Digitization! Transformation! Disruption! Every strategy meeting and communication in any organization – big or small – seems to be bandying these buzzwords all over the place. Now the new trend is to mix and match those words with a set of acronyms from the world of technology – AI, AR, VR, etc. etc.
Before you start thinking that I am a non-believer, let me assure you that I am all for technology. I am all for the pace at which technology is evolving and permeating itself into every aspect of our lives, including our bodies. I am just taking a dig at the way buzzwords and jargon get overused and can sometimes become counter-productive.
“Learning & Development, fondly known as L&D, T&D, L&OD and often creatively called Talent Development, Capability Development etc. (with or without an expanded scope) is my area of passion and my POV is that this profession (and I insist this is a profession) should be leading the technological trends rather than being just an adopter and an adapter“
Some organizations and service providers are leading the way in this regard and a significant set are still only talking about it. But a bulk of the business world is somewhere along the journey of transformation from “traditional” L&D to “digital” L&D.
Depending on the industry we look at and the maturity of the economy or the growth rate of the economy, there are so many trends that are predicted to be the “next big thing” in the world of L&D. Let me share what the Top technology Trends in L&D are IMHO (as you can see, the language of social media networking has infused itself well) the below are the trends to watch for, although in no particular order.
n = 1
This is not so much a technology trend, but more a mantra for effectiveness in the future world (actually even in the current world) of technology driven everything. To the uninitiated, what this means is that learning needs will no longer be looked at in terms of trends. While we have largely moved away from one size fits all, the future will no longer even look at 5 sizes fit 15! What will work will have to be –every individual’s needs are unique and we will have to leverage a combination of technologies to seamlessly meet each individual’s needs.
To understand this better – let us look at Amazon. Every registered customer has a unique experience and unique recommendations. Even people within the same demographic group will demonstrate varied buying behaviors, therefore n = 1. Similarly, every employee regardless of demographics, needs and attitude – will best learn and best develop if the solutions provided are unique to the individual. So, essentially a personalized development path with individually customized solutions presented in an interface akin to Facebook, aided and abetted by WhatsApp like features.
Omnipresent Knowledge
This technology driven trend has actually advanced quite a bit in a short span of time. It is undergoing a kind of an explosion and will soon consolidate, mature and settle down. What I mean by Omnipresent Knowledge is technology which enables multi-device, multi-channel, always-on learning which is primarily aimed at providing knowledge – not so much on building skills or changing behaviors, although some of that can also happen.
We already have access to curated knowledge through PC, Tablet or Mobile devices as well as a blend of traditional eLearning with crowd sourced bite sized learning, multi-media learning content and social networking/learning. There are varying levels of success and it is still an evolving space.
Death of the LMS
This trend is closely related to my previous point of omnipresent knowledge. I believe that the day of the LMS has come and is going. Corporates have already given up hope on finding one solution for an LMS that does all that they want and is still flexible enough to change at the pace at which we need it to.
The future will be a constantly evolving, AI driven, multi-dimensional “thing” (I couldn’t find a better word – tool, system, product…don’t fit). This Thing will be the Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Udemy, Wiki, Gaming (not gamification of learning) all seamlessly integrated. More importantly, organizations will have very little control over it. It will be largely learner driven and society driven.
Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
Something that has picked up everyone’s interest in the last 2 years and has been developing at a blistering pace. In my opinion, this will probably be the most visible change in technology driven L&D and also the one that looks straight out of Hollywood. Imagine putting on a pair of glasses and walking into an experience center where everything interacts with you and provides you a completely immersive learning experience. Imagine shopfloor workers putting on VR headsets and getting completely trained on their work (including physical activities) without ever having to step on the shopfloor. Imagine being able to assess an employee’s skills and behaviors in an environment almost exactly the same as the real one. In fact, manufacturing and education are the two areas which have seen a huge spurt of activity in using AR/VR for L&D.
AI Driven Stealth Learning
Stealth learning is already happening. Whether it is through board games, outbound activities, music/theater…it is already there. This is today limited by the need for resources, travel & time constraints. So the next evolution is to let technology take care of the constraints and use AI to take effectiveness to the next level.
Imagine strategy games where people don avatars and play different roles without real-life risk. Imagine team building with games and full interaction – but each member is in a different country! Imagine sales skills development where you pit yourself against an AI Customer set in a virtual world. A lot of it is already happening – but we will see its true power in the next 3-5 years.
I have attempted to show you a few teasers on what I believe are the Technology Trends in L&D for the near future. I am happy to debate and wax eloquent on what I have written above, feel free to connect with me.In an ever evolving world of technology where it is increasingly difficult to differentiate real from artificial – my only closing thoughts are – Hope we care enough to stay human!
Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed by the author are purely personal views based on his experience and analysis. It does not, in any way, reflect the view or opinion of the organization he works for and should not be construed as such.
