When was the last time you needed an answer to a business or technical question, had the right book, and immediately could find exactly what you needed? For most business and IT professionals, this good fortune doesn`t happen very often without a vast collection of the latest books and manuals in your office (or a bookstore in the neighbourhood). Even so, you might be working from a client site, travelling or working from home. Then what?
Many people think of e-learning as a standalone event, whether it`s a module on the use of Microsoft Project or an in-depth course on object-oriented programming. While formal learning through such structured courses, which also typically include interactive exercises and assessments, is an important part of all professionals` learning, it`s not the only way we learn.
The fact is that most learning takes place informally and continuously - from on-the-job training, daily problem solving, and even talking with fellow employees at the proverbial water cooler. According to the US Department of Labour, 70% of workplace learning occurs informally, and only 30% of employee learning takes place through formal activities such as leader-led classes, seminars, or structured courses.
The best cases of e-learning today are those that encompass both formal and informal activities to address both types of employee learning. Increasingly, online referenceware is becoming part of the mix, because it gives workers the ability to learn just in time, with just enough information to solve a problem or answer a question.
IDC research estimates that 15% to 30% of a knowledge workers` time is spent searching for information, while only 50% of these searches are typically successful. The same research estimates the cost of unproductive and lengthy searches for an organisation with 1 000 employees can reach $6 million. Referenceware is designed to dramatically reduce search time and increase search success. Topic areas covered by referenceware collections span technology, business, finance and desktop applications.
Referenceware differs from e-books or online libraries, in which hardcopies of text are digitised for online reading. Good referenceware gives users the ability to search at either at the library, bookshelf, or book level, with relevant resources ranked by factors such as information currency and the inclusion of search words in book and chapter titles. Users should also be able to search for a specific book, using the author`s name, title, ISSN, or ISBN. For instance, a search of Books24x7`s ITPro collection for information on Java Web services results in 39 titles. Those titles with "Java" and "Web services" in the titles are ranked highest, followed by those titles in which the terms appear in chapter titles. Titles which include the search words within a chapter are ranked toward the end.
Referenceware should also foster collaboration and sharing and provide usage data that potentially helps organisations identify further training needs and investment value.
Let`s say that you find information that`s important for others on your team to know. You can bookmark content and share it via e-mail with your colleagues who have similar interests, job functions, or who are part of your project team or training class. You can also create a virtual personal bookshelf, where you can keep content pertinent to your job, projects and interests for quick retrieval. These bookshelves can also be shared with colleagues.
Karen Kocher, vice-president of the CIGNA Technology Institute, explains that referenceware helps Cigna`s help-desk professionals address questions faster and more accurately.
"It doesn`t take a rocket scientist to quickly see that help-desk professionals can handle more questions with this productivity tool."
"Referenceware puts a vast amount of technology and business resources at the fingertips of our professionals," said Dave Kistler, vice-president of information systems for Staples. "Our employees can instantly find - and share - what they need on critical technology initiatives, such as Web services, object oriented programming and Java, as well as business topics such as project management and negotiation."
Companies such as Avanade and Deloitte use referenceware to provide consultants with the latest information on technologies and technology products, as well as helping consultants address client problems. The anywhere/anytime accessibility of referenceware is a major productivity boost for consultants working off site.
As the company that was first to introduce referenceware to the market, we`re gratified to see companies embrace our vision for instant learning and recognise its value to the bottom line.
John Ambrose is general manager of Books24x7, a leading provider of Web-based digital technical and business reference content. Books 24x7 is a SkillSoft company based in Norwood, Massachusetts. Contact jambrose@books24x7.com.
Laragh Skills as the reseller for Books24X7 in southern Africa. Contact products@laragh.com.
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