To e or not to e Success Factors for e-Learning in IT training Dr. Peter Dern - SVP Corporate University - Software AG

E-Learning and IT: A good couple? In IT companies one would expect e-learning to be the natural way of learning. I will challenge this statement and illustrate that this is a somewhat simple thinking. I will discuss how barriers can be overcome and give examples that worked.

Software AG Foundation 5,400+ Employees Worldwide 2,900 Consultants 850 R&D Staff 10,000 Enterprise & Public Sector Customers Global Leader for Process & Integration Solutions Revenue over €1 bn. Where do I come from? Software AG at a glance

Corporate Software AG: Main Aspects Corporate University Education Strategy Education Consulting Content Development Brand and Image University Relations Education strategy is embedded in corporate strategy and aligned with HR people agenda CU offers education consulting services to help all LoB’s with their knowledge transfer requirements University Relations ensure collaboration with universities to build strategic partnerships CU’s brand and image support the company culture and employee commitment Education Delivery CU’s content development services produce target group specific content in time, budget and quality CU’s education delivery services ensure up-to-date, high quality knowledge transfer to all target groups

Interface to the learner Content contributors Employee searching for training

Some Statistics of

E-Learning and IT: A good couple? In IT companies one would expect e-learning to be the natural way of learning. There are many obvious reasons…

The obvious reasons…  IT people are affine to e-learning by nature (used to communities, networks, etc.)  IT people are lone fighters (learn best isolated at their preferred pace)  Technical content fits much better to e- learning formats than e.g. soft skills  IT-training is very information-like, not so much skills based

Are just… Misperceptions!

Content of SAG develops and delivers IT solutions (software and services) to improve business processes. These require in-depth training. The training content is: Unique: Knowledge about new products is Complex: SAG provides leading edge technology, which is sophisticated from a learning perspective. Short-lived: Technology changes fast, content is outdated very quickly.

Target Groups of Sales: Have to understand the business value of SAG pro- ducts and solutions Pre-Sales, Consulting: Have to know technical details (imple- mentation, configuration) Developers, Admins: Have to administer the SAG tools shipped with SAG products Users: Need to know how to work with the products Our various target groups have different requirements:

The Learners Perspective Consumers of SAG IT training have specific requirements: They want to learn from real experts: Ask questions – real time, get answers – also real time They need to practice: training systems and case studies They want to benefit from other participants’ questions They have no time for home- work after an event They need quick & easy access to information Actuality of content beats prettiness of e-learning

Do not Confuse Information and Education Information Knowledge Competence Unknown Conscious Unconscious A common mistake is that people confuse information and education. Information is on demand, used once and (often) forgotten again Knowledge and competencies are at hand without “external storage devices” Education should focus on building knowledge and competencies! Information should be made accessible as easy as possible (google-like)

Tasks, Learning Methods and Risks Intensity of Activities Complexity of Activities Low Complexity (Low Risk) Medium Complexity (Medium Risk) High Complexity (High Risk) Users IT Specialists Help and Documentation ILT Learning in Teams Work Instructions E-Learning Learning Method

Factors Influencing the Learning Method Risks and Compliance Aspects Location- and Time Restrictions Educational Level of Learners Amount and Type of Content Budget Age of Learners Cultural Background Technical Capabilities Learning Method

IT Competencies: Ways to Success Speed: Do not waste time pimping content with costly e-learning production for fast evolving topics. Practice: Give IT experts the chance to practice on real systems. Experts: Provide (real time) experts support for answers to questions, tips & tricks, and best practice sharing. Content:Do not confuse information and education. Focus:Create relevant, digestible bits of knowledge. Train skills and competencies. Method:Use ILT if systems are complex or shaky and if attendees are experts.

Best Practice: Tutored e-Learning The question: How to get best of both worlds (e and ILT)? The answer: Tutored e-learning with training systems! Provide self-study material in e-format (e.g. voice over ppt) Make material accessible via LMS Provide training system access with detailed exercise descriptions (virtual machines, on demand and on premise) Use wiki/forums for questions and answers (alternative: /phone communication with instructors)

Conclusions Other than may be expected, in IT companies e-learning is not by definition the natural way of learning. Whether or not e-learning is the right approach for a topic depends on “half-life period” of content, complexity of subject, number, age, qualification and geographical distribution of learners, etc. Avoid costly conversions to e-learning wherever possible; “good enough” self-study material is often more efficient. IF ILT would be the optimal method but is not possible, tutored “e-learning” with training system access is a good option.