Hybrids Good For Car Efficiency - And for Global Learning

 

If you are a project manager managing a project that includes using or implementing learning across world geographies, you will have a big chunk of work just to make that happen. Learnings from recent years helps you plan better.

Using Training In Your Global Project . . . If you are utilizing training provided internally but delivered in multiple global locations , take special care to plan how it will work. Your far-flung localities all have their own idiosyncrasies.

Involve savvy stakeholders from each global unit where training will occur. Training representatives will tell you how to request training delivery and other related process details. (We have a request process you should follow. Once you request, expect to schedule your first class in two weeks!)

You also need information from local training customers like you to get their view of what works and what does not. (Two weeks my eye!  My team has to wait at least four weeks for trainer availability and half the time there are not enough training materials. As for online training, that works better, but some of the content gets lost in translation. It wasn't developed with our culture in mind.)

Delegate fully to localities the responsibility of training when they are proven to be able to train workers. For unproven localities plan for closer collaboration and monitoring. Be ready for difficulties and surprises.

Implementing Training Software Systems . . . Thisarticle (registration required) suggests that a Learning Board is needed which includes members with a wide range of knowledge and skills*  to properly design and implement any global learning function. That makes a big difference in the charter, scope, schedule, stakeholders, etc in any project that is involved in implementing learning (such as new or major upgrades to Learning Management Software systems). One of the points made by the article is that having centralized corporate universities has caught on strong, but does not work well for global organizations. You should have a centralized core of courses, but also decentralized locality-specific courses. A hybrid organization as it were.

Novartis is used as an example. The Novartis organizational chart is here - notice where HR is positioned in relation to geographical business units.

If you are involved in a globally-significant learning project, be aware that if the project does not already have a large scope and plenty of diverse participants, you may be set up to fail due to issues outside of your control. Maybe a situation you have been in before, but now you know much more about how to plan better.

* including project management!