded to Streamlined
The promise of a learning experience
platform's (LXP's) learner-centered,
one-stop shop for
all learning
needs has led to a stuffy learner
experience with excess surface-level
recommendations. AI tools can go
into the black box of learning content,
understand it and use that knowledge
to personalize learning for you.
FOCUS ON UPSIDE MAXIMIZATION
From search, mobile, social, cloud,
data and now AI, technology trends are
always advancing. Invest in technology
and processes that maximize the
upside: You will see a clear benefit to
L&D and the organization. And who
knows, you may soon know more than
the engineers who built the systems.
Dr. Nabeel Ahmad is an authority on
learning sciences and technology.
He leads the People & Organization
practice
the Four Minute University and teaches
at Columbia University. Email Nabeel.
63
at changeforce.ai, authors
Training Industry Magazine - Spring 2024

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