Conference 2005 >
Track 4
| ROI methodologies
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Laura Overton, e-Learning Champion, e-skills UK |
Designing learning for business performance is the ultimate aim of learning and development professionals, proving that we've made an impact is the Holy Grail.
Whilst this interactive session will examine traditional models for measuring return on investment, it will mainly focus on the day-to-day challenges of impact measurement and how we can overcome them.
One challenge is time - not everyone has the time and associated resources to implement a fully-fledged ROI strategy yet they still need to be able to provide evidence that their learning interventions have hit the spot.
Another challenge is knowing who we need to demonstrate value to. Different audiences may have a different perception when it comes to evidencing a successful learning intervention. Finance staff will want to know about the bottom line - how much did it cost and how much did we save?
HR management may want to understand the impact on recruitment or talent management and the line of business will want to understand the impact on their specific departmental targets. How much evidence is enough? When is it too much? Demonstrating the business value of learning is as much about communicating the right information to the right people as it is about measurement and valuations.
The session will draw on examples from a number of organisations that have developed practical approaches to demonstrating value that can be used across a range of projects in both large and small organizations.
Further details
Laura Overton is the e-skills UK e-learning champion. Her work is to demonstrate to employers and employer bodies across the Skills for Business Network how e-learning, in its broadest sense, can contribute to the development of skills and improved business performance.
Laura has over 17 years experience in the corporate e-learning and distance learning industry, helping early adopters of workplace e-learning develop sustainable e-learning strategies aligned to business objectives.
She is the author of Linking Learning To Business an extensive research study across a number of sectors where e-learning has been used to impact business performance. She has also taken a leading role with e-Learning initiatives associated with the European Commission and contributed to e-Learning recommendations for the UK's Learning and Skills Council (LSC) as a member of the Distributed and Electronic Learning Group, the advisory board to the LSC.
Laura is a Fellow of the Institute of IT Training and is a regular contributor to industry magazines and conferences.
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| Practical value assessment
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Jonathan Helps, Technical Training Manager, Vodafone Group. |
The presentation starts by exploring the traditional training benchmark measures and dismisses them as irrelevant in terms of adding value or being of any interest to most CEOs and Boards.
Jonathan examines the traditional TNA approach and how this does not provide a foundation for effective measurement and evaluation. He proposes a different approach that focussed much more effort into the phases before and after the learning intervention, so that the real business performance issues can be understood, addressed through the learning intervention and supported after the event.
Jonathan illustrates his concepts with real examples. The Vodafone UK Sales Academy and Customer Education in Vodafone Greece. Jonathan also explores the Knowledge Learning continuum and examines how a true blended approach can support the entire spectrum of learning needs.
The Knowledge Learning continuum illustrates the immediate need for knowledge, to support business performance, against the overall capability building requirement any business has. An example from Vodafone Italy's Call Centres is used to illustrate the principle.
The presentation concludes with some insights into how he sees the need for L and D Managers to work in partnership with the business line and encourages them to stop running courses and start building learning solution that add value. |
| Valuing people as assets
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Andrew Mayo, Professor of Human Capital Management Middlesex University and Director, Mayo Learning International. |
The fact that we know the costs of people but have no equivalent figure for their value is a real problem, and assuredly leads to making some very wrong people decisions. Commercial firms talk about creating value for shareholders; public ones about best value. But to what extent do we really understand the meaning of value, how it can be measured and maximised?
It's a key issue for learning also - how do we know both that we increase the value of people through learning, and also get value for money? In this discussion the differences between financial and non-financial value are explored, and how they relate to the value creating chain. This leads on to an exploration of a framework for having useful and connected people-related measure that can be helpful to line managers, as well as HR and L and D managers.
The two questions to be answered are - how does the value that people bring to an organisation link to the value they produce? And secondly, how do we increase both of these? Professional people working in the HR arena should be able to answer these questions, not only for better internal management, but because regulations on people reporting are imminent and investors are focusing more and more on intangible assets.
This session will provide some tools that do not result from playing at being accountants, but provide a unique methodology of their own that is potentially as valuable to a business as the budget report. |
| Focusing on skills for the business
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Ron McLaren, Operations Manager, SFIA Foundation. |
Ron McLaren is Operations Manager for the SFIA Foundation (Skills Framework for the Information Age). As such, he sees many organisations involved in skills management. Some are just beginning with it, some have been practicing skills management for years, all are aiming to reap the business benefits of skills management.
In this session, Ron will outline what these benefits are, drawing on his time with the Foundation and his experience at ICL/Fujitsu, where he implemented a comprehensive professionalisation programme among the IT staff. While some of the benefits may seem obvious such as the ability to run better Training Needs Analysis skills management also brings other benefits such as the ability to form project teams faster, and find experts quicker.
Ron will also examine the practical side of beginning with skills management, including the vital points of ensuring support not only at the top of the organisation, but also at the managerial level, too.
A good pilot is essential, and Ron will suggest ways in which you can ensure your pilot is a success. Throughout the presentation, Ron will suggest practical ways in which your business can benefit from understanding its skills better, and you should leave the presentation better able to pursue the idea of skills management back at your organisation. |
