December
17,
2024
Use AI to improve, assess, and promote your learning programs.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is kind of a big deal these days. It has revolutionized data-driven decision-making. Companies can now handle way more data, make faster and more accurate predictions, and even automate much of the analysis.
AI-powered models are so much better at managing complex, large-scale, and unstructured data than the old methods, which helps companies be more agile, precise, and deliver more personalized experiences.
Have you ever noticed that once you finish watching one episode of your favorite Netflix shows, a recommendation appears that you just can’t ignore? That’s because Netflix deploys AI/ML and data science to match your preferences with existing content on the platform. And it delivers results for Netflix; they are now connected with 260 million engaged users, accounting for a total revenue of $33.724 billion in 2023.
“But Sadé,” I’m sure you are asking, “what does that have to do with learning and development?”
Here are a few questions.
- What if you could create a truly personalized learning experience by tracking each learner’s journey and adapting content based on their interactions and progress?
- How much more valuable would your course be if you could track learning experiences across multiple platforms and even offline activities?
- What if you could easily integrate learning data with other business systems like CRM or HR platforms to get a more complete picture of a learner’s journey and performance?
- Would you like to capture the real-world application of learning (like learners using those skills on the job) and then use those data to measure the effectiveness of your course?
- What if you could quantify your learning program’s benefit to the organization?
Would detailed learning data help you make decisions and improve your learning organization’s programs?
xAPI can help.
xAPI, or Experience API (sometimes called Tin Can API), is a way to track and record learning experiences. It lets you capture learning activities from all kinds of platforms and situations, whether they’re happening online or offline. With xAPI and AI working together, you can track exactly how learning experiences impact job performance, identify which training activities deliver the most value, and make data-driven adjustments to your programs.
This means you can clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of your L&D efforts, tailor learning experiences to each individual, and ensure that your investment in training is driving real business results.
Here’s an example.
A global sales organization wants to improve the effectiveness of its sales training program. They want to know which training modules are most impactful, how long it takes for new hires to become productive, and how to tailor training to individual learning styles. And, of course, they want better sales performance.
They track learning:
- Formal Training. xAPI tracks traditional e-learning courses, webinars, and classroom sessions, capturing data like completion rates, quiz scores, and time spent.
- Informal Learning. xAPI monitors social learning interactions, knowledge sharing, and peer-to-peer mentoring in collaboration tools.
- On-the-Job Learning. xAPI tracks real-world sales calls, customer interactions, and performance metrics captured by the company’s CRM.
They use AI-Powered Insights:
- Predictive Analytics. AI analyzes xAPI data to identify patterns and predict future performance. For example, the system flags learners who are struggling with a specific module and recommends alternatives and new training.
- Personalized Learning Paths. AI creates custom learning paths based on individual learner needs, preferences, and performance data.
- Real-Time Feedback. AI-powered chatbots give fast feedback and guidance to learners, helping them stay on track and address knowledge gaps.
And they get results:
- Better Sales Performance. Learners are directed to the most effective training modules, and they get a tailored learning experience – what they need, when they need it. This means faster onboarding and upskilling, which boosts productivity.
- Data-Driven Decision Making. xAPI and AI help the organization decide on training investments and assign resources to training efforts.
- Enhanced Learner Experience. Learners get the right learning paths for them and get personalized feedback while they’re learning.
But how? Here are some next steps.
- Find your why. Consider the highest priorities for your company, your business, and the learners you serve. How is L&D enabling these priorities? Can you measure that? What measurements are you missing? What compelling stories of the value of L&D would you like to tell? Asking yourself these questions will help to build a business case for data-driven learning programs.
- Start making connections. Many companies have already begun embracing a data-driven culture and started exploring Artificial Intelligence, even in its infancy. Your company is likely one. Tap in. Find out who works with data in your company. Connect with that person, team, or department within your company. Introduce yourself, find out what they are working on, and what synergies are possible — now or in the future. Making these connections will help you begin to plan and organize around the work to come and your people.
- Assess your current tech. What are the capabilities of your LMS? Does it support xAPI? Does your company already have a Learning Record Store (LRS) in place? What information can be pulled from your company’s LMS? Is it connected to employee data? Is your company using a unified Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suite such as SAP or Oracle? What about a CRM? Consider all the places you could gain information about the employee experience and their work performance. We’ll need this information later so we can begin to feed the AI models targeted information to receive helpful insights.
- Identify Gaps. After completing steps 1-3, you will undoubtably found some gaps, whether large or small. You might identify gaps in technology, trackable data, in-depth technical knowledge, data analytic skills, or bandwidth to take on this change. But don’t be alarmed; you’ve taken the essential first step. You can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge.
Using data and AI will help you create more powerful learning programs, programs that explicitly show the value of L&D in your organization.
