Homebase completes first phase of e-learning roll-out

Citation

(2010), "Homebase completes first phase of e-learning roll-out", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 42 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2010.03742eab.008

Homebase completes first phase of e-learning roll-out

Article Type: Notes and news From: Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 42, Issue 5

Homebase, the UK’s second-largest home-improvement retailer, has completed the first phase of its extensive e-learning roll-out.

Close to 80 e-learning modules have been devised and delivered, including declarations, validation quizzes and full-blown multi-module courses. Some 550,000 sessions have been undertaken by Homebase staff across its 300 stores, with progress and quiz results stored on the company’s learning-management system.

E-learning specialist XOR programmed scripts written in-house by Homebase instructional designers and subject-matter experts for intranet-based courses ranging from health and safety to financial services. Most of the modules were written by in-house subject-matter experts, although modules were also identified, commissioned, prioritized, scheduled and coordinated through the Homebase learning-solutions team.

XOR developers recognized that they were working with client designers who were not primarily experienced instructional designers proficient in developing courses, so never insisted that client designers produced scripts to standards and templates prescribed by XOR. The primary aim was to extract the correct knowledge, information and process-related best practice without unnecessarily burdening the client designer with a dogmatic scripting method.

XOR provided prototypes to illustrate how a script sample in a Word document or PowerPoint actually looked when converted into an e-learning program. This visualization was key to orientating the virgin designer to a style of writing conducive to good presentation of e-learning content.

XOR is now programming 16 HR workshop assessments with Homebase and plans to produce more product-knowledge-based courses in the future.

John O’Sullivan, XOR sales and marketing director, said: “Given their demanding work-loads, XOR realize how important it is to empower the subject-matter experts within an organization, so that deadlines and expectations can be met. We have forged a very productive partnership our colleagues in Homebase.”