Talking Point

It is commonly believed, given the first right move, every additional correct step immensely enhances the value of the first. Likewise, in acknowledging the basic benefits of e-learning, let us check the next steps to keep the discipline on the rising curve of the value chain.

The benefits of e-learning are by now well established. The discipline provides/allows:

• Significant cost savings
• Assessment of results through ROI tracking
• Anytime, anywhere, self-paced accessibility as in the asynchronous format
• Easier access to global standards
• Replication of best practices into standards

It is also inherently green. It cuts travel, one of the major offenders to carbon footprint and reduces the use of paper by encouraging digitising and less of printing.

Given the positive attributes, the idea here is to understand, the way forward steps to secure higher value chain positioning for the discipline, in a sustainable way.

Paranoia as a way of life : In the face of the current economic meltdown, containing costs will be high on the corporate agenda, more than ever before. While it would be safe to assume that e-learning will qualify in this respect, the key would be to design a learnscape that could as well prosper in the goodness / quality measurement scale.

The Six Sigma business process improvement framework, acknowledged around the world as a major tried and tested Total Quality Management (TQM) methodology to drive efficiencies by systematically eliminating defects, can well provide the guiding lights in this respect.

The six sigma, been now around for more than two decades has evolved to become a metric, methodology and a management system. Core to its methodology is the DMAIC steps for process improvement.

• Define opportunity
• Measure performance
• Analyze opportunity
• Improve performance
• Control performance

In essence, the implementation methodology asserts that to achieve significant business process upgrades, continued efforts to be made to reduce the variations by measuring, analyzing, controlling and improving upon the processes against the set norms.

Making it happen: In attempting to tread a quality management roadmap by developing e-learning the six sigma way, it would be pertinent to remember:

• Any management system to succeed requires the sustained commitment of all the stakeholders.
• In bringing in the rigour, to ensure that the effectiveness is measurable and are not set against any arbitrary standards but to the context of the situation.

Additionally, innovations for improvements, which often times get stifled in the process be looked upon more rationally in embracing this management way. 

Copyright ©: Consultancy Services Group