Using analytics can seem intimidating to some, but for others they can be used to pave the way to success. So, why is it so important when it comes to e-learning?
Simple. Data is king. Far from when we just used to track sales, looking at stats and figures is now a huge part of daily life for many industries. Everything that can be tracked, is tracked; from social media engagement and website traffic and conversions, to ROI of ad campaigns and customer demographics, data is a key player when it comes to making savvy business decisions.
There’s good reason for it, too – the more prepared and informed you are, the more successful you’re likely to be. And e-learning is no exception.
Guiding your staff through online learning can be difficult if you can’t keep up with them face-to-face. How do you know how they’re doing? Do you know how they are engaging with the platform and learning materials? Could they be learning unexpected skills that could be valuable to the business? Perhaps there are staff members who need more support?
This is where using analytics can really help you build a picture of how online training is working within your company, while helping you to utilise this information for best results.
Stats and numbers on their own can be scary for some, and they’re not much use without interpretation. What this valuable data at your fingertips does do, however, is enable you to understand exactly what’s happening across your business and how to move forward in just a few clicks.
Learning from the data
Traditionally, learning from LMS data was largely limited to simply tracking course completions, but modern e-learning demands more from analytics than ever before.
Beyond tracking success and engagement, which generally monitors who is struggling and who is completing modules, there are plenty of other useful insights that could have a hugely beneficial impact on the delivery of your learning.
To demonstrate, we need to use a real-life example. And would you know, we just happen to have built incredible analytics into our learning platform, Thirst.
• Track usage
Beyond tracking success, Thirst allows you to see when, how and what your staff are engaging with within their learning. Who is sharing the most content across the platform, who is influencing others the most, who is the most actively engaged with their learning, and what types of content they’re most engaging with.
You can even see which age groups in your business are more likely to consume learning materials for their own development and which job roles are outperforming the rest of the business in their training. Why is this important? Well, it means you can identify where and from who the biggest benefits to your business are being achieved.
• Understand skills
The depth of the data available on Thirst allows you to see what skills are missing and what skills are in abundance within your team, and the knowledge level. And we all know how important that is when running a business!
Understanding what skills your workforce has, which ones staff are working towards, and what skills are missing from the business allows you to build a picture of what you – and your staff – really need from learning. From there, you can work with your team to create personalised learning journeys to help everyone achieve both their personal aspirations and the goals of the business.
You might just be surprised at where some of their learning is taking them, and maybe even discover new skills and talent within the business!
Plan for the future
With all this data at your fingertips, it’s the ideal opportunity to plan for the future of your business. This data can be the key to guiding future growth, such as indicating where to invest in those newly learned skills and where to support weak areas with extra training and guidance.
Essentially, insights and reporting are your golden ticket to a more effective e-learning experience and a better performing workforce and business. And the deeper you go and more advanced insights you gain, the more you will be able to refine your learning delivery.
So, don’t fear the data. Use it to inform your learning strategy and guide strategic business decisions; understand the learning needs of your staff and business better than ever before. Everyone – including your boss – will thank you for it!
