Avoid costly mistakes – A high-level approach
Understanding the common pitfalls in e-Learning technology selection is half the battle. Knowing how to avoid them is what will make efforts more successful. I will focus next on a high-level overview of steps that you can flexibly apply, to ensure technology selection success. A number of tools can and should be in each of the steps. I will focus on the ones that people most often overlook.
Step One: Define and document needs
There are two elements in this step: The project charter, and the communication plan.
Project charter
The first and most important activity in the entire project is to establish a charter. This will set a baseline for success, by documenting the basic needs of the project and organization. Just as process management methodologies prescribe charters to help organize and document the purpose of and intent of the work, it stands to reason that technology selection efforts will also benefit from such an approach.
A project charter will also feed into the RFP – which is the document that will define all product requirements. Completing this work at the beginning of the project, can save a tremendous amount of time and frustration later in the process. The charter organization helps everyone clearly understand the organization’s needs, and that understanding will ultimately drive the selection of an appropriate solution.
You should complete all the sections of a project charter, and get key stakeholders to agree to all elements, prior to engaging any vendors. Focus on these elements:
- Clear problem statement
- Business case and project objective
- How technology can help solve the problem
- Define and describe customers
- Long and short-term strategy
- Installation and maintenance
- Budget
- Required resources/project team
- Project plan
Communications plan
A critical element in this step is a communications plan. Change management strategy starts at the beginning, and it is critical to understand what needs to be communicated, to whom, and when. A best practice is to ask the team and stakeholders how often, and by what means, they would like to receive updates. If the project is enterprise-wide, communication should start as soon as Step 2, to customers of the product, to prepare them for the change and help them understand what is in it for them.
Step Two: Identify solutions
This step is all about defining and selecting the solution that will best solve the stated problem. The focus is on requirements, not vendors. The stakeholders and customers of the system should define these requirements. The requirements will drive what the vendors you engage deliver.
Criteria and solutions analysis
Focus on gathering, categorizing, and ranking requirements. Line up all required functionality, and rate each component based on its importance to the project’s success. Once you have done this, you can define specific selection criteria. Do not overlook having IT weigh in on these criteria, and play an integral role in the documentation of requirements.
After you have established selection criteria, you can begin a solutions analysis. This takes into account all the needs that you have documented, and begins to weigh those needs against the options available across the market. Now is the time to start engaging vendors, and gathering documentation on solutions. Benchmarking and market research are adroit tools to use at this time. Learn what has worked for others, reach out to customers of the tools, and ask them specifically about their experiences., Careful Internet research will provide by far the most candid feedback, and information about potential options. Use every tool available in preparation for the sales and RFP process. (Editor's Note: In addition to Guild Research Dynamic Data Access (DDA) and the 360° Reports, you may also want to use The eLearning Guild's new Buyers Guide, at http://www.elearningguild.com/buyers_guide/?selection=doc.937.)
The last action, is to marry the weighted requirements and selection criteria with e-Learning solution candidates. Through the discovery process, and documentation of requirements, the scope of the project can change. For instance, the project may have started with a focus on LMS, but through the requirements process another functionality fell out as a high priority. This will change the focus on available solutions and selection criteria. Documenting requirements at this level is not a step you should skip, as selection criteria will help you choose the solution that is most aligned with the needs of the business.
Step Three – Vendor selection
Vendor selection can be the most time-consuming period in this process. Between vendor demos, sales calls, RFP documentation, and final contract negotiations, this is where the metal meets the road. The key tools here are a very well organized and thorough RFP, a well-organized implementation team, and some strong negotiation skills.
The RFP
To make things less tedious, engage a RFP department, if at all possible. If RFP writing is a skill set within the organization, all the better. Whatever the case, the same people who were engaged in setting the direction for the project need to review the RFP, to ensure it contains all key requirements. The Web has RFP templates and examples available, and if you use them, simply make sure that items needed and agreed upon by your organization are not missing.
Completing first two activities meansthat the majority of the work for the RFP is done. Now it is all about pulling the pieces of the puzzle together. Remember that the requirements in the RFP should not be negotiable. If you do need to make changes, it is imperative to circle back with your stakeholders to gain approval for the shift.
Vendor management
Vendor management can become a nightmare, if not approached carefully. Only reach out to the select group of vendors who have met the requirements stated by the project. There should be no more than three to five, to keep the task of selection reasonable.
Once you have selected candidates, and vendors are ready to come in for demos, a good practice is to schedule them as close together as possible. Ask all the project’s key stakeholders to attend, and ultimately to help make the final decision. Another good tactic, is to invite a small group of users to the demos. This will help engage the customer, and keep the chosen solution aligned with their needs. Also, if the vendor starts trying to sell additional features or functionality, stop them. Let them know up front that you are in the market only for what the RFP defines. With the appropriate input, and proper planning, the vendor selection process can be very manageable. And, after all that hard work and a long-awaited decision, the only thing left to do is implement the solution!
Step Four – Implementation
Implementing a solution can be as simple as downloading software, or as involved as a six-month-long effort involving multiple systems integrations. Of course, due to all the prior work and preparation, nothing should come as a surprise during this stage. Ah, if only that were true! For efforts large and small, the first step in implementation is to understand what the project is up against by way of risk.
Risk assessment
If something goes wrong, it is better to have a plan in place to address it, rather than being blindsided. Before making the solution official, complete a risk assessment and mitigation plan. With large projects, there will most likely be setbacks, and now is the time to address that possibility. Even for smaller projects, a risk assessment identifying potential adoption concerns can be helpful. A risk assessment is a wonderful ally going into implementation, and is just one more step in fortifying the project against setbacks.
Change strategy
The change strategy and the communication plan, set forth at the beginning of the project, come back heavily into play during implementation. It is time to communicate, educate, and promote the solution. The value proposition needs to be well-defined, as does a strategy to drive user engagement. Just because you built it, does not mean they will come. Spend time carefully and creatively driving customers to the solution. It is important to create value and meaning around the output of the project, in the form of something intrinsically valuable to them.
Training
Last, but not least, educate end users and training staff at appropriate levels. It is unreasonable to expect adoption and proper usage without this critical step. In particular, if the solution addresses a new way to design or deliver for the training staff, invest the money in a strong certification program, and allow time for practice and experimentation.
Step Five – Maintain and manage
Implementation is complete. It is time to sit back and relax, right? No, not even close.
Celebrate
The first next step is to celebrate. Acknowledging the hard work of the team is very important. This step may seem superfluous, but it is really very valuable. Not only does recognizing the team’s efforts provide a needed release, it can also engender continued commitment from those resources to the project. Be creative in the celebration. It does not need to cost a lot of money, or even gather everyone in one place. For virtual teams, host a virtual party. There are a number of ways to celebrate success in an organization. Find a way that works within the culture, and that specifically points out key accomplishments.
Strategy management
Now the real work begins. The teams that were established to support the implementation may dissipate, but the people who are going to administer this tool are just beginning their work. You need to accomplish the short-term and long-term strategies you set in the beginning of the project. You need to measure the feedback about the solution, and the performance shifts caused by it. To create the framework to manage this work, create a scorecard for the tool based on those initial goals, and the first rounds of customer feedback. Cross training and succession planning will also need to be considered, in the event that the resources managing the tool move on.
One last practice to share, which will ensure continued engagement by the business, is to create a council or committee comprising key business partners. This will serve as a sounding board, and sanity check, for the solution. Those managing the technology will be able to check in with the business on a consistent basis, to get candid feedback on the project’s impact. This committee may also be able to provide valuable data and resources when it comes to measuring ROI or ROE for the project.
Conclusion
Seamlessly integrating a learning technology into an organization can be a difficult task. A number of factors can go wrong in the selection and implementation process. The costs associated with mistakes are a powerful driver for doing it right the first time. The more skilled we become at choosing sound solutions and meeting business needs, the further our practice will grow. The key is to attack these projects methodically, and with good business sense.
The proliferation of e-Learning has been exciting for our industry and practice. We are entering into an even more dynamic time, as the landscape continues to evolve and paradigms are shattered. Emerging technologies are likely to create an even more dramatic shift in how we manage and disseminate learning. With these advances, the learning technology landscape will continue to evolve and provide more options. Learning professionals should carefully advance and promote these tools and ideals. To do so successfully takes careful consideration and planning.
