Cloud Computing: The Next
Revolution in Training
trainingefficiency.com
THINK T ANK
THINK TANK D ISCUSSION
February 23, 2011
THINK TANK PARTICIPANTs
Brock Christianson . . . Medtronic Brian Pickett . . . Avaya, Inc. Randy Hugie . . . Novell Tony Irace . . . ADP
INTRoDuCTIoN
There is a lot of buzz out in the learning management world about “cloud computing”—that big server in the sky. Many organizations are racing to be the first to harness the cloud’s power in order to create, implement, and deliver more effective applications.
There is no doubt about it—cloud computing is a game changer—particu-larly for the relationship between the IT department and the learning orga-nization. Traditionally, IT worked side-by-side with the learning organization, creating platforms and applications that delivered needed information and training. This has often been a slow and labor-intensive process rife with delays and potential roadblocks to efficient implementation. Often, the needs of learning were not assigned the highest priority by the IT group. However, the cloud promises to change all that—reducing development time and moving learning to a high priority customer status in the eyes of its cloud services provider.
From the learning management executive’s standpoint, several processes change in a cloud environment. Let’s look at the advantages the cloud presents. First, it creates a higher sense of autonomy to the entire orga-nization and individual. The cloud allows relevant, tailored content to be created for users without the dependence upon IT to modify, update, or implement any component of the delivery platform. Cloud computing also contributes to “greener,” more efficient systems, with less waste. Some even tout that the cloud offers a richer learning experience due to its “open source” nature—allowing the contributions of many to enrich applications and the learning environment.
What are the disadvantages to cloud computing? Some may argue that cloud computing forces organizations to buy into locked, proprietary
sys-There is no doubt about it—cloud computing is a game changer— particularly for the relationship between the IT department and the learning organization.
tems that will cost them more over time. Others are concerned with how company data is protected and controlled within the cloud.
In light of the advantages/disadvantages of cloud computing, how are or-ganizations accessing LMS, LCMS, social networking, collaboration, con-tent development, instructional delivery, assessments, and other learning applications? What is the current view of the Software as a Service (SaaS) model for accessing applications for training versus employing the services of a centralized IT organization?
In a recent Learning Executive Think Tank discussion, Tom Kelly, former learning executive at Cisco and Oracle; Tom Clancy, Vice President of Edu-cation Services at EMC Corporation; and Jim Hanlin, President and Found-er of Best Training Resources met with a handful of top learning executives to discuss how the emergence of cloud computing will impact SaaS and centralized IT for learning applications. Specifically, learning leaders were asked:
How do you anticipate that the emergence of cloud computing will impact SaaS and centralized for IT learning applications?
A handful of top learning executives met to discuss how the emergence of cloud computing will impact SaaS and centralized IT for learning applications.
All members of the group agreed that the cloud will have a tremendous impact on learning— particularly training delivery.
Think Tank participants were asked about how the cloud differs from their current delivery methods and how it is currently being implemented in their organization. Think Tank participants represented a variety of industries in-cluding: medical technology, software development, and human resources. All members of the group agreed that the cloud will have a tremendous impact on learning—particularly training delivery:
• Old Delivery Model—The organization buys, installs, maintains, access-es, and controls learning applications and courseware in house.
• New Model (Cloud)—The organization accesses the cloud that hosts learning applications and courseware that they need.
One think tank participant expressed:
“Specifically, the cloud unleashes the ability to fulfill training needs more efficiently than ever before. With the cloud, us-ers will no longer need to have any knowledge of infrastruc-ture. It provides the computation, software, data access, and storage services that users require and removes the neces-sity of understanding how these functions are performed.”
Participants were asked how the cloud is currently being used in their orga-nization and whether they intend to look to this technology to meet future needs. Most indicated plans to expand its use as a means to implement content more efficiently.
From our roundtable discussion, we identified five important consider-ations for learning executives as they develop a strategy and plan for potential transition to the cloud.
1. Transition to cloud computing will first start as a
hybrid model.
Most learning organizations will manage both internal systems and cloud systems to leverage existing infrastructure and allow for smoother opera-tions.
A main concern among participants is security and the exposure of proprietary information:
“There are many ‘generic’ functions that can be performed efficiently and inexpensively in the cloud. This will free time, talent and resources to be directed toward critical organiza-tional needs. There is a need, however, to preserve elements that require a high level of security and are proprietary or provide a competitive advantage for the organization com-petitive advantage behind the firewall.”
While our roundtable participants agreed that the cloud can have a tremen-dous impact on the cost and efficiency of training management; it’s impor-tant that each program and service be assessed individually to determine which platform would best serve the organization and the user. Ideally, as much content as possible should be placed in the cloud. One participant noted:
“We’ve reduced costs significantly just by having some of our newer services and programs ‘virtualized.’ Applications that have been created and managed inside our firewall have been laborious to design and support.”
While many applications make sense being hosted by the cloud, some con-tent requires a greater level of internal involvement—Someone from the organization needs to be involved in how the platform is structured so it better meets the users’ needs. For example, applications such as YouTube are hosted externally, but features can be customized to set security levels, content, searches, and access to meet its intent.
“We have experienced great success using a “hosted model” approach. We have an in-house web-delivery platform. This has provided the balance we desired to promote efficiency and maintain effectiveness”
Most learning
organizations will manage both internal systems and cloud systems to leverage existing infrastructure and allow for smoother operations.
Training needs to be updated and available to the user. The cloud will provide greater autonomy to the training organization.
2. The cloud will give learning executives more control and
flexibility over content creation and delivery.
Training needs to be updated and available to the user. The cloud will provide greater autonomy to the training organization.
All think tank participants agreed that it is a challenge to get the most up-to-date content to the user when they need it most. Many executives are looking to the cloud to link content from numerous sources into a single search tool. The objective is to be able to conduct a federated search that will provide exactly the content that is needed to meet the task at hand. One learning executive commented:
“We need to be able to search across different applications and databases. It does us little good to have great content that cannot be located by the user.”
Another participant indicated that his team is implementing a single sign-on applicatisign-on that enables the user to navigate all available pages seam-lessly and access any available content. He noted some concerns, how-ever, in going outside the firewall. There are obviously factors that every organization must consider when moving to the cloud but the power of the platform outweighs its potential drawbacks in most situations.
“Putting firewall concerns aside, the cloud is a simple and cost-efficient method for us to create a highly-effective search platform that enables users to establish preferences and enter specific search criteria to yield highly individual-ized results.”
Video content is another area that is seeing considerable growth and po-tential as a result of the cloud. Videos can be created and categorized in a content-specific manner that allows for easy search and use. Historically, it has been too time-consuming and cost prohibitive to develop and manage such applications internally. On participant commented:
“Video is a place where we are seeing a lot of interest. The cloud provides the bandwidth that is needed for streaming and storing video content. We are using a variety of video applications, such as YouTube, to publish five minute videos that address a specific need, sales tip or provide product information. This information can be accessed in the field at the moment the information is most needed.”
3. The cloud will enable learning organizations to get more direct
attention from IT.
The advent of cloud computing will offer the learning organization options in platform development and will force internal IT organizations to compete for their business.
All of our learning leaders expressed a common obstacle in the path to implementing new content—IT. One learning executive indicated that his IT department is overwhelmed with many requests and always seem to be backed up.
“Training is usually not the first item on our IT department’s list. They are usually tackling daily administrative needs and putting out fires. The cloud presents a great opportunity for the learning department to outsource services and to better meet our needs.”
Another participant added that from a users perspective nothing changes with the experience of applications sourced from the cloud, except for the increased availability of more useful content.
4. Cloud computing is being driven faster by mobile learning.
The proliferation of mobile computing necessitates content be available any-where and anytime.
The consensus among our leaders was that content developed for mobile technology is a priority. The cloud is the best vehicle for making content available wherever the user needs it and with any form of technology. The challenge is in finding the best way to deliver content with mobile technol-ogy:
“We are still trying to figure out the mobile aspect of learn-ing. Developing the appropriate strategies and content is what we’re working on now. Cloud computing is the center-piece of this process.”
Another executive mentioned that mobile technology is leading to the cre-ation of content directed toward remote or distance-learning.
“We are placing content, for the first time, outside the
The advent of cloud computing will offer the learning organization options in platform
development and will force internal IT organizations to compete for their businesses.
5. security is an on-going issue, especially as we place more
content outside the firewall.
Combining content into a single cloud creates a higher concentration of se-curity in the system.
A common misconception is that the greatest security lies behind the fire-wall. However, with the continued demands placed on the IT organization, the rapid rate of change, and the increasing budget cutbacks, this is no longer the case.
One executive noted that the consolidation of activities and content into an external system actually leads to greater security as it allows for a greater concentration of talent and resources to be devoted to a single system:
“Security is at the forefront in the development of SaaS and cloud computing. Vendors recognize that this is a universal concern and are making it a priority to establish high levels of security. They realize that if they fail to gain clients confi-dence in the security of their content, the cloud will fail as a platform.”
Cloud computing offers learning organizations an opportunity to create, im-plement and deliver user-specific applications, anytime, anywhere. It also provides autonomy to the entire organization and to the individual learner and is changing how learning departments deliver training. While there are some concerns about the effect of the cloud on security, ownership, and content control, its impact is already being realized and utilized to great advantages.
CoNCLusIoN
Combining content into a single cloud creates a higher concentration of security in the system.
ABouT THE LEARNING EXECuTIVE THINK TANK
The Learning Executive Think Tank, sponsored by Expertus, was created to bring key thinkers together to generate insights and best practices in order to help learning leaders run more effective organizations. For the future viability of the training industry, it’s important to look at key issues affecting learning organizations so that we may give back to the training industry and learn from each other.
Learning Executive Think Tanks are by invitation only and are held six times a year—five via conference call and one face-to-face roundtable discussion. Think Tank participants are proven, senior-level learning executives who have long track records of successful leadership. In our discussions, we concentrate on real results and the business aspects of training.
About Expertus
Expertus is the leading global provider of services that optimize the busi-ness impact of learning. For more than a decade, the firm’s 500+ learning management professionals have defined and implemented plans, pro-cesses and technologies that transform training organizations—creating measurable value for the world’s most successful corporations. Clients include ADP, Cisco, ConocoPhillips, EMC, Microsoft, Abbott, NetApp and Schlumberger. Every day at these and other companies, more than a million employees, customers and business partners are educated as a result of Expertus’ innovative business strategies, outsourcing services and technology-rich solutions.
Based in Silicon Valley, Expertus serves its clients from offices in the US, UK and India. For more information, visit www.expertus.com, or call toll-free 1-877-827-8160
Learning Executive Think Tanks are by invitation only and are held six times a year—five via conference call and one face-to-face roundtable discussion.
RouNDTABLE HosTs
Jim Hanlin
Jim Hanlin is President & Founder of Best Training Resources, a business development, staffing, and personnel recruitment company focused exclu-sively on the corporate training industry. Jim has been involved in education and training for over 35 years as a senior administrator at a community col-lege, director of education for a professional engineering association and has founded and served as president and a member of the Board of Direc-tors for three other companies focusing on the development of corporate training strategy and custom training programs.
Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy is Vice President of Education Services at EMC Corporation. At EMC, Tom has held various field and corporate roles, primarily in Sales Productivity and Partner Management, focusing on field development, best practices and change execution. Since 2002, his primary responsibility has been leadership of the education role for all internal and external audiences.
Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly has more than 25 years of experience in the education and train-ing industry and has held positions at NetApp, Cisco, Oracle Corporation, Sun Microsystems, NeXT Corporation and Control Data Corporation. Tom is currently a trusted advisor for a growing list of clients, including small to mid-sized companies focusing on learning organizations systems and strategies.
