Why Totara is the solution

Wendy HenrySenior Organisational Development

Officer

Overview

• Our Story so far• Totara in the minds of……• The business case – which way do I

pitch it?• Benefits realisation• Implementation strategy

Our story so far….

• Learning Pool customer since September 2008• Managed Service DLE user• SAP HR and Finance system• No corporate LMS in place• Various attempts at a LMS project• Paper based Appraisal process• Future procurement exercise

Conceptual Totara

• Gives more control to learner and manager yet….

• Supports self-directed planning, learning and evaluation

• Underpins good performance management principles

• Supports incremental growth with the system; Roadmap Vs Learning Strategy

What works for LCC…in my mind

• Builds on an existing partnership• Natural extension of the DLE• Brings the manager to the party• Gives the learner more control• Offers Administrators additional

functionality• Influences our learning strategy• Gives more than back-end data for

reporting• Links learning to performance

management• Demonstrates how learning

technologies to support performance

What works for LCC….in the minds of ManagersManagers

– “It would be good to have all my team’s learning records in one place - but “I don’t want to have to access the system all the time”;

– “It would be useful to have all the core competencies already pre-populated in my team’s learning plans”;

– “It would be so much simpler if learning resources and activities could be directly linked to our core competencies – this would help towards the preparation for the formal Appraisal meeting”

What works for LCC….in the minds of learnerslearners

– “I want to access all my learning opportunities in one place”;

– “I want to be able to update my learning plan during the year when I have achieved some of my objectives and completed some of my learning”;

– “It would be useful to capture any evidence that will support the achievement of my objectives and competencies”

What works for LCC….in the minds of AdministratorsAdministrators

– “ We want to improve some of our learning processes”;

– “It would be great if we can reduce our paperwork for classroom bookings”;

– “Imagine a programme of learning that leads the learner through a set resources and activities they must complete before they can show they are competent”

Outline Business Case…..to support Learning Management

• Automation of practices, process, and content

• Reduced costs and expedited delivery of training

• Adherence to compliance requirements

• Alignment with organisational goals and strategies

• Measurement of program effectiveness

Outline Business Case…..to support effective Performance Appraisals

• More regular, constant feedback

• Emphasis on the Objective setting process rather than annual end-of year summary of performance

• Small targets over shorter periods rather than big targets of the length of a year

• Continuous reflection and update by appraisee to keep track of goal achievement (evidence) throughout the appraisal period rather than once a year.

Improved processesReduction in admin

Management Information

Repository for content delivery

TOTARA BENEFITS REALISATION OVERVIEW

User ProfileLearning Plans incl. objectives + evidenceCompetencies

Benefits

Online Classroom booking +Reporting

One stop shopBlended learning

Reusable resources

Benefits

Benefits

Self directedEmbedding learning culture

Changing behaviours and attitudesEfficient processesReduction in paper

Programme Management

Benefits

Statutory/legislative obligationsAudit trail

Speed to competence

Benefits

Social media agendaInformal learning

Peer to peer learning

Implementation strategy

• Prepare the environment • Roll out one aspect at a

time • Implement an aspect that

gets all the users into the system

• Promote the improved processes not the technology – it is just an enabler

• Sprig of Totara leaf to finish

Contact details

• Email me wendy.henry@lincolnshire.gov.uk

• Phone me 01522 552205

• Find me on LinkedIn

• Connect with me on Learning Pool.com