The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on various business functions. It contributed to a paradigm shift in terms of technology adoption that increased to a great extent. The use of technology-facilitated the continuity of work despite the disruption, albeit in a virtual format. Adapting to the remote format was a daunting task, especially in the initial stage. Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time. It’s the second half of 2021 now, the virtual is here to stay. The organisations have transitioned and are ready to face disruption with this virtual weapon.

In some industries, most of the functions are now operated in a virtual format. Some functions were complicated for a transition such as sales, while others such as finance and L&D were smooth to transform into the virtual space since they had already made considerable progress in terms of technological accommodation. Learning and Development as a function is a holistic field that encompasses a wide range of activities such as onboarding, training, leadership development etc. All these activities can be undertaken through a virtual format using the Learning Experience Platform (LXP), considered to be one of the most important technological developments in the field of Learning and Development.

Learning Experience Platform

A Learning Experience Platform or an LXP is simply software that lets you perform your Learning and Development function. It contains multiple features and can be operated for performing multiple activities right from onboarding program to induction training, from assessment to leadership development and what not!

It is an integrated learning application that serves as a single learning destination by integrating multiple existing learning platforms for a great employee learning experience. An all-in-one platform designed to ease out your L&D work using technological advancements!

The Learning Experience Platform has been often compared to the Learning Management System (LMS). The LMS is a formal organisational platform that hosts, delivers and tracks learning and development programs in an organisation. It essentially does the similar discussed functions. However, the LXP stands apart since it works as an extension of the LMS, it contains advanced features that are not to be seen in an LMS.

LXP Vs LMS

• Flexibility

  The LXP as against LMS is a more flexible platform. While the LMS is operated at the discretion of the administrator, the LXP is more user-oriented and allows the users to move at their own discretion.

• Personalisation

  The LXP gives you the opportunity to attain more personalised learning experiences while an LMS is a standardised platform.

• Pool of Resources

  The LXP uses resources from multiple sources. It uses third party resources for consumption too. In this way, it widens the scope of learning for a user, who gets to extract learning from a wide range of sources. In addition, the user can also generate content on the LXP. This isn’t the case with the LMS.

• Integration Capabilities

  The LXP also provides you the capabilities to integrate itself with other learning or non-learning ecosystems. In this way, it synchronises the actual learning with the real-term organisational objectives.

What does an LXP offer?

LXP offers a wide range of benefits to both the users and the organisation. Some of the major LXP offerings are discussed as follows-

• Organised Learning Path

  The Learning Experience Platform follows an organised path of learning based on the profile of an individual user. The user journey gets displayed on a dashboard that gets updated as the user indulges into learning.

• User Interface

  The LXPs are often termed as the ‘Netflix’ of learning since their user interface is modern and highly user-centric, consisting of panels that display the dashboard according to the usage of the user.

• Artificial Intelligence based recommendations

  The user-centric interface of the LXP provides AI-based recommendations based on the user preferences and past interactions. It analyses the user data for highly relevant recommendations.

• Diverse Learning Formats

  LXPs delivers learning in a wide range of modern learning formats such as Gamifications, Interactive Classrooms, Instructor-Led Training (ILT), Blended Learning, Micro Learning etc. Specific learning using multiple formats becomes highly engaging for the learner.

• Diverse Forms of Content

  The LXP accommodates content in diverse forms such as video, infographics, podcasts etc. Content in visual forms adds to the learner’s interest.

• Peer Learning

  Peer learning is one of the most exciting features of a Learning Experience Platform. The LXP provides a portal where different users connect with each other, sharing their thoughts and opinions, thereby creating a social form of learning in a virtual format.

• Analytics

  The LXP is driven by data. It uses real-time user data to analyse the patterns and performance in the form of standard reports. Assessments based on analytics are highly effective in terms of understanding the areas of strengths and improvements.

• Rewards and Recognition

  The LXP fosters learning through a healthy competition where the best performers are recognised for their performance through a reward and recognition program. Leader boards display the names of top performers. The learning is strengthened through an element of contest.

• Feedback

  The Learning Experience Platform provides a mechanism for the users to express themselves in the form of feedback. This feedback can be used to further improve their experience.

Using LXP- A Case

Standard Induction Training

An organisation needs to onboard its new hires. Under the industry in which the organisation lies, all employees, irrespective of their roles, undergo a standard induction training covering induction by various business leaders that make a portion of induction training redundant for a few new hires. The full-day induction training is a tiring and monotonous process that results in a longer time to desk. Here’s how a Learning Experience Platform helps the organisation to make the induction absorbing and consequently reducing the time to desk for the new hires.

Induction through LXP

The LXP follows an organised approach. It begins by creating an induction plan on the basis of the role, designation and location. These subdivisions take into account the relevant elements of distinction and as a result, personalisation is accommodated within the training intervention.

The Induction journey is automated and gets automatically pushed to a new hire on the basis of their date of joining. Day wise journey is auto allocated to the learners in advance so that they devote enough time to get up-to-speed. The user experience is prioritised since the induction training is designed in a manner that promotes specific learning using diverse forms of content for the user with respect to a particular role for which they’ve joined. Periodic online feedback is collected from the new hires to gauge the effectiveness of their onboarding experience. The induction journey is displayed on the dashboard and assessment is undertaken post the completion of the program.

In this way, onboarding through the Learning Experience Platform, not only results in ineffective results for the new hires but also for the organisation. It is a highly convincing, engaging and relevant form of onboarding that must be utilised more often.

Conclusion

The Learning Experience Platform is a revolution in the domain of Learning and Development. It is an application of modern technology that aims to integrate the various dimensions of an L&D intervention. It is a platform that’s not only ideal for new hire induction, but also for continuous learning of the employees. The user-centric nature of this platform enables the delivery of learning in a highly engaging manner that leads to enhanced information retention. It consequently results in better learning outcomes.

Living in the highly competitive 21st century, we can no longer allow disruption to take over and enforce its negative impact on our organisational operations. The new age demands agility in terms of our responsibility towards tackling adversity. To fight against disruption, we have the support of technology. It is a technology that has supported us during the ongoing Covid19 pandemic.

The L&D domain, in the 21st century, plays an important role, particularly during disruptive circumstances. It converts employees into human resources. These resources steer an organisation out of disruption. However, this is only possible if the L&D, like other domains, is supported by technology. The LXP is a technological tool that supports the Learning and Development function, not only during the regular days but also during bouts of uncertainties caused by disruption. Time and again, the LXP has proven itself as a profitable resource in terms of Returns on Investment. It’s up to organisations to leverage the benefits offered by them in their own capacities.