LMS Migration Overview

Transcription

1 LMS Migration Overview May 2014 Skillcast contacts: Simon Truckle Ext 13 Anthony Miller CONTENTS LMS Migration Overview...2 E-learning standards...2 What needs to be migrated?...2 Live vs. static data...3 Can the migration be phased?...4 Working with a difficult vendor?...4 Switching to Skillcast Portal LMS...5 Transition Timetable...5 About Skillcast...8 Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 1

2 LMS MIGRATION OVERVIEW Migrating the delivery and management of e-learning to a new Learning Management System (LMS) is a relatively simple process, assuming the current LMS and e-learning content conform to one of the e-learning industry standards (SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, or AICC). If you use the existing LMS to deliver other functionality, such as instructor-led training, surveys and social learning (e.g. discussion forums) then the migration process will be more complicated as there is no standard governing the way these activities are delivered and managed. E-LEARNING STANDARDS The e-learning standards describe the methods e-learning content can use to communicate with an LMS and specify the data which can be stored in an LMS and used to generate management reports. As a result, although the database structure and reporting functionality may differ between different systems, the underlying data required by any given LMS to track and report on e-learning is the same. The three main standards which cover the vast majority of commercial e- learning systems are: SCORM 1.2 Sharable Content Object Reference Model version 1.2 SCORM 2004 Sharable Content Object Reference Model 2004 AICC Aviation Industry CBT Committee standard Many systems, such as Skillcast Portal, support all these standards. WHAT NEEDS TO BE MIGRATED? User data E-learning content E-learning categorisation E-learning assignments Training records The names, addresses, employee IDs and other HR attributes for each user. This data could be extracted from the existing LMS or from the main HR system. A key consideration at this stage is to identify a unique identifier which can be used to link the user data to other records extracted from the existing LMS. Examples include an employee ID, LMS user ID or address. You will need to provide standards conformant content packages (ZIP files) for any e-learning modules you own which you wish to continue using in the new LMS. If you don t already have these, you will need to request them from the vendor who produced the content. We may need to have a unique identifier for each module that can be used to link it to training records extracted from the existing LMS. If you are migrating a large number of e-learning modules we will also need information about how these modules should be grouped together and displayed to users. We will need to recreate the e-learning assignments for each user in the new LMS. An e-learning assignment may simply enable a user to access a given e-learning module, but in some systems, such as Skillcast Portal, an assignment can also convey other information such as a deadline for completion. If the e-learning assignments can be inferred based on the HR attributes stored in the system, rather than copying them from the existing LMS, we may look to derive them from the HR attributes and then cross check with the current assignments on the existing LMS. We will need to recreate training records for the continuing modules in the new LMS. You may also want to recreate historical records for modules which will not be carried over in the new LMS for reporting purposes. Training records can be recreated at two levels: 1. A high-level migration would recreate records for users who have completed a given Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 2

3 module, including their score, time spent and completion date 2. A more detailed migration would recreate the full training record, including bookmarking, suspend data and any interaction level data that is stored in the existing LMS A detailed level migration will require support from the existing LMS vendor. A high-level migration should be possible by using the standard reporting tools in the existing LMS, but may result in some data loss: Administrator roles and permissions Users who have partially completed a module will need to start from the beginning when they access the module on the new LMS If the existing LMS captures interaction-level data and provides detailed reporting this level of reporting will no longer be available for the training completed on that system We will need to recreate the administrator roles and permissions that enable some users to access learning management and reporting functionality. Since the roles/permissions structure on the new LMS is likely to differ from what was available on the existing LMS, some analysis may be required to ensure equivalent permissions are granted. In this area it is often easier to concentrate on what we want the administration and reporting roles to be going forward, possibly using any available data from the existing LMS as an input into that process. LIVE VS. STATIC DATA In planning the migration we need to consider how frequently the various data types described above are updated. E-learning content (and categorisation) can be migrated early in the process while the existing LMS is still online If user data is to be sourced from a separate HR system, this can also happen early in the process, with the BAU process for updating it being put in place at that time If the user data is to be sourced from the existing LMS, a freeze would need to be put in place on adding/updating users after the data is extracted Administrator roles can be assigned as soon as the user data is recreated in the new LMS If e-learning assignments are derived from the HR data, these can also be created as soon as the user data is available If e-learning assignments are copied from the existing LMS, a freeze would need to be put in place on adding/updating assignments after the data is extracted Training records need to be extracted from the existing LMS after it is taken offline, so this is the final step in the process Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 3

4 CAN THE MIGRATION BE PHASED? There are two potential ways to phase the migration: 1. Move a defined group of users to the new LMS 2. Move one or more learning programmes to the new LMS In either case it is important to ensure the same user cannot attempt the same e-learning module on both systems as this is likely to lead to inaccurate reporting and confusion. If a group of users or a given learning programme can be well defined and is distinct from other users/programmes then a phased approach may be of value as it provides an opportunity to try out the new LMS in a real-life scenario and acts as a test-run for the migration process. Having some users completing a given programme on one LMS and some on another may be a recipe for reporting confusion if the two user groups are not clearly separated (clearly separated user groups could be two different legal entities within the same organisation with very little employee movement between those entities). For compliance programmes, it is essential that any given employee can only access the given programme on one LMS. WORKING WITH A DIFFICULT VENDOR? If you expect your existing LMS vendor to be uncooperative in the migration project, the following steps may be helpful: If the vendor is providing content and LMS services and you are satisfied with the content services, reassure them that you will potentially continue working with them on content development projects after the migration If the vendor has sold you content on a non-subscription basis (ie you now own that content) ask them to provide you with the SCORM/AICC content packages for that content even if you were not planning to change LMS provider it would still be very reasonable for you to request this in order to manage vendor-specific risks If you are able to store training records in your HR system, ask the existing LMS vendor about how they would transmit records into that system. If you go ahead and start storing records in the HR system you will then be able to switch LMS providers much more easily. If not you should at least get an indication of how easily the vendor can provide the data. If it is not possible to download the data on demand from the system, you could also request that a copy of all the training records in the system be sent to you on a regular basis so you can archive it to manage vendor-specific risks Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 4

5 SWITCHING TO SKILLCAST PORTAL LMS Skillcast has been providing LMS services to regulated financial organisations for 15 years. In that time many of the clients we have taken on have had existing LMS providers and we have developed considerable experience in the process of managing that transition. We have a number of clients who have been through the process with us and would be happy to provide you with contact details for reference purposes. TRANSITION TIMETABLE CONTRACTS Sign the Skillcast Order Form Course / Package plus <legal> 1 LMS BRAND RESOURCES Provide Skillcast with high quality logo file <corporate communications> 1 Provide Skillcast with brand guidelines (colour palette, <corporate communications> 1 fonts etc) SKILLCAST PORTAL CONFIGURATION Agree the HR attributes that are to be stored in the <HR> 1-30 Skillcast Portal LMS. Create an automated batch process for transferring the data feed to Skillcast on a regular basis, or establish a manual procedure for uploading the data on a regular basis <HR IT> 1-30 Import versions of all the content that is assigned to learners in the current system. Map the learners to the courses they currently have assigned in the live system. Create templates for automated invitation and reminder s Decide which employees need access to management information and/or admin functionality Provide Skillcast Service Manager with contact s for escalating non-technical support requests CONTENT DEVELOPMENT <HR L&D Skillcast> 1-30 <HR L&D Skillcast> 1-30 <HR L&D Skillcast> 1-30 <HR L&D Content Owners Skillcast> 1-30 < L&D Content Owners> 1-30 You can deliver your existing content via the Skillcast Portal LMS or you can elect to take our latest version of that content. If you want to take our version then we would suggest 20 days is allowed for tailoring of the content Review and update text content of courses in MS Word <subject matter experts> 1 Review first draft of customised courses and provide <subject matter experts> 6-10 Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 5

6 feedback Review and sign off final draft of customised courses <project sponsor, subject matter experts> 20 IT READINESS Check that the target employees have the required IT <IT> 1-30 specification on their work stations: An Internet connection A web browser (IE 5.5 or higher, or other equivalent browser) You may need to whitelist the Skillcast Portal URL in <IT> 1-30 your firewalls You may need to whitelist the Skillcast server in <IT> 1-30 your system (especially if you want Skillcast s to be sent from an address belonging to your company) You may want to create a single sign-on integration between your Intranet and Skillcast Portal, so users who are authenticated in your Intranet can be automatically logged in to their Skillcast Portal account <IT> 1-30 Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 6

7 SKILLCAST PORTAL LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Our multi-lingual learning management system, Skillcast Portal, has been awarded the Brandon Hall Research Gold medal for the Best Advance in Learning Management Technology for Global Training. Skillcast Portal is e-learning standards compliant (SCORM and AICC), so it can deliver third-party courses as well as courses developed using Skillcast Author. However, it goes much further than what is required by these standards. Some of the extra features we offer are listed below. Annual refresher training automated to send out invites to courses on the anniversary of learner completion Administration, communication, certification and audit functionality designed specifically to deliver mandatory training in corporate environments A comprehensive set of management information (MI) reports including detailed diagnostic assessment reports Automatic invitation and reminder s Option to integrate with your HR system to synchronise users and assignments and tracking/completion data Option to create single sign-on integration from your intranet for ease of access LEARNING MANAGEMENT SERVICE The Skillcast Portal is backed up by our highly responsive and efficient service, offering you help on everything ranging from roll-outs to individual user queries. You are assigned your own dedicated Service Manager, who acts as a single point of contact and builds a deeper understanding of your business. Our Service Managers have extensive experience with companies of all sizes and have received high praise from clients for their dedication. I cannot say enough about the support we get from Clare... Extremely competent in what she delivers, a tenacious problem solver and a pleasure to work with. If I could award a gold medal to our best supplier she would win it. Compliance Manager, Schroders I believe the Information Protection Wizard [developed with Skillcast] will impact our users in a way we have not seen to date and open up further opportunities for us to get our message across in an easy and user friendly way. Paul Wood MBE, Chief Security Officer, Aviva Laurence has been essential to helping us recover some difficult situations over the past month. He has worked very long hours to ensure the quality of our course launches. I appreciate his dedication and the positive attitude. L&D Manager, Barclays Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 7

8 INFORMATION SECURITY The Skillcast e-learning platform and processes have been accredited with the ISO Information Security Management System (ISMS) certification. ISO is the gold standard for ISMS and provides third-party verification that Skillcast' systems, policies and procedures conform to the information security management standard that helps protect the integrity of our clients' critical and sensitive information. ISO includes standards for security policies, organisational security, asset classification and control, personnel security, physical and environmental security, systems and network security, access controls, systems development and maintenance, business continuity management, and compliance. Achieving this certification demonstrates Skillcast' intent to go beyond the requirements of the Data Protection Act (DPA) for ensuring the safety, security and integrity of our clients' vital information. The Skillcast e-learning platform is provided as a cloud service, i.e. it can be accessed via a browser by anyone with the appropriate permissions. The software and data reside remotely on Skillcast servers and are triple backed up. ABOUT SKILLCAST Skillcast provides e-learning to help companies to manage regulatory compliance risk. We offer four lines of products and services: Essentials - readymade courses for firm-wide compliance GRC Manager - governance, risk and compliance (GRC) training/reference Enterprise LMS - learning management system that is built for compliance training Bespoke e-learning course development Over 300 companies with over a million employees trust us to implement their most critical and complex learning and strategic communication initiatives. We partner with them at every stage of the process, from risk assessment through to audit, while personalising the approach to the needs of the organisation. Some clients retain us to develop fully bespoke content and use our fully managed Skillcast Portal to deliver it to their audience, while others use our Skillcast Author platform to develop and deliver the communications themselves with our support. We've pioneered innovation in the areas of collaborative content development, multilingual portals, diagnostic assessment reports, content-as-a-service (CAAS) and the use of learning cloud to deliver GRC objectives at a substantially lower cost and less time to fulfilment. Our technology and process development activities are totally client-focused, and each new innovation is driven by the need to simplify our clients' processes, reduce costs and/or meet specific organisational objectives. To learn more about us visit or contact sales@skillcast.com. Skillcast 2014 skillcast.com Page 8