Posted by Learn Amp is a learning system that is somewhat a challenge to describe, and this is by no means in a bad way. At one time it was an LXP, but it has (as many others in this segment have done) expanded out by adding LMS functionality, along with additional feature sets for folks wanting a bit of talent development, but not a full-blown talent development platform (which as noted in a previous post requires three key items). Thus, they are not a TDP. Nor are they an LMS or an LXP.
Rather they are a learning ecosystem.
An ecosystem requires the following:
- Learning capabilities – nowadays these would include playlists/channels, beyond the usual learning paths, assigning content to a person or a group/team or everyone or a certain location, and so forth (which most systems do BTW).
- Metrics beyond the basics. I refer to this as advanced tier metrics. Learn Amp has this. Not at a level of BI though (which for right now, isn’t a necessary requirement)
- Lots of integrations – Ability to add whatever to your learning system. You need more than 10 to qualify. If a vendor uses Zapier for example as their key integration (it has hundreds of connectors), yeah, they qualify here.
- 3rd Party content marketplace – A vendor might call it something else, but basically it is partnerships with 3rd party providers whereas the client buys the content and assigns to their learners. A solid marketplace is one that offers free content (via the web or the vendor themselves) and fee-based (most 3rd party). Your own content is uploaded into the system, although there are a few vendors that offer the ability for you to upload your content into their marketplace and sell it.
- Ability to record yourself, and upload it – as the learner. They can also do other items, upload audio files, web cam, etc.
- Coaching/Mentoring capability – Even at the early stages, whereas folks can be assigned as an expert and learners can select them is a good start.
- Skills building and development – The chunk of the market lacks even the basics, but as they continue to develop (and they will), you are going to see a big uptick in capabilities. Think this way, you are seeing the beginning.
- Make it a hub or not
- Additional items as developed tied to expound the capabilities of learning/training
- Video skills validation with scenario-based (available today, but rare in the space), can be tied and often is to coaching/role-playing. This component includes speech indices and metrics.
Learn Amp has 99% of these capabilities, with only video skills validation missing (but coming soon). Some of their areas are stronger than others.
The Review
Due to an on-going hand injury, this is a combo of text and video. If you ever wondered what is it like to have a bratwurst as a finger, let me know. I do not recommend it, unless you are planning on snacking throughout the day.
Learner Homepage
With the Learn Amp system, you – as the administrator can create as many learning home pages as you want, and give a lot of options to the learner to do things that they want in the system. For example, you can assign a certain look with capabilities by learner, group, team, division and so forth. While this is a feature you see in some other systems, what you really find, is the learner being able to click and pick the various dashboards right from the home.
In this example, the default is assigned learning, and then I went ahead and created one called “Choice”, and selected my own widgets that the learner will see.
The learner then at anytime, switch between the learner home pages. (There is no audio for this video)
The Learner Home – Top of the Header
Regardless of the learner home page view you choose, there are listings on the top of each page. Again, as the administrator you can choose to keep or remove any of them (although at the present time, Learn Amp assists here when you setup the system, my preference is the admin does it). Thus if you do not want your learners to view a member directory, you can remove it Or decide to change “Assess” to “Validate” you can do this as well.
I liked the member directory angle, simply because if you plan to find ‘experts’, this is a perfect way to do it within the Learn Amp platform.
One item that I would love to see on the learner header is the word “Home” which takes me back to my learner home page. At the present time, getting there is a bit cumbersome, because your only options are
a. Click your logo on each page – It’s visible on the left side
b. Hit the back button on your browser
Drill into the Options on the Header
There is quite a bit you can do as the learner. And as previously noted as the client, you can change the vernacular of each header item, or remove them if you so desire.
The default though is what you see above.
Library
Personally, I’d prefer to use the term “catalog”, since library tends to have a different connotation in the L&D and Training space (think more of an asset repository). As seen above, you can search by “items”, “learnlists”, and “events”. The default lists Price as an item, but at the present time, Learn Amp does not come with an e-commerce component, thus I’d recommend you remove this as your widget option, unless you are able to integrate or add an e-commerce piece.
I found it pretty easy to move around, although I must admit, the term ELearning was well, varied. In some places on the system it was written correctly as e-learning. Other times, it was ELearning or eLearning. Vendors nowadays across the board, have taken the e-learning term which is an umbrella term and morphed it to refer to “online course”. IMO, you should just say “course” or “online course”. Anyone, it is a peeve, and nothing more.
One area I did like was the separation of CPD away from the catalog itself. You find it at the bottom of the page. As with any page in the Learn Amp system, you can modify it in terms of where items are located, and would do so as the admin for the library.
The more accurate term is “hours or credits”. You can change points to “hours” on the admin side. I did like you could search by number of “points” to reduce down the size. However, what is missing is the visual banner or something that tells me immediately how many “points” that content is worth.
Roll the Video – CPD
Events
Events shows the events the learner has signed up for been assigned, as well as events that are open to anyone (and that the learner can sign up for).
One area I did like was the amount of details and options you can show when there is an event. The big winner though was the ability to have a Q/A, discussion, ratings and review.
I’ll skip Tasks, which is exactly what you think it is, uh, assigned tasks to folks.
Activity
Two options here –
- My activity – You, the learner
- My Team – If you are in a team, you can see the entire team’s learning – with lots of nice metrics.
Assess
Identifies the various “assessment” (my preference is validation) capabilities that are available to the learner. Again, this can be for all learners, just this learner, team, group, division, customers, and so forth, so that they will only see what you want them to see.
Member Directory
If used correctly it can be a very valuable resource for any learner. The directory allows folks to search by a specific name or team or even by expertise, which is to me, the key value takeaway, if you are doing coaching or mentoring.
You can specify the expertise, thus for example, if you wanted someone who is an expert in Marketing, you search by this filter and will pull up the ‘experts”.
By far to me, the most powerful feature on the learner side exists in their profile, which I wish was one of the visible options on the header bar, rather than where it is today – clicking on your profile.
While you can view all these details within the member directory, which is the big win here, as for yourself, and what are your metrics, and data info, currently it sits when you click your image on the header. It is not under “Profile/Preferences”
Profile Power
To me, this is the power of the learner side that is hidden, well, hard to find. Thus it needs to be more visible and prominent in the header, and heck even on every learner home page.
All the data you see above, exists in each profile on the system, dependent obviously on what is selected to be seen by the administrator.
Big wins
- Coached By – Awesome, although at the present, I cannot click to learn more about the “Coach”. If I was doing a search in the member directory and came across folks, I may want to know more about Donna here, and just click her name, rather than having to search by her name.
- Similar Expertise – Perfect. As skills are brought more into this, it would be great to see what expertise level by skills, for example, top three over 90% per se.
- Expertise – Very clear. I surmise at some point, skills will be listed on the main page as well. Always remember that skills is not the same thing as expertise. You may have a graphic design skill, but that doesn’t mean you are an expert in image manipulation.
Other Capabilities
Other Learner Options
Please note there is no audio narration
Administration
Normally I would go thru an extensive administration review, but uh remember when I noted my hand injury?
Thus this admin side will be in a series of videos only.
Admin Dashboards
Other Admin Features
Bottom Line
Learn Amp has come a long way. Each release gets better than the last. And while you can say, “Well, that is what every system does,” I can actually honestly tell you, that I have seen plenty that go in the wrong direction.
Thankfully, Learn Amp isn’t one such system.
They are headed in the right direction.
With a metric driven approach to learning acquisition that retains the keys to a successful impact. Results-oriented on all sides, learners and administrators and managers too.
It is a system that is complex enough, yet simple enough.
I know that sounds like an oxymoron.
But, with the Learn Amp system,
They have shown you can be both
And deliver it well.
E-Learning 24/7
Learn Amp is an ideal system for employees, but will work for customer education too.
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