Online Induction

In a previous blog post I talked about the application of affective context theory to the design of the BP online induction portal. A year and a half post launch we have paused to reflect on results. 

BP receives around 6,000 new staff each year. Our objective was to ensure that each new starter received support to perform, develop & connect; support delivered at the point of need. The end result was the product of a dedicated team of digital experts, both internal and external.

A reasonable ambition might be for 80% of the target group to visit the portal, equating to around 15,000 visits to the portal over the 18 month period (given normal return rates). In fact around the site has received around 110,000 visits, and close to half a million page impressions, exceeding our target by around 500% and (so far as I am aware) establishing a precedent for corporate online learning in that the vast majority of people using the resource were neither the target group nor compelled to use the site. 

Most of the 80,000-strong organisation have now chosen to use the site. Feedback from users suggests that many of the same challenges faced by new staff remain unresolved for existing staff, and that the same content is therefore useful.

The site template has now been adopted by a major global bank, and the approach will be extended further as we tackle leadership transitions.

I would like to suggest that the success of the site is attributable to the following factors:
 

• understanding the affective context: a new starter is faced with numerous challenges as they experience their transition into the organisation, but it is inaccurate to analyse these at the level of tasks (for example using a performance-consulting approach). Tasks can only be understood in the context of concerns: an inductee wants to sort out IT issues quickly because they want to feel competent & be productive, a new starter is interested in the appearance and tone of peers because they want to fit in and be accepted and so on. Audience analysis at this level is critical to the success of projects.
   
• utility: matching the media & content to the specific performance context is essential. It's not coincidental that Google searches return text; probably the most useful part of the induction site was the new starter checklist. Across the site, video, infographics, checklists, simulation and interactives were matched appropriately to the context (in the way outlined here)
   
• design: design sensibilities are a 'system1' thing: a dark art that nevertheless runs deep - the reason why Apple was a success where other companies failed. The quality and production values that users will be familiar with as consumers need to be applied to their corporate resources. Because they have a choice. We benefited greatly from having a cross-disciplinary team with design expertise across a wide range of experience types.
   
• marketing & brand techniques: marketing and advertising look to achieve the same outcomes as learning (behaviour change) but typically with more sophistication and funding. We have looked to learn from this discipline in shaping our content, design & communication strategies.

There is still a significant task ahead in order to develop strategies and tools for quantifying the business impact of informal learning. At this point, however, the value of 'giving people the tools to do the job' is widely held to be self-evident (in contrast to content-centric initiatives).

Many businesses focus on the ability of learning technology to improve the efficiency of learning delivery. There is a much greater opportunity, however, namely the power of technology to deliver emergent, disruptive & transformational effects