Learning Launch Tool

1. CHALLENGE:  I work for a global organization in the Learning Culture function and am

responsible for enhancing employee’s knowledge in both compliant and awareness topics.  I am  currently leading a project to help our Leaders understand/practice a foundational internal  business concept, execute on its components and spread awareness of the concept to their  employees.  Currently, out of 10,000 managers, 5500 have never been trained on the model.   The specific challenges to address are: (1) prioritizing the audience that needs trained with our  limited amount of time and budget, (2) gaining commitment from the audience to participate  given strict time constraints/schedules, and (3) ensuring the learning is effective.

2. SELECTION:  I selected the Learning Launch tool since the process is ‘fast and cheap’

(according to Marcel Nguyen, Week 4 video).  The Learning Launch tool involves conducting a small  experiment to test an idea or in this case ideas.  First, I had to identify/confirm the customer  needs and test the assumptions collected.  It’s also important to work with facts.  The facts are:

•  I have identified the customer needs to have 4500 managers trained on our business  system by the end of 2019

•  The 4500 managers who need trained are all over the world and speak English

•  There is not budget for ‘face to face’ training

•  Schedules are tight, and our time allotted to capture their attention is limited

3. APPLICATION:   First, using Secondary Research (Session 4), I met with several key

stakeholders, Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) and managers who have already been trained on  the business system.  Their feedback coupled with the SME’s and sponsors of the project, we  have 3 potential assumptions to solve our challenge.  I completed the Learning Launch design  for each of the assumptions.

•  Assumption #1 tested:  Create a 3 hour virtually led course requiring 1 internal  facilitator, 50 participants and an external vendor for hosting cost of $350.  Timeline  would have to be extended to 1 year.

•  Assumption #2 tested:  Using the same content as 3-hour virtual course, split the  delivery into two 90-minute sessions.  This approach will encourage engagement and  participation with limited multi-tasking enhancing the effectiveness.  This approach also  uses 1 internal facilitator, 50 participants, and has the external vendor for hosting cost of  $350. Timeline would have to be extended to 1 year.

•  Assumption #3 tested:  Divide the existing learning content into 4 chunks and deliver  over a 4-week period.  Each week would consist of 1 hour “on your own’ learning and  participation in a 30-minute webinar with an internal instructor to reinforce what you’ve  learned.  The ‘on your own ‘learning consists of watching videos, reading internal website  relative information, working with your colleagues on a related case study and  participating in a team blog with your colleagues.  One internal facilitator would be used  and 100 participants at a time could participate in the training.  There are no external  vendor costs for this assumption.  Timeline could be met by end of 2019.

4. INSIGHT:  We had several ‘ideas’ to start with and had to narrow down to a reasonable amount

of assumptions for the Learning Launch approach to work effectively… keeping in mind the ‘fast  and cheap’ selling point.  Once I applied the Learning Launch design to support the Learning  Launch process, what we needed to do became clearer.  The process was effective and easy to  explain to other stakeholders.

5. APPROACH: I would continue to use in the Learning Launch tool in projects where we are

looking to quickly solve a challenge and have multiple potential solutions.  As mentioned, it’s  easy, quick and inexpensive.

Notes:  In case you are curious of the outcome, the stakeholders decided to use Assumption #3 due  to time, budget and schedules (as mentioned in CHALLENGE section of this paper).  Spreading the  learners time commitment over a period of 4 weeks was well received and after an initial survey we  are confident the learning was effective.

Thank you!


Learning Launch Tool 1 . CHALLENGE : I work for a global organization in the Learning Culture function and am responsible for enhancing employee ’s knowledge in both compliant and awareness topics . I am currently leading a project to help our Leaders understand / practice a foundational internal business concept , execute on its components and spread awareness of the concept to their employees . Currently , out of 10,000 managers , 5500 have never been trained on the model . The specific challenges to address are : ( 1 ) prioritizing the audience that needs trained with our limited amount of time and budget , ( 2 ) gaining commitment from the audience to participate given strict time constraints / schedules , and ( 3 ) ensuring the learning is effective . 2 . SELECTION : I selected the Learning Launch tool since the process is ‘ fast and cheap ’ ( according to Marcel Nguyen , Week 4 video ) . The Learning Launch tool involves conducting a small experiment to test an idea or in this case ideas . First , I had to identify / confirm the customer needs and test the assumptions collected . It ’s also important to work with facts . The facts are : • I have identified the customer needs to have 4500 managers trained on our business system by the end of 2019 • The 4500 managers who need trained are all over the world and speak English • There is not budget for ‘ face to face ’ training • Schedules are tight , and our time allotted to capture their attention is limited 3 . APPLICATION : First , using Secondary Research ( Session 4 ) , I met with several key stakeholders , Subject Matter Experts ( SME ’s ) and managers who have already been trained on the business system . Their feedback coupled with the SME ’s and sponsors of the project , we have 3 potential assumptions to solve our challenge . I completed the Learning Launch design for each of the assumptions . • Assumption # 1 tested : Create a 3 hour virtually led course requiring 1 internal facilitator , 50 participants and an external vendor for hosting cost of $ 350 . Timeline would have to be extended to 1 year . • Assumption # 2 tested : Using the same content as 3 - hour virtual course , split the delivery into two 90 - minute sessions . This approach will encourage engagement and participation with limited multi - tasking enhancing the effectiveness . This approach also uses 1 internal facilitator , 50 participants , and has the external vendor for hosting cost of $ 350 . Timeline would have to be extended to 1 year . • Assumption # 3 tested : Divide the existing learning content into 4 chunks and deliver over a 4 - week period . Each week would consist of 1 hour “ on your own ’ learning and participation in a 30 - minute webinar with an internal instructor to reinforce what you ’ve learned . The ‘ on your own ‘ learning consists of watching videos , reading internal website relative information , working with your colleagues on a related case study and participating in a team blog with your colleagues . One internal facilitator would be used and 100 participants at a time could participate in the training . There are no external vendor costs for this assumption . Timeline could be met by end of 2019 . 4 . INSIGHT : We had several ‘ ideas ’ to start with and had to narrow down to a reasonable amount of assumptions for the Learning Launch approach to work effectively … keeping in mind the ‘ fast and cheap ’ selling point . Once I applied the Learning Launch design to support the Learning Launch process , what we needed to do became clearer . The process was effective and easy to explain to other stakeholders . 5 . APPROACH : I would continue to use in the Learning Launch tool in projects where we are looking to quickly solve a challenge and have multiple potential solutions . As mentioned , it ’s easy , quick and inexpensive . Notes : In case you are curious of the outcome , the stakeholders decided to use Assumption # 3 due to time , budget and schedules ( as mentioned in CHALLENGE section of this paper ) . Spreading the learners time commitment over a period of 4 weeks was well received and after an initial survey we are confident the learning was effective . Thank you !