What is unified communications e-learning?
The definition of E-learning is the “learning facilitated and supported through the use of information and communications technology”. Unified communications and collaboration training lends itself very well to this type of learning as part of a blended learning strategy since unified communications has evolved into a large portfolio involving multiple vendors and software solutions. However this is still relevant for many legacy collaborative solutions such as video and voice conferencing,
Due to the increase of remote and home working it’s often difficult to deliver onsite training to a whole company. This way remote workers can still benefit with condensed instructions and and easy to follow narrative complete with detailed screen captures.
However for this to be effective it is important that a company is able to track who has been utilising this method of learning. In a classroom environment it is easy to take a register but when people are working from home, how do you monitor attendance and progress. This is when a Learning Management System (LMS) is vital.
Benefits of using eLearning for unified communications and collaborative systems
1. It’s Cost Effective
As mentioned earlier it is not always possible to reach everyone in a company. Therefore as part of a blended learning strategy the budget involved in creating a guide versus the cost of sending a trainer to satellite offices is much more cost effective.
2. Refresher Training
It is still effective to deliver onsite training before a UC rollout has cut-over especially where the majority of staff are in the one office. However what happens when the project has been successfully completed, signed off and the support leaves site?
Staff that may have forgotten or need a reminder of how to use certain features can quickly pop in and out of an interactive guide. This reduces the need to bring in professional trainers as well as taking up time of in house trainers. This can also free up IT service desk resource by less queries being directed to them.
3. Learn Anywhere
Unlike other training methods, materials can be accessed from any location anytime. Less travelling to specific training centres is a much more efficient use of time. Interactive guides can also supplement other training methods.
4. It’s personal
It can be difficult for on site training to be delivered at a pace that suits all members of staff especially with time constraints that may be in place and dictate the duration of the training session. People learn at different rates some faster than others and some slower.
An interactive guide allows staff to learn and refresh themselves at a rate they feel comfortable with and revisit features which they may not have had time to practise sufficiently during the initial training.
5. Monitoring employee knowledge
By monitoring the take up of interactive guides with a learning management system this means that repeat offenders who have not taken the opportunity to use the guide but consistently call the internal help desk for assistance can be identified. By encouraging these individuals to make use of the e-Learning resources the need for internal service desk support can be reduced.
How can my company start using interactive guides for unified communications and collaborative systems?
1UC can supply extensive eLearning services, head over to our unified communications e-Learning page .
Don’t hesitate to get in contact for more information and quotations.
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