CEdMA-Europe Members' Newsletter - May 2007

Workshop
 

12 June, "Working with Partners"

The early summer CEdMA Europe half-day Workshop will take place on 12 June 2007 1330-1700 UK time at Steljes Bagshot. It's all about sharing what we have done and are doing with partners in the widest sense, so don't come along expecting to hear how it should be done. Be prepared to listen and contribute your own experiences. The facilitators will be Simon Maskrey of SUN Microsystems, Jasmine Huxtable-Wright of Symantec and Norman Buckberry from Reynolds and Reynolds.

Agenda
1300 Coffee
1330 Introduction - Mike
1335 Using Partners in the Selling Process - Simon
1430 Break and Networking
1445 Using Partners in the Delivery Process - Jasmine
1540 Break and Networking
1555 Training, Accrediting and Certifying Partners - Norman 
1650 Summary
1700 Close

Click to get a printable agenda.

Please let Mike know if you or any of your colleagues will be attending, so that we can make sure we have enough seats, coffee, biscuits, and so on.

I look forward to seeing you there!

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Programme for the Rest of 2007

10-11 May "How to Define and Sell the Value of Training"

30 people from 18 companies (13 CEdMA Europe, 3 CEdMA USA plus 2 "prospects") attended the Spring Conference at the Marriott Meon Valley Hotel and Country Club on Thursday and Friday 10-11 May. The theme was "How to Define and Sell the Value of Training".

18 September Workshop "Emerging Technologies"

This was the most popular topic voted by the May Conference attendees. The venue is yet to be determined (any volunteers?), but full details will appear in the June Newsletter.

8-9 November "Optimising your P&L"

The conference topic is “Business Management”, while the theme is “Optimising your P&L”. Subjects to be covered include:

• Targets v Resources

• Internal pressures

• ROI to develop and run courses

• Prioritisation

• Resourcing (instructors, consultants, partners, contractors, outsourcing)

• Quality

• The role of IITT and TAP

Again, the venue is yet to be determined, but rumours suggest that it will not be south Hampshire yet again.

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Recent Articles from the Education and Training Press

News

Quick News Digest from IT Skills Research (May 07)

Industry News from IT Skills Research (May 07)

IT Training Press Releases (May 07)

Industry News Headlines from CLOmedia (May 07)

E-Learning Market Briefing from Kineo (May 07)

Market Monitor 2007 Q1 (from IT Skills Research) - May 07

© IT Skills Research Programme 1998-2007, last modified 21 May 07

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Reviews and Current Trends

CLO 2007 Business Intelligence Industry Report Exec Summary (Apr 07)

Nearly 2,000 senior learning executives gauged the issues, attitudes and opportunities that make up the role of today’s senior learning executive.

©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Ignoring the Obvious (May 07)
A recent survey conducted by IBM and ASTD shows that less than half of the organizations surveyed are doing a good job addressing changing workforce demographics. T+D Magazine, ©2007 ASTD

The CLO Role Conversation (May 07)
At the Spring 2007 CLO Symposium in Huntington Beach, CA, 70 senior learning executives took part in an intensive work session to produce their best thinking about the future of the CLO role. Through the discussions and post-event online contributors, we've put together a synopsis of the group's findings.

Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

The Great Sales and Training Divide (May 07)

Inherent to the DNA of most companies is a fundamental disconnect between sales and training.  ©2007 Huthwaite

IITT to clean up the personally funded training marketplace (May 07)
The Institute of IT Training is to launch a new accreditation programme specifically aimed at eliminating widespread malpractice in the personally-funded training market. © 2001 - 2005 The Training Foundation

Ringing Out the Old LMS (May 07)

Survey finds that the move to consolidate LMS data is picking up steam.

T+D Magazine, ©2007 ASTD

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Training Manager/Director Development

CLO Career Advice - Join a Board (May 07)

As a passionate learner, board membership will give you a unique opportunity to drill deeply into organizational aspects, ask questions and learn a great deal from your new colleagues.
Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Lies about the CLO (May 07)

According to Larry Israelite, author of “Lies About Learning: Leading Executives Separate Truth from Fiction in a $100 Billion Industry,” there might be some, shall we say, untruths floating about in the learning and development realm. CLOmedia, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Prisoners in the Classroom - Revisiting the Rules of Engagement (May 07)

Provide your trainers with the depth of knowledge and classroom skills to consistently keep smart people engaged and interested.

Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Communicating the Value of Learning (May 07)
It is imperative that workplace learning professionals effectively communicate how learning fits into the overall company strategy.

T+D Magazine, ©2007 ASTD

Give Real Credit for Your Training (May 07)
Have you ever thought about offering college credit for your training courses?

T+D Magazine, ©2007 ASTD

Communities of Practice 2.0 (May 07)

Ensuring all potential members understand the vision and mission of a community of practice is tantamount to its success.
Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

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Selling and Marketing Education

What You Know about Marketing Training (May 07)

Does this sound familiar? "I don't have time for marketing ... especially when I'm doing well and delivering training." Or, "I have a hard time breaking through the e-mail clutter that my prospects receive on a daily basis." If so, read on.
©2007 HowToMarketTraining.com

Oops, I Redesigned My Website - An SEO Checklist (May 07)

A website redesign is a time for celebration! But, if you just redesigned your website without thinking about the effect on its search engine presence, you may be in for a rude awakening. Follow a few simple guidelines to make sure your fabulous new site isn't going incognito. ©2007 Yourseoplan.com
 

Searching for a Fair Fee (May 07)
Setting the right price for services is what turns a good consulting business into an outstanding one. T+D Magazine, ©2007 ASTD

Should We Get Out Of the Training Business? (May 07)

I have seen trainers become learning consultants and training managers become senior account managers.

Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

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Learning Methods and Media

Business Applications of Reusable Learning Content (Apr 07)

In this research report, Chris Howard examines the ways in which companies are reusing content and the associated practices and processes. Among the organizations referenced in the paper are UBS, Ericcson, Autodesk, and the IRS. ©2007 Bersin and Associates

Learner Support Reviewed (May 07)

Kineo and Ufi/learndirect have teamed up to create a series of free guides on key issues in learning and technology. The idea is to share insights, experience and good practice on a wide range of topics, in an informal, pragmatic tone. This second guide is packed with practical tips and examples of learning support to go with e-learning 2.0..

©2007 Ufi/learndirect and Kineo

Five Ways to Use Social Networking for Learning (May 07)

The power of sharing and networking is evident everywhere today.
Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Hand in hand - formal and informal (May 07)

Here are some insights on informal learning and what learning professionals should be doing about it. ©2007 kineo.co.uk

Success with E-Learning (May 07)

Great design, great content, right tools ... what are you missing?
Learning Circuits, ©2007 ASTD

e-Learning 2.0 (May 07)

Everyone’s talking about web 2.0. But what about e-learning 2.0? Fact or fad? Stick your future- gazing goggles on and find out what it is, and what its impact could be. ©2007 kineo.co.uk

The Advantage of Interactivity (May 07)

They say that content is king. But in the world of e-learning, it takes more than content to make a good training program. Links, ©2007 ASTD

5 Myths about Rapid E-Learning (May 07)

This article explores common misconceptions about rapid e-learning development and discuss ways that this approach to learning can help you do a great job and get the results you want. ©2000-2007 Articulate Global, Inc

Articulate 3.0 - A Tool to Leverage a One Person e-Learning Department (May 07)

Looking for an e-Learning authoring tool that is simple to use and that won’t complicate your life as a one person department? Need to support independent experts and in-house consults, without overloading the IT Help Desk? Mike Dickinson describes how a designer, working essentially alone, is meeting these challenges and more! ©2007 The eLearning Guild

The Future of Rapid e-Learning (May 07)

Gabe Anderson, Director of Customer Support at Articulate, talks about the future of rapid e-learning. He tells us the future is bright and not necessarily PowerPoint shaped.

Part 1 (warning 5Mb) covers:

Where is rapid e-learning in 2007?

Why is it more than PowerPoint?
What role does design and content play in rapid e-learning?

Part 2 (warning 6Mb) covers:

Who should have the tools - the L&D team or anyone and everyone?

The next stages of rapid authoring tools

The challenges ahead for rapid e-learning.

©2007 kineo.co.uk

Defining and Understanding Virtual Worlds (May 07)

Virtual worlds have great potential for knowledge transfer. As professionals in the field of learning and development, it will be our job to separate the hype from fact and to properly design these worlds so learners benefit from this new technology. Learning Circuits, ©2007 ASTD

Survey Says - Game Shows (May 07)
How to use game shows to engage, motivate, and train employees. Learning Circuits, ©2007 ASTD

Skillsoft releases On-Demand Video Offering (May 07)

Skillsoft's announcement of its on-demand, video-based content collection, called the Leadership Development Channel (LDC), is designed to move the online content giant into the leadership development market.

©2007 Bersin and Associates

The World according to Wiki (May 07)

Wikis are emerging as important training tools in the workplace.

T+D Magazine, ©2007 ASTD

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Case Studies and Projects

Focus on Pharmaceuticals (May 07)
Training has your essential guide to learning and development in the pharmaceutical industry. It is not only great for those in the field, but for others who might want to apply featured methods and tactics.
Training Magazine, ©2007 Nielsen Business Media, Inc.

Informatica - Effecting a Paradigm Shift (May 07)

As a means to take a new look at the traditional hierarchical ladder, Informatica Corp., a data integration company, formulated a new career paradigm for its staff: "Individual Responsibility: Take Initiative to Own Your Career."
Talent Management, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

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Measuring Education Value

Measuring Learning Results (Apr 07)

Are your assessments designed to look backwards or forwards? This paper  explores how assessments can be used to predict future performance and many other questions about how to write fair, reliable and effective assessments. ©2007 Will Thalheimer

Inside the Latest Measurement Techniques (May 07)
When applying metrics to learning, Motorola University has used a simple but purposeful approach called "goal, question, metric" (GQM). Through this approach, learning and development professionals ask three questions: What are your goals? What questions address whether the goals are being met? What metrics answer the question?
Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Analysis Paralysis - The Stagnant State of Measurement (May 07)
Today's CLOs find themselves in a measurement Catch-22: To successfully demonstrate the impact learning has on business results requires a willingness from management to grant access to key performance and result metrics, but management is often reluctant to provide this access when it doesn't recognize training's strategic value in the first place.
Chief Learning Officer, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Eye on ROI (May 07)

In some of the most financially focused companies on Earth, numbers take a backseat when it comes to judging training’s value.

Training Magazine, ©2007 Nielsen Business Media, Inc.

Keeping ROI and Results-Based Training Efforts On Track (May 07)
Staying on track and maintaining the health and integrity of the ROI process in the face of continuous change is equally critical and an aspect of results-based evaluation work that is often overlooked and underestimated.
Links, ©2007 ASTD

The next article brought a lot of reaction from practitioners, resulting in the counter article which follows. The SPIN case study is referenced by both.

Why Training ROI Doesn't Matter (Apr 07)

Everyone wants an ROI study to prove the value of their training – or do they? Return on Investment is complicated and time consuming to prove and, argues, Donald H Taylor, usually only the training department is interested in the results. ©TrainingZONE 

ROI is Not the Enemy (May 07)

In response to Donald H Taylor's article, Garry Platt argues against ignoring this level of evaluation.  ©TrainingZONE 

SPIN Case Study - Motorola

© Huthwaite

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Processes/Managing Costs/Outsourcing

Effective Learning Process Outsourcing (May 07)
Many corporate learning organizations work fine if they're not disturbed.

Talent Management, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing Inc

Channel Training and Outsourcing (May 07)

Most companies have yet to discover the big benefits outsourcing can bring to channel training. Learning Circuits, ©2007 ASTD

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Training Professional Topics

Implementation to Instruction - Is Teaching on your Horizon? (Jun 07)

As employers continue to need more educated IT professionals, the demand for qualified IT instructors has increased, as well. Learn about the opportunities for IT professionals to take their technical expertise and enter the world of academia. CertMag, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing

Top 10 Resume Mistakes IT Pros Should Avoid (Jun 07)

If you’re updating your resume in preparation for a job hunt, chances are you’ve found plenty of advice on what you should do to capture an employer’s interest. But it’s equally important to know what not to do. Even little mistakes quickly can end your chances of being interviewed for a position.

CertMag, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing

Avoiding Technical Difficulties in Presentations (May 07)
I have often spoken about general ways to "Harness the Fear Factor" to allow you to manage presentation anxiety and take the stage with preparation-based confidence.  This article will give you a brief on ten common technical problems and some thoughts on how to anticipate, avoid and minimize them with careful preparation. ©2007 Tony Jeary

And Please Allow a Little Time for Q&A (May 07)

Nothing strikes fear in the heart of someone who has just made a presentation like knowing they’ll face a question and answer session. Fears like: “What if I don’t know the answer?” “They’ll think I don’t know what I’m talking about.” Or: “What if they’re upset and hostile?” “If long-winded Max’s there, how will I keep things on track?” But when handled well, Q&A sessions can be a great benefit to the speaker and most importantly, the audience. ©2007 Dianna Booher

The Golden Triangle - Presenter, Audience, and Slides (May 07)

We have seen it countless times before, but this latest one was particularly poignant. The intelligent presenter, with something important to say, who got lost in her slides. She started out beautifully, introducing herself and her ideas, standing before a well-designed title slide. She knew what she wanted to say and she said it — a surprisingly complete strategy for delivering a good presentation. She should have stuck to that strategy, because as soon as her first bullet slide appeared, things began to go south. ©2007 Rick Altman

How to Gain Control of Your PowerPoint Culture (May 07)

Do you control your PowerPoint culture, or does PowerPoint control you? For many organizations, what appears to be a situation under control is in fact a system that’s out of control. When organizations attempt to control branding by implementing a typical PowerPoint template, they ensure their presenters overwhelm or bore their audiences, which is a loss of control of brand. 

©2007 Sociable Media

Featured Product Review - Vox Proxy, version 4 (May 07)

This Product Review, provided by Training Media Review, outlines Vox Proxy, a clever, creative, and charming add-in program for Microsoft PowerPoint (2000 or newer) that allows you to use Microsoft Agent Technology to provide talking, animated characters in your slides. The characters can express social roles, emotions, and organized personalities that match learning goals, company brands, and other circumstances. ©2007 TMR Publications

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Education Administration

No articles this month.

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Skills Gap/Technical Certification

Optimizing IT Skills Management Initiatives (May 07)

As technologies have become more complex, it is often difficult to find qualified IT professionals who have the desired knowledge, better skills and specialization capabilities. Successful organizations will recognize the critical importance of effectively managing the skills of their current IT professionals. They will also recognize that the first step in managing those IT skills is to have a detailed, objective and accurate inventory of the skills of their current staff as well as the skills required for their future projects. With the proper evaluation of detailed IT skills, organizations will be able to save time, money and optimize their hiring, training, project staffing and career development initiatives. ©2007 IKM

IT's Academic (Jun 07)

From emerging degrees to innovative approaches to technical education, IT has found its place in academia. In-depth features on the evolution of IT curriculum, the international angle, the integration of certifications and case studies on how different schools approach IT education all combine in this special academic report. CertMag, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing

IT Academia Across the Pond (Jun 07)

Speaking with an IT pro in the UK about the college experience.

CertMag, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing

ITAC and the Enterprise Architect (Jun 07)

IT architecture is becoming the discipline that separates success from failure in large or complex IT projects. Through certifications such as the Open Group's IT Architect Certification (ITAC), companies can embrace industry standards for certifying the skills and capabilities of enterprise architects.

CertMag, ©2007 Media Tec Publishing

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And, Finally.....

A man and his wife had been arguing all night, and as bedtime approached neither was speaking to the other. It was not unusual for the pair to continue this war of silence for two or three days. However, on this occasion, the man was concerned. He needed to be awake at 4:30am the next morning to catch an important flight, and being a very heavy sleeper he normally relied on his wife to wake him. Cleverly, so he thought, while his wife was in the bathroom, he wrote on a piece of paper: 'Please wake me at 4:30am - I have an important flight to catch'. He put the note on his wife's pillow, then turned over and went to sleep.

The man awoke the next morning and looked at the clock. It was 8:00am. Enraged that he'd missed his flight, he was about to go in search of his errant wife to give her a piece of his mind, when he spotted a hand-written note on his bedside cabinet.

The note said: 'It's 4:30am - get up.'

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Feedback, please!

I would really like to get input from you, the readers.  Please give me your feedback and point me towards any article or source that you think the rest of the membership might enjoy. Thank you.

Mike Dowsey

Business Development Manager

CEdMA-Europe

mike@dowsey.net