[Post by Greg Gammie, Implementations Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] As you may know, we’ve been implementing software at GeoMetrix Data Systems for a long, long time — more than 20 years in fact. Our implementers are all veterans, averaging more than 10 years in the industry. We’ve got it down to an art and a science. The principal role of our implementation staff is to understand and interpret the customer’s requirements and to accommodate those requirements during the implementation of our software. In addition to providing assistance with the design of the solution, our Implementation Specialists can advise on the set up and development of procedures and the integration of business rules. To successfully implement the system to meet the goals of your organization, a Needs Analysis, or scoping study, should be undertaken. If you’ve already done this for an RFP or organizational review, then this step can be skipped. Regardless of who does it, this will help ensure that the project parameters and success factors are well defined. If we undertake this, on-site needs analysis sessions are preferred, but online sessions can also be used to lower cost expenditures. Once the needs analysis is complete, the project team can be assembled. Appropriate staff members on the customer side are designated and implementation resources are assigned from GeoMetrix Data Systems (GDS). The project should have two co-project leaders — one leader from the customer organization to manage their internal resources and one leader from GDS to manage the tasks to be completed by our implementation team. Once a Needs Analysis has been concluded the responsibilities of the project leaders would include: Establish the project parameters Develop the project plan Ensure the overall integrity of the plan by managing the staff on each of the project teams Ensure impediments are identified and resolved quickly Control costs Manage communication to project members I talk more about specific roles and responsibilities of the project team in a previous post, but these processes should involve people who are committed to the project. Using skilled, well-trained and experienced team members will ensure a successful implementation. Once the Needs Analysis is complete, the project parameters are established and the project plan is developed. This phase includes meetings that provide an overview of the implementation, which covers items such as data to be migrated, training required, reporting needs and expected customizations. Contact persons in both the customer organization and GDS are identified and responsibilities of each person are discussed. The resulting project plan identifies tasks and activities necessary to complete the project and the resources required for achievement of these objectives. The project plan identifies the mutual involvement of GDS and the customer in the project, identifying review points and major project milestones. The draft project plan is reviewed and revised by both parties and approved before implementation continues. Clarification on the work is defined and reviewed at this stage. This project plan forms the basis for monitoring and measuring the progress and success of the project. Implementations of a very large scope are quite often divided into stages, or phases, that occur over a period of time. These implementations often reflect an organization-wide shift in how the customer conducts their training processes, the effects of which are felt in every department. Breaking the project into stages improves the focus of team members and allows for efficient resource allocation of the implementation team. The GDS implementation team maintains a continuous working relationship with the customer. Regular communications between team members assures implementation progress is constantly tracked. Periodic reviews involving both teams are scheduled to define any new requirements that may have been defined during the implementation process. The implementation of a Learning Management Software system seldom remains static and should change and grow in conjunction with the needs of the organization. If you’d like to know more about our implementation process, please give me a call at 1-800-616-5409.

[Post by Arden Rose, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] The Human Resources Exchange has been created to address the unique needs of senior-level HR executives by offering unparalled access to the resources, technology, and services that are changing the way organizations grow and manage change. "Successful organizations are becoming more adaptive, resilient, and systems-focused and streamlining processes through the use of innovative products and services is no longer an option for multi-faceted HR departments - it’s an absolute necessity." Over the 2.5 days of the conference participants will take part in: Powerful, personal networking with peers and colleagues Pre-set and pre-qualified appointments between senior HR executives and leading product suppliers Thought leadership sessions led by industry experts Multiple formal and informal relationship-building opportunities and market intelligence gathering Attendance is strictly limited to maximize ROI for all participants. Don’t miss your chance to take part in the event that is changing the way HR executives source new products and services. For more information visit: Human Resources Exchange

[Post by Karla Willems, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] In an article titled "Love or Lose Your Senior Talent" published in the September issue of Talent Management magazine, "Older workers still bring value to the workplace." The article notes that by the year 2020, approximately 60 million American will be over age 65 and that the potential losses for organizations are many. "Some managers think that losing senior talent is inevitable or it won’t be a big loss. Think again." Authors Sharon Jordan-Evans and Beverly Kaye list some of the potential losses as: depth of knowledge; wisdom; ability to mentor; innovation; and leadership. So what can you do about it? Read the article for "hints on hanging on," which include helping seniors find new and meaningful roles in your organization. To read the article visit: Talent Management September Issue Or visit the Talent Management magazine website: Talent Management Photo from Freeimages.com

[Post by Arden Rose, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Join Katherine Jones (Ph.D., Vice President, HCM Technology Research, Bersin by Deloitte) and Camille Price (Senior Manager, Bersin by Deloitte) tomorrow, October 7, for a free webinar called Planning Organization Change: Getting over the Gotchas "In business, change is a constant. From acquisition and mergers to layoffs, market entrances and exits, organizations are often in flux in ways that can affect the workforce. The success of new initiatives depends on how that pending change is approached within the organization. But is your organization even ready to change? How can you tell? This complimentary webinar from industry-leading analyst Bersin by Deloitte will review the main aspects of change management. The webinar will discuss how to get from a business plan to an action plan; how to create a team; and if your organization is ready for change. Register here: Bersin Webinar Registration

[Post by K.M. Lowe, Writer & Corporate Communicator] An extensive report titled "eLearning for Undergraduate Health Professional Education" was published this year by the World Health Organization. WHO’s Department of Health Workforce collaborated with the Imperial College London to conduct a systematic review of scientific literature to evaluate the effectiveness of eLearning for undergraduate health professional education. With contributions from more than 30 researchers from around the world, the 156-page report identified 209 studies for inclusion in the review. Reports from large organizations, whether government, non-governmental (NGO) or private, often state the obvious. This report is not the exception evidenced by the Foreword, which begins by explaining, "A defining feature of health systems in the 21st century will be the capacity to respond to populations’ needs, while at the same time anticipating future scenarios and effectively planning for evolving requirements." The report then went on to describe its parameters. It was interesting to read that it limited the types of elearning it considered relevant to the research. "It was decided to focus on non-networked computerbased and Internet and local area network-based eLearning only, as these are the two forms of technology that are most likely to be available in a multiplicity of settings." Yet the researchers were willing to use data that was 14 years old, which is considered ancient in technology years. "Overall, 47 records published between 2001 and 2013 were compatible with the definition of computer-based eLearning." The speed at which the research was done must have been the reason why nothing published in the past two years was included. It must be assumed that the study began in 2013 and that decisions were made then as to what research to include. Anything that came out after that, regardless of how relevant it might have been, was apparently ignored. The following passage shows just how out-of-date some of the data was, "The majority of the studies used programs that run on PCs or laptops. One study investigated the use of a personal digital assistant (PDA), which is a small portable electronic device that can be regarded as the predecessor to a computer tablet and smartphone…" If a technology is so old that it must be described to readers because they have likely never seen it, maybe it shouldn’t be included. But more important is the lack of data used in relation to smartphones and tablets, especially since technology access in lower-income countries was listed as a mitigating factor for choosing surveys to include in the study. In February of 2015, Wired magazine published the following. "For those in many developing countries, a smartphone is their first computer and their only Internet-connected device." Wired predicted that by 2017, a smartphone might be only ‘computer’ most people own. Back in 2013, Forbes magazine published that the analysts at IDC forecast that by 2017, 87% of connected devices sold would be smartphones and tablets. Other research shows that sales of tablets will surpass PCs in 2015. In view of all that and that smartphones and tablets are more affordable and portable options worldwide, relevancy of the data used in the study becomes a serious concern. One of the most surprising sentences in the report read, "The strengths of eLearning as a new educational tool…" Although the document included a glossary, the term ‘new’ was not listed, so we can’t really know what criteria was used to define the word ‘new.’ As elearning has been around since the mid-1990s (Wikipedia tell us that the first online high school was founded in 1994) and went mainstream around 1999, it was apparently not the same criteria used in business. In business, a strategy that’s been in use for 15-20 years is not only not new, but generally falls into the well-established category. The study’s key findings included, "The shortage of health-care workers at global level has forced educational institutions to turn to innovative ways of teaching and learning. One of the paths that shows the most promise is… eLearning." Again, that would appear to be stating the obvious, however, the report then goes on to say that more research is necessary citing gaps in the available evidence. "The research available to date has tended to focus on educational institutions in high-income countries… None of the included studies from the WHO African Region and Eastern Mediterranean Region were eligible for inclusion…" And that was just one of the issues with the ‘eligible’ data. Others were that the included studies were all based on university education and none on vocational training and that there was little data for community health assistants and other health-allied professions. Maybe the researchers should have loosened their criteria to get a broader data set to work from. It also seems that the use of the phrase, "research available to date" is misleading since ‘to date’ in this case is until two years ago and not actually anywhere near the date of the report’s release. The report did remind us of some of the advantages of elearning, such as reducing costs associated with training delivery, bridging geographic barriers, improving access to content, offering personalized learner experience and so on. And one of the more valuable sections found in the report was the chapter called, "Critical success factors for the implementation and adoption of eLearning interventions." This provided a breakdown of the framework required for effective elearning delivery including understanding the ‘problem’ that elearning is expected to solve and the issues with implementing that solution (or intervention). The two following chapters, "Strategies to introduce eLearning equitably and effectively" and "Institutionalizing and sustaining eLearning," also contained some worthwhile information. "eLearning for Undergraduate Health Professional Education" is certainly worth a read for anyone studying elearning or health education and provides some interesting data, especially for those who enjoy statistics. If you’d like to read the report for yourself, you can download it here: WHO report

[Post by Karla Willems, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Bersin by Deloitte is presenting a free webinar on October 13 titled "How and Where Organizations are Investing to Help Close Employee." Jennifer Krider, Senior Research Analyst at Bersin by Deloitte, will discuss how much some U.S. companies are investing in employee development; how the typical allocation of L&D practitioners’ time has shifted; and how and where many high-impact learning organizations are spending their money. Register for this complimentary webinar at: Bersin Webinar Oct 13

[Post by Arden Rose, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] The results of a survey conducted in March 2015 of 127 HR professionals was published in the September issue of Talent Management. The article, titled "Firms Boost HR Tech Spending," claims "Half of talent managers say their companies’ spending on HR technology grew year over year." Article author, Elyse Samuels, writes that the survey showed the least popular HR technology to spend money on was wellness software followed by succession planning, but nearly 40% were planning to purchase mobile HR software. You can read the whole article here: Talent Management September issue Or visit the magazine’s website: Talent Management

[Post by Karla Willems, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] In his monthly column in the August issue of Chief Learning Office magazine, industry analyst Josh Bersin writes that "Online education is back with a vengeance — and it works." Bersin reminds his readers that e-learning as we have come to know it was created back in 1999. He goes on to say that there were hundreds of vendors in the elearning marketplace "most of which have disappeared of been acquired." Interestingly, 1999 was the year we first released our online version of TrainingPartner. I remember it well, having already worked for GeoMetrix Data Systems for two years by then. So I guess that makes us one of the few vendors who have not ‘disappeared or been acquired.’ Of course, in 1991, GeoMetrix had already been in the training technology business for seven years. Bersin writes that while elearning has had its ups and downs over the past 15 years, "research shows that most large companies today are in the middle of a digital renaissance; they desperately need to re-engineer their employee learning experiences to accommodate this new, refreshing, exciting market." "…being a CLO or learning leader is more exciting now than it has been in years." To read the column visit: CLO August 2015 Bersin column Or visit the magazine’s website here: CLO Media website

[Post by Karla Willems, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Hosted by ELearning! magazine, the Virtual Learning! Summit’s mission is Creating Great Learning Experiences…Virtually. Convene with 2,000+ corporate and government learning executives online to: Hear success stories from learning leaders; Share best practices with virtual experts; See best-in-class solutions; and Network with experts at this live virtual event. If you are responsible for business and agency performance, employee development and learning strategy, you need to attend the Virtual Learning! Summit Live! You can attend this online event live for free on November 4 or choose a paid premium pass to access all the recorded sessions for the rest of 2015. For more information visit: ELearning!

[Post by K.M. Lowe, Writer & Corporate Communicator] According to a new report by think-tank McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), "Gender inequality is not only a pressing moral and social issue but also a critical economic challenge." The report titled ‘The Power of Parity’ states that advancing women’s equality can add $12 trillion to global growth by 2025. The full report at 168 pages is extensive but laid out in an engaging format with an ‘in brief’ section at the beginning and easily understood infographics (except a couple of exhibits, which were a little difficult to navigate). The more reasonable executive summary version, at only 32 pages, provides highlights and summaries of the most important information, as well as the all-important infographics. Whether you choose to tackle the statistics or browse the highlights, from this report you’ll learn that "Women are half the world’s working-age population but generate only 37% of GDP." MGI research statistics show that "Even after decades of progress toward making women equal partners with men in the economy and society, the gap between them remains large." MGI mapped 15 gender-equality indicators in four categories: equality in work, essential services and enablers of economic opportunity, legal protection and political voice, and physical security and autonomy. The researchers applied the indicators to 95 countries and found that 40 countries have high or extremely high levels of gender inequality on at least half of the indicators. MGI’s Gender Parity Score (GPS) measured the distance each country had traveled toward gender parity. With full parity, MGI’s bar is set at 1.00. South Asia (excluding India) scored the lowest GPS at 0.44. North America and Oceania (which includes Australia and New Zealand) scored the highest at 0.74. These results show that even in the highest ranking regions, women are still participating at less than three-quarters of their potential. So what would happen if women were participating at full capacity? According to MGI, the impact of women participating at full economic potential would add up to $28 trillion by 2025 or "roughly equivalent to the size of the combined Chinese and US economies today." Even if full potential wasn’t reached in that period, a best-in-region scenario could equal $12 trillion in annual Gross Domestic Product or "equivalent in size to the current GDP of Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom combined, or twice the likely growth in global GDP contributed by female workers between 2014 and 2025 in a business-as-usual scenario." The researchers showed that both advanced and developing countries stood to gain by increased economic participation by women. "In 46 of the 95 countries analyzed, the best-in-region outcome could increase annual GDP by 2025 by more than 10 percent over the business-as-usual case, with the highest relative regional boost in India and Latin America." "If women—who account for half the world’s working-age population—do not achieve their full economic potential, the global economy will suffer." To download the complete 168-page report or the more easily consumable 32-page executive summary visit: McKinsey Global Institute Photos from Freeimages.com