What does it really mean to do outside-in learning effectively?

It’s that time of year again. Learning conference time. Time for you to walk the trade show floor and be awestruck by the sights, sounds, demonstrations, and pure sensory overload of all the new learning technologies seeking your undivided attention. On top of that, you are on a mission to find the best, Learning Management Platform, or Microlearning Platform, or Assessment Tool, or whatever your organization is seeking to support your strategic learning plan. To say that task is daunting is a gross understatement.

Many in the learning space have recently come to the realization that learning functions don’t need to try and command and control all learning content within their organization nor do they have the resources to create it all.  Rather, they can become the curators of learning.  Sounds intriguing, but, what does it mean when we say curation?  What does good curated learning look like?  How do we measure impact to the business?  Many learning functions are in the midst of trying to figure out those answers.  Many have begun to take action.  Unfortunately, I see many organizations not learning from past mistakes.  I have met many learning leaders who have begun with technology.  I would have hoped the lack of value from investments in LMS platforms, portals, social collaboration tools and many others, would have made more realize that starting with technology is typically a recipe for failure.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some great technologies that elegantly present curated learning but those are only as good as the work of the curators.