Business driven learning solution particularly suitable for sales-oriented organizations

• US 20040002870A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Koldyke, Brian Leighton, Stovall, Thomas Kenneth, Hubbell, John R., Marek, Renata, Draper, William Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/205 Education administration or guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/2057 Career enhancement or continuing education service
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

Disclosed is a business driven learning solution and related methods for managing the learning and training needs of a sales-oriented organization in a manner that is responsive to dynamic business needs. The invention employs modules of interrelated and interdependent business processes for the identification and prioritization of learning needs, the selection of learning approaches, the development of learning content, the coordination and delivery of learning instruction, and the overall management and administration learning efforts. Embodiments of the inventions disclosed include sales training objects to provide a template for sales training that is focused on a solution, and how to position and sell the solution, rather than on the products that make up the solution. As a result, the sales force is educated, understands the customers'"'"' business requirements, and is able to craft specific value propositions to a given customer with respect to that solution. Thus, the training is customer-centric as opposed to product-centric.

Claims

1. A business driven learning solution for training the members of a sales-based organization, said solution comprising modules of interrelated and interdependent business processes, including:

a business strategy alignment module containing related processes for recognizing and prioritizing business driven learning needs of said organization and implementing learning efforts to meet said needs;

a content management module containing related processes for designing, procuring and managing learning content necessary to implement said learning efforts;

a delivery module containing related processes for coordinating solution resources to provide instruction to said members; and

a learning administration module containing related processes for managing the availability, delivery and results of learning efforts in relation to said members;

wherein

said modules provide said members with customer-centric sales training across all product lines.

2. The learning solution according to claim 1, further comprising a learning business management module, said learning business management module containing related processes for assessing whether said solution is meeting the business goals, strategies and priorities of said organization.

3. The learning solution according to claim 2, wherein said learning business management module assesses whether said solution is meeting the business goals, strategies and priorities of said organization by:

receiving performance metrics regarding operations of said learning solution from said content management module, said delivery module, and said learning administration module;

comparing said performance metrics against predetermined minimum service levels; and

revising the operations of said business strategy alignment module, said content management module, or said delivery module in an effort to have said performance metrics meet said predetermined minimum service levels.

4. The learning solution according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined minimum service levels are operational requirements agreed upon in a service level agreement between said organization and a learning services provider.

5. The learning solution according to claim 3, wherein said performance metrics are of types selected from the group consisting of learning-output metrics, learning-performance metrics, and learning impact metrics.

6. The learning solution according to claim 1, wherein said business strategy alignment module recognizes and prioritizes business driven learning needs of said organization by:

identifying business goals and strategies of said organization and assigning relative priorities thereto;

receiving requests from said organization for learning efforts to instruct said members; and

selecting appropriate learning effort approaches for each received request, said learning effort approaches aligning with said business goals and strategies of said organization according to said relative priorities.

7. The learning solution according to claim 6, wherein said business strategy alignment module designates business tracts and initiatives for sorting potential learning efforts of said employer organization into, said tracts and initiatives correlating to said goals and strategies;

and assigns budget allocations to said tracts and initiatives reflecting said relative priorities of said goals and strategies, wherein said tracts, initiatives and budget allocations facilitate selecting appropriate learning effort approaches for each received request.

8. The learning solution according to claim 6, wherein said designating of tracts and initiatives comprises creating a learning blueprint, said blueprint facilitating aligning learning efforts with said prioritized business goals and strategies of said organization.

9. The learning solution according to claim 8, wherein said learning blueprint details said budget allocations for said tracts and initiatives.

10. The learning solution according to claim 8, wherein said learning blueprint is revised as necessary to reflect significant changes in said business goals, strategies, and priorities.

11. The learning solution according to claim 1, wherein implementing learning efforts to meet said needs comprises estimating a cost for developing and delivering a proposed learning effort to satisfy requests by said organization for training, and comparing each said estimated cost to an associated budget allocation.

12. The learning solution according to claim 11, wherein said proposed learning effort is modified until said estimated cost satisfies said associated budget allocation.

13. The learning solution according to claim 11, wherein said cost is estimated according to a cost schedule detailing a standard set of charges for learning effort tasks performed at the request of said organization.

14. The learning solution according to claim 1, wherein said content management module procures and manages said learning content necessary to implement said learning efforts by developing content according to budget restraints, initial content design requirements, and delivery timelines provided by said business strategy alignment module.

15. The learning solution according to claim 14, wherein developing said learning content comprises purchasing or otherwise acquiring said learning content or creating said learning content.

16. The learning solution according to claim 14, wherein said content management module provides standardized sales modules across all product lines.

17. The learning solution according to claim 14, wherein said content management module includes training mechanisms selected from the group of a solutions overview object, a customer business needs object, a value propositions object, a solution components object, a competition object, and a cost justification tools and techniques object.

18. The learning solution according to claim 1, wherein said content management module creates, manages and operates a central repository of learning content and knowledge objects.

19. The learning solution according to claim 18, wherein said content management module tags and catalogs developed learning content appropriately such that it can be reused in future learning efforts.

20. The learning solution according to claim 1, wherein said delivery module provides instruction to said members by planning training activities based on input from said business strategy alignment module, executing said training activities, and conducting follow-up services after said training activities.

21. The learning solution according to claim 20, wherein said delivery module also includes operations support services for said planning, executing, and conducting elements.

22. The learning solution according to claim 20, wherein means of executing said training activities is selected from the group consisting of instructor led training, virtual classroom training, self-paced training delivered via computer, and a blend of e-learning and live instructor lead training.

23. The learning solution according to claim 1, wherein said learning administration module comprises setting up and configuring the learner experience, managing a client specific course catalog, and maintaining user profiles.

24. The learning solution according to claim 1, further comprising an operations module that interacts with other modules of the learning solution to provide service control, service integration and continuous improvement to existing business processes.

25. A method for providing outsourceable learning services for training the sales force of a sales-oriented organization, said method comprising:

said organization creating a service level commitment between a learning services provider, said service level commitment detailing minimum service levels of learning efforts to be provided to designated students by said service provider at the request of said organization;

said learning services provider prioritizing requests for learning efforts received from said organization according to business strategies and goals of said organization, identifying learning effort approaches to meet said requests, obtaining learning content for said learning effort approach, and delivering a learning effort containing said obtained learning content to said designated students;

wherein

said obtained learning content and said delivered learning effort are provided in a standardized format with customer-centric objectives and compared against said minimum service levels so as to ensure that said minimum service levels of said service level commitment are met.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said prioritizing of requests and identifying of learning effort approaches to meet said requests comprises aligning of said outsourceable learning services with said business strategies and goals of said organization.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said aligning with said business goals and strategies of said organization comprises said learning services provider periodically identifying business goals and strategies of said organization and assigning relative priorities thereto.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said business goals and strategies are identified by designating tracts and initiatives representative of areas of instruction needed by said organization.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said tracts and initiatives are embodied in a learning blueprint, said blueprint assisting in identifying learning effort approaches to meet said requests.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein said learning blueprint details said budget allocations for said tracts and initiatives.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein said learning blueprint is revised as necessary to reflect significant changes in said business goals, strategies, and priorities.

32. The method according to claim 25, wherein said obtained learning content and said delivered learning effort are compared against said minimum service levels by receiving performance metrics regarding operations of said learning solution, comparing said performance metrics against said minimum service levels;

and revising actions of said learning services provider in an effort to have said performance metrics meet said predetermined minimum service levels.

33. A method for aligning learning efforts of a sales force of a sales-oriented organization with strategic business goals and priorities of a sales-oriented organization, said method comprising the steps of:

recognizing and prioritizing business driven learning needs of said organization;

implementing customer-centric learning efforts to meet said needs;

designing, procuring and managing learning content necessary to implement said learning efforts;

coordinating solution resources to provide instruction to said sales force; and

managing the availability, delivery and results of learning efforts in relation to said sales force;

wherein

each step prioritizes competencies required to provide effective solutions to a customer'"'"'s problems.

34. The alignment method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of assessing whether said alignment method meets the business goals, strategies and priorities of said organization.

35. The alignment method according to claim 34, wherein said step of assessing comprises:

receiving performance metrics regarding operations of said learning solution from said content management module, said delivery module, and said learning administration module;

comparing said performance metrics against predetermined minimum service levels; and

revising the operations of said business strategy alignment module, said content management module, or said delivery module in an effort to have said performance metrics meet said predetermined minimum service levels.

36. The alignment method according to claim 35, wherein said predetermined minimum service levels are operational requirements agreed upon in a service level agreement between said organization and a learning services provider.

37. The alignment method according to claim 35, wherein said performance metrics are of types selected from the group consisting of learning-output metrics, learning-performance metrics, and learning impact metrics.

38. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein said step of recognizing and prioritizing business driven learning needs comprises:

identifying business goals and strategies of said organization and assigning relative priorities thereto;

receiving requests from said organization for learning efforts to instruct said sales force; and

selecting appropriate learning effort approaches for each received request, said learning effort approaches aligning with said business goals and strategies of said organization according to said relative priorities.

39. The alignment method according to claim 38, wherein said step of recognizing and prioritizing business driven learning needs further comprises:

designating business tracts and initiatives for sorting potential learning efforts of said employer organization, said tracts and initiatives correlating to said goals and strategies;

assigning budget allocations to said tracts and initiatives reflecting said relative priorities of said goals and strategies, wherein said tracts, initiatives and budget allocations facilitate selecting appropriate learning effort approaches for each received request.

40. The alignment method according to claim 39, wherein said step of designating business tracts and initiatives comprises creating a learning blueprint, said blueprint facilitating aligning learning efforts with said prioritized business goals and strategies of said organization.

41. The alignment method according to claim 40, wherein said learning blueprint details said budget allocations for said tracts and initiatives.

42. The alignment method according to claim 40, wherein said learning blueprint is revised as necessary to reflect significant changes in said business goals, strategies, and priorities.

43. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein said step of implementing learning efforts comprises estimating a cost for developing and delivering a proposed learning effort to satisfy requests by said organization for training, and comparing each said estimated cost to an associated budget allocation.

44. The alignment method according to claim 43, wherein said proposed learning effort is modified until said estimated cost satisfies said associated budget allocation.

45. The alignment method according to claim 43, wherein said cost is estimated according to a cost schedule detailing a standard set of charges for learning effort tasks performed at the request of said organization.

46. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein said step of designing, procuring and managing learning content comprises the additional step of developing content according to budget restraints, initial content design requirements, and delivery timelines that are provided by said step of recognizing and prioritizing business driven learning needs.

47. The alignment method according to claim 46, wherein said additional step of developing said learning content comprises purchasing or otherwise acquiring said learning content or creating said learning content.

48. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein said step of designing, procuring and managing learning content comprises the following training mechanisms:

a solutions overview object;

a customer business needs object;

a value propositions object;

a solution components object;

a competition object; and

a cost justification tools and techniques object.

49. The alignment method according to claim 48, further comprising an executive and solutions selling object.

50. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein said step of designing, procuring and managing said content further comprises creating, managing and operating a central repository of learning content and knowledge objects.

51. The alignment method according to claim 50, wherein said step of designing, procuring and managing said content further comprises tagging and cataloging developed learning content appropriately such that it can be reused in future learning efforts.

52. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein said step of designing, procuring and managing learning content comprises the following additional steps:

providing a synopsis of an organization'"'"'s business strategy behind a product line or solution;

providing techniques for identifying solutions to a customer'"'"'s business needs;

developing an understanding of how to present business value of said solution in a manner appropriate to the customer'"'"'s business responsibilities;

providing a thorough explanation of each component of said solution and how to integrate each component into the context of a customer'"'"'s needs;

providing information to understand and differentiate the products and claims of competitors; and

developing an understanding of how and when to use cost justification techniques.

53. The alignment method according to claim 52, wherein said additional steps are integrated into reusable templates to facilitate learning content design for future solutions.

54. The alignment method according to claim 52, wherein said step of designing, procuring and managing learning content further comprises the additional step of developing instruction for one-time course offerings of general topics relevant to a sales force that are reinforced throughout the other additional steps.

55. The alignment method according to claim 54, wherein said step of developing instruction for one-time course offerings includes topics on developing business acumen and techniques for value-based sales proposals.

56. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein each training object is accomplished via means selected from the group consisting of instructor led training, virtual classroom training, self-paced training delivered via computer, and a blend of e-learning and live instructor lead training.

57. The alignment method according to claim 33, wherein the format of each training object is standardized across all product lines offered by said sales-oriented organization.