Say goodbye to the LMS + LXP in the age of AI

Transforming to a new way...

Hey there 👋.

As you read this, I'm tucked away in a cabin in the middle of a forest with no connection to the everyday world.

So, if I don't return, take this edition as my probable last words. I'm aware my retreat is the perfect storyline for a horror film. I hope it ends differently.

This week we're going to explore why AI-powered copilots will eliminate corporate learning as we know it, not learning itself.

Controversial, I know.

I channelled my inner Josh Bersin in this one as I build upon his thoughts with 'learning in the flow of work' and unpack why AI copilots are the true heir to this movement in 2023.

Get your tea or beverage of choice ready, 🍵 we've lots to discuss!

Also, not forgetting the usual dose of weird, wonderful and what I hope is helpful content from the rest of planet earth in my curated roundup.

The Big Thought

Back in 2018, famed HR analyst, Josh Bersin coined the term “Learning in the Flow of Work®” and the L&D world went mad for it.

For years, not a moment, a social post or industry blog went by without mention of this very phrase. It became part of the buzzword lexicon quicker than Ed Sheeran can bang out the next heartbreaking tune. It was ingenious.

At its core, the meaning behind LITFOW makes complete sense.

We learn in the flow of work through the experiences we encounter. In a time when the L&D industry was ruled (and somewhat still is) by the prescription of a ‘course will solve everything’ diagnosis, this was a pretty revolutionary thing to say.

Don’t force people into courses outside the workflow, bring them the resources and support where they are. I like it. However, the sentiment of Josh’s original idea became twisted by many learning technology providers.

With the fear of course-driven income disappearing, providers shifted their efforts into ‘digital learning’, specifically amplifying the monoliths of what we call learning management and learning experience platforms.

This led to a re-purposing of the ‘learning in the flow of work’ branding to become a system based vs human-based experience.

Marketing engines of leading technology providers began positioning their technology as THE ‘learning in the flow of work’ solution. The problem was they were all wrong.

All these providers were doing is moving the centralisation of learning from one monolith in the form of a classroom to the centralised system architecture of a platform and whacking a pretty LITFOW sticker on it. Which is the complete opposite of what Josh meant.

I’m pretty sure he wasn’t saying ‘Move them to your system instead’. This is anything but being ‘in the flow of work’.

By needing to access a system of centralised content you’re still leaving the flow of work. Yes, it is better than waiting x weeks for some pointless course, but for most of us, Google still fills this service just fine. So why the LMS and LXP?

Josh himself said in his 2018 article:

“In learning the problem is different. We don’t want people to be “addicted” to the learning platform, we want them to learn something, apply it, and then go back to work”.

I think technology vendors lost sight of this message.

They spend more time trying to make clients’ employees addicted to the platform and all its goodies, but the one consistent theme I’ve encountered with all L&D organisations I’ve worked with these last 20 years is “lack of learning technology adoption”.

I think this problem comes down to the biggest elephant in the room, these systems are not part of the workflow and they do not meet people where they are.

But, in 2023, we might just have found the true heir to the throne.

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Content that has caught my attention and might interest you too.

🤔 Beyond Buzzwords: Actionable L&D Marketing Campaigns That Work - Playbook

I've been baking this one for far too long as I want it to be perfect.

The thing is nothing can ever be perfect, so this is the best version I can put out today, and I hope it provides lots of value.

We'll explore:

1. Real-world insights tailored for L&D Professionals by an L&D professional.

2. Unlock the power of marketing campaigns as an L&D pro.

3. A step-by-step guide to building marketing campaigns that engage, educate and inspire.

👉 The playbook is free for everyone (or pay what you want).

You can also book a 60-minute session with me and your team to put these insights, strategies and tools into practice.

If you like it, please leave a review on the product page and shout about it on your social feed of choice. It helps get more value to fellow L&D pros.

💡 Life, business and career advice from JP Morgan CEO, Jamie Dimon

I don't often listen to or engage with anything from the banking world.

However, I found this hour-long interview with JP Morgan CEO, Jamie Dimon whilst doom-scrolling and was pleasantly surprised by some of the no-nonsense advice in it. I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea, yet, diversity of thought is a good thing.

👏 If the London underground map was actually the HR map

Another doom-scrolling discovery on my LinkedIn travels.

No real purpose in sharing apart from just something a bit different, and in a very stoic world of HR, a little innovation.

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