Crossroads 2002 A-List Award Winners

Docent, Inc.
Mountain View, CA

Docent Enterprise
> e-Learning

CUSTOMERS AT WORK

Global companies cannot afford to pursue a one-size-fits-all learning strategy. Large organizations contain a diverse set of learning requirements. In turn, extended enterprises users require a personalized learning process. Docent’s customers are pursuing this learning vision on a large scale. Two global manufacturers, a learning services provider, and a consulting firm were among the reference customers. Common strategic objectives included:

§ Personalizing performance management

§ Standardizing learning practices across decentralized organizations

§ Managing a multimodal learning strategy (classroom and Web, self-paced, and seminar-style)

WHY DOCENT?

Docent enables organizations to orchestrate personalized learning experiences for employees and partners. Companies use Docent Enterprise to centralize learning management, develop content, and deliver personalized learning via Web browser and wireless devices. In particular, Docent users can track each learner interaction to target performance support and to identify the best learning practices of an organization’s top performers. Using this granular approach, companies develop a better understanding of e-learning’s impact on their business.

BUSINESS IMPACT

Near-term value: Docent Enterprise provides customers with a platform that can encompass all of their learning activities and content types. A number of customers consolidated legacy training applications and content when they migrated to the Docent solution.

Enterprise innovation: In a world of complex products and services, companies need to ensure that employees are armed with the right knowledge. Docent’s customers can generate a picture of any skills gap in the workforce as new market trends emerge or regulatory conditions are imposed. Docent’s personalized e-learning also provides managers with an innovative tool for guiding employee development. At the same time, adopting Docent Enterprise has allowed organizations to gain a clear understanding and fine-grained control of training-related initiatives and expenditures.

Technology gains: The Docent Enterprise architecture allows a company to create a personalized, unique learning experience. In one instance, a company is gradually migrating the learning process to a consistent set of enterprisewide practices. However, for the time being, the team is allowing different business units to follow their distinct business processes all within one centralized version of Docent Enterprise. Another company, a learning services provider, is using Docent to provide a personalized learning experience that is nested within the proprietary e-learning environments of its Fortune 500 customers.

SUCCESS FACTORS

Project strategy: Experienced customers note that e-learning is not merely content and Web automation. Rather, e-learning is comprised of important employee learning and management processes as well. Companies should identify all of the organizational issues up front.

Learning: User-centric course development requires a granular approach to e-learning content development. A number of organizations noted that this required course developers to approach their work differently. Companies should be prepared for this learning curve investment.

Resources: e-Learning is not automation for career development. Managers will need to consider how the performance support provided by an e-learning system fits into the overall endeavor.

Fit: Knowledge-intensive companies will find Docent Enterprise a valuable means of managing the entire learning spectrum.

COMPANY INFO

Docent, Inc., is a public company (NASDAQ: DCNT) with 300 employees.

650.934.9500
www.docent.com
Published: January 2002