Learning Technologies Awards winners 2018

Kath Jackson Jones of Popcorn

Kath Jackson-Jones is the senior digital learning designer at Popcorn Learning Media. Kath’s unique blend of approachability, humour, stand-out communication skills and incomparable instructional design ability combine to make her an incredible learning resource for every customer she meets. Kath loves learning, and her personal drive is to make learning accessible, but building long-lasting relationships with her clients is her actual superpower. According to colleagues Kath starts every project trying to outdo the last one and basically doesn’t sleep until she’s succeeded.

The judges were impressed by what Kath has achieved so far in her career as a learning designer. Her attention to learner requirements is commendable; she is held in very high regard by her clients and colleagues: and there is evidence of the impact and success of her work. They look forward to seeing where she goes from here.

Glyn Chapman - Popcorn

Glyn has been at the forefront of immersive learning design for over a decade. His knowledge, passion and innovation has transformed digital learning for tens of thousands of learners. His exceptional portfolio is supported by an extensive list of delighted and recurrent customers. Glyn’s playful scripting and technical genius mean every video is entertaining, informative and of the highest production values. His warm, relaxed demeanour and acute attention to detail, make him a joy to work with; he has a talent for bringing the best out of anyone. The judges felt Glyn's consummate ability to work with clients came shining through, as did his skill at taking a brief and working with it. He would be a huge asset on any team.

Joanna Kurpiewska 

Joanna wrote her first book “The Adventures of Mickey Mouse” aged just 9 and is now part of the “E-learning Heroes” Articulate community. The judges said that she is clearly an extremely accomplished and imaginative developer, using a range of tools as appropriate to the need, and not afraid to push the boundaries.

Christian Willems - openHPI/openSAP

Christian Willems is a passionate developer who focuses his work on developing and growing learning functionalities to further advance online learning. Christian leads a team of developers, students, and PhD candidates, working to develop new, innovative features for online learning at the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI).

Over the past six years, Christian has developed a learning platform from scratch, built especially for Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) delivery and manages openHPI, openSAP, openWHO, and mooc.house. Christian is the ideal colleague to work with: he’s always open to new ideas, suggests further improvements that he identifies, and always finds a solid and sustainable solution. He brings these ideas to life and helps to build positive learning experiences for learners across all platforms.

The judges heard of an able and adaptable developer who be an invaluable part of any software development team.

Halma and Hive Learning: Collaborative learning to accelerate the pace of change

FTSE100 Halma PLC recognised that to remain competitive with the arrival of Industry 4.0, creating a culture of shared learning across their 50 diverse and geographically dispersed technology businesses was critical to driving innovation and growth.

So Halma partnered with Hive Learning to create a mobile-first, social learning experience in HalmaHub - one of seven core growth enablers contributing to record profit and growth in 2018.  HalmaHub enables 2,500 employees from 19 countries to share ideas, knowledge, skills and experiences every day - leading to the creation of entirely new business models and accelerating the pace of change across the group.

The judges were bowled over by how this learning project had transformed the whole organisation. They said: “What was a collection of remarkable but devolved companies became more than the sum of its parts, sharing innovative and exciting ideas and developing whole new products that would never have existed, were it not for the new collaborative learning platform.”

Enabling a learning culture to create business change - Hilti and Fuse Universal

Software provider to the construction industry Hilti and Fuse Universal formed a winning partnership to enable proven global business change.

Thanks to deep design thinking and smart use of social and collaborative technologies - which address the psychology of learning and the psyche and needs of learners today – this learning has achieved radical shifts in mindset and future-proofed Hilti’s learning environment to support business growth.

Fuse’s video-driven social learning solution captures, curates and ‘surfaces’ what employees need to perform – when, how and where they need it – in 34 languages – accelerating time-to-performance and boosting learner engagement.

The judges liked this project’s focus on people productivity and how it is creating a massive motivational impact as it delivers on its goal of making new members of the team productive much earlier. Driven by attention to detail and recording detailed metrics of success the statistics were remarkable achieving a 95% success rate in making new sales people hit their targets within six months of joining.

YBS Group - Ignite

YBS Group – formerly known as the Yorkshire Building Society - set about creating a new social learning space back in 2014. Struggling with outdated HR technologies, but convinced it was what colleagues and the business needed, a stand-alone site was created and launched in 2015. Three years later, the team has learnt a whole lot about what makes a good social learning community – and the latest version of the site which launched in January 2018 is proving to be a big success. Colleagues are connecting with people they’d never usually know, sharing brilliant ideas and best practice with each other, which ultimately is helping improve customers’ experience.

The judges saw a limited budget but unlimited creative energy which meant this project achieved more than many higher budget implementations. The judges were particularly impressed by the way the project was based on lessons learned from a previous less successful attempt, which far from making them give up made them even more determined to succeed.

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and Cadpeople

Founded in 2014 but with a great heritage of wind power and offshore, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind teamed up with technology-led comms agency Cadpeople to introduce digital training simulators in the wind energy industry.

The result is a breath of fresh air compared to traditional simulators. Costs blew down by a third, with the technology inexpensive to replicate and could be updated as the winds of change blew through technological developments.

Elisabeth Mygind Thorsen, Manager of Technical & Safety Training, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, says: “The new tools have been received very well by employees and we can do courses around the world instead of here in Denmark. We have taken training to a new level where safety, quality, flexibility, employee satisfaction and costs have all improved”.

The judges described this as an impressive winner. For them this solution combines three ground-breaking digital simulator tools, delivering learner satisfaction, increased skill levels and clear value for money. It not only demonstrated rigorous design research, but also an exceptional collaborative synergy between client and developer.

Shell Wells Simulator App

Shell well engineers go through rigorous training before they can work unsupervised on a rig. This includes training on physical simulators installed at Shell’s main offices. The Shell Wells simulator app allows learners to practice basic well control procedures on an iPad in a realistic environment through a scenario-based approach.

Learners can learn and practice the correct procedures, identify learning gaps and work at a more advanced level before training on physical simulators. The app helps reduce costs and time to competence while allowing learners the flexibility to master key concepts at their own pace.

A sophisticated simulation, say the judges, which is well aligned with the needs of its dispersed audience of engineers. It delivered strong return on investment, with robust data on the contribution to learning and increased skill levels.

Hinkley Point B Health & Safety:  Risk Perception Virtual Reality

EDF Energy’s objectives were to improve risk perception training for Hinkley Point B power station employees following several accidents and lost time incidents. The solution was a virtual reality power station, where employees could interact in spaces where hazards are present, without the actual risk involved. This ground-breaking approach to health and safety training has been a huge success, with 90% of staff enjoying the experience. 1,000 people have carried out the training so far and since implementation the number of incidents were halved, and costs reduced by 95%.

All of which led the judges to conclude that this is a well-designed, sustainable solution which is aligned to a clear learning need. Even more so as the simulation had impressive evidence of positive impact on workforce behaviour.

CCEA - STEM in Minecraft

The STEM (science technology, engineering and mathematics) in Minecraft resource provides a range of game based active learning opportunities, making connections both within and beyond for the area of learning for the school curriculum The World Around Us.

Included are a series of STEM in Minecraft in-game Quests. They are aligned to the curriculum, so that pupils are applying learning through online gaming. Pupils become the Viking protagonist, facing a series of choices and challenges on a journey to mastery. To promote a blended approach there are several STEM enquiries to connect science and technology to a topic traditionally viewed as being relevant to History only.

The judges felt the rigour of research to make the decision on the approach to take was commendable. The output and resources all linked to tangible learning outcomes. The number of activities and evidential actions made this a clear winner. A great solution utilising familiar existing technology. It brought value and rigorous pedagogy to a resource like Minecraft. The judges applaud the ambition to develop pupils’ higher-order thinking skills. The structured environment for exploration and discovery enabled blissful productivity.

BBC iReporter

BBC iReporter was created by BBC News and Aardman Animations to help give 11-18-year olds the skills to identify fake news and false information. The game gives players the experience of being a BBC reporter covering a breaking news story and deciding which sources to trust and publish and which not to.

It gives them the skills to check and verify sources and spot the difference between comment and opinion. Designed and built in collaboration with 11-18-year olds and senior BBC editors BBC iReporter can be played on mobile, tablet and desktop.

The judges liked the design and approach and commended the involvement of stakeholders and subject matter experts. Judges shared a concern around the ability to measure how, by whom and when the content was being used.

The immersive scenarios put the learner into the shoes of a journalist. This gave the first-hand experience that highlights the accuracy and reliability of information. The experience took full advantage of BBC resources like well-known journalists and used great skill to deliver a powerful resource with a clear aim.

Domino's & Autonomy Multimedia - Store Game Plan - 'Aces In Their Places'

Domino’s vision is to be the No.1 pizza company in the world and in every neighbourhood. The role of learning and development is to deliver training solutions for store teams, aiding them to deliver this vision.

‘Aces In Their Places’ is an engaging online business game that has been produced to complement Domino’s Effective Shift Management programme. In collaboration with Autonomy Multimedia, Domino’s L&D have produced a simulation of a store environment where Shift Managers set up a game plan to maximise staff efficiency for a busy shift. Knowing how to set the store up in an organised and timely manner whilst maintaining Domino’s store standards is vital to a store’s success.

The judges found the design of the game – based on a card-based original – interesting. The game was well constructed to replicate the card game. The judges felt extra user-defined components could make it more personal. In summary, a well-executed game, which successfully answers the many challenges of making learning work within limiting criteria (time, availability, franchise, etc.). All judges identified the great potential for enhancement through further gameplay and gaming mechanics. The judges commented that they would love to see the next evolution entered for an award next year.

Meet the customer - Funkis Multimedia and Volvo Group University   

Meet the Customer is a virtual learning game played out in four consecutive team meetings with in-between prep or self-study. The filmed, virtual facilitator guides the team through the game. The learner meets customers, either in a face to face setting or via Skype, experiences their operations and solves their challenges. A democratic and enriching learning experience combines the rich advantages of face-to-face training with the efficiency of digital distribution and shared messaging.

Sometimes, say the judges, simple is best, as this entry proves. Fundamentally a video-based team game, to be played out in groups having previously completed online learning in a 'flipped' classroom style, the overall design was slick in execution and clearly delivered on the criteria and business impact it set out to influence. A triumph of design and technology used to good effect with little or no waste.

Therapeutic Communication and Mental Health Assessment Game - Simulation Game, Ryerson University, George Brown College, Centennial College

Skills Practice: A Home Visit is a virtual gaming simulation (VGS) that transforms conventional pedagogical approaches by incorporating digital learning games into Nursing Education curricula. The game provides a safe training environment that eases students’ transition to clinical practice through experiential learning, thus compensating for the sector-wide scarcity of clinical placements. Licenced as an open educational resource, it may be incorporated into courses or used as a self-study learning object. It is freely available online, allows users to play over and reset, and has received very positive feedback from users.

On the edge of their seats the judges commended this video-based scenario game for its aesthetics and emotional impact. The learning resources created and shared under an open Creative Commons licence are excellent and as such deserve recognition.

Integrity: Deciding the Future

The Integrity: Deciding the Future game is a real time 3D training intervention on ethics and compliance designed for senior leaders at Shell and is based on a learning by doing approach. The training simplifies what might otherwise have been hours of click-through training into a true to life, rich, and engaging game where they can learn at the speed of business. Senior executives can complete the training in multiple sittings if necessary, take decisions in real time throughout the narrative, and replay any parts they need to revisit for a truly flexible and real-world experience.

For the judges engaging senior leaders in compliance issues with a game-based learning approach was a brave design decision - but it paid off. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the design of the experience - including game-design concepts such as compulsion loops and more. On the balance of the evidence presented, this game delivered the intended result in a difficult, but important environment.

Enabling SmartER Learning through SmartER Content: A User-centric approach to corporate language learning

Learning professionals are tasked with ensuring not only completion rates but upskilling and staff performance. At the same time, the overwhelmed employee has less time for learning on the job, thus casting corporate training as a source of added stress instead of a tool for employee motivation.

Online language training company Speexx has designed Smart Learning, a blended learning platform for language training that combines microlearning, long-term learning objectives and performance support.

By applying AI, mobile accessibility, microlearning and spaced repetition techniques, the solution offers innovative user-centric learning solutions. The result is measurable improvement in learning retention and improvement in ROI on learning programmes.

This submission stood out, according to the judges, by excelling in all criteria for this category effortlessly. They were impressed with how this learning programme provided its language students with personalised learning pathways and activities to meet their personal and professional goals. The judges praised the range of opportunities for individual and group interactions and support, and the focus on meeting real time ‘on-the-job’ performance needs as well as exam success. This all combines to deliver exceptional results.

Learna Ltd/Diploma MSc

Learna delivers high-quality medical education and continued professional development to healthcare professionals worldwide. Established in 2000 by an NHS physician with nearly 20 years of medical education expertise, Learna has become both academically and commercially successful with revenue growing over the last eight years to nearly £5m with an additional £3m forecast this year.

Learna’s primary learning platform, Diploma MSc, offers online Postgraduate Diplomas and MSc courses. Diploma MSc alumni have become leaders in their respective fields, presented their research work at international meetings and generated 27 academic publications in peer-reviewed medical journals.

All of which led the judges to describe Learna as an inspiring example of how online technologies can reach health care professionals across the globe and enable them to achieve Masters level qualifications – fully online. The commitment and drive of personal tutors, the robust course design and a growing catalogue of available subject areas are all key factors in the outstanding levels of student engagement and results. The judges particularly like the opportunities for alumni to become tutors themselves, further extending their professional expertise and impact, especially in low income countries.

HT2 Labs with Tes

Recruitment shortages in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in the UK are well known and English Subject Knowledge is no exception; English enrolments have declined as applicants shockingly lack subject knowledge.

Tes Institute devised an innovative new learning product, Tes Learn, to deliver English Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) training sufficient in content and scope to address the deficiency.

Accounting for more than 10% of SKE enrolments in the UK last year, the new Tes Learn platform is built upon innovative technology delivered by HT2 Labs. Clever programme design has mitigated potential fears of doing an entirely ‘online’ approach and 98% of students enrolled go on to complete on time.

The judges concluded that this was a creative course design that offers aspiring teachers flexible pathways aligned to their specific knowledge gaps and needs.

They were impressed by the integration of self-directed, reflective, whole-class and 'tutor-led' sessions. These combine with light gamification elements and 'nudges' to achieve very high levels of learning satisfaction and completion rates.

EY and Lumesse Learning: Let's Talk Digital

Professional services organisation EY is on a mission to become digital from every angle. With a goal to empower colleagues to “have more conversations about digital”, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the EY ‘Let’s Talk Digital’ programme played a minor role in bringing this mission to life. In fact, it ignited a new era of digital across the organisation. With an overhauled approach to online learning and insight-led content, the programme has given colleagues world-wide confidence and understanding of digital, and the ability to guide customers through this new landscape. More than simply increasing EY’s digital fluency, it has enabled EY to be reinvented as a digital consultancy leader.

The judges were impressed by the analysis and design process behind this solution, which translates into real business results, excellent user and business feedback, and strong metrics. The team referred to marketing techniques for engagement, drew on internal EY digital experts to make the content resonate, created a good range of interactions to deliver the project goals, and pitched the language and content at a level sufficient to meet the need but lower than the norm for EY. The result was learning that was accessible, impactful and memorable.

Learning Content for the Duty Manager Course of M&S

Retailer Marks & Spencer identified a clear requirement to go further in improving the operational compliance and performance of its duty managers. It wished to achieve this through interactive and immersive e-learning. The course, designed by Highfield e-learning, used interactive video technology to create realistic and extremely serious in-store scenarios. These videos tested and refreshed learners’ knowledge and how to apply that knowledge. This duty manager learning content has had incredible success over the last two years. M&S has generated £20 million in cost savings, significantly improved compliance relating to reported incidents and even saved customers’ lives.

The judges saw a project that combines high production values with well-thought-out scripting to immerse learners in randomised branching scenarios, really bringing to life what's at stake in the kinds of incidents and emergencies M&S staff can find themselves having to face. The judges were particularly impressed that this has been achieved using a standard authoring tool.

LEO Learning and Godiva - Global Chocolate Mastery Course

Belgian chocolatier Godiva knows that selling boxes of chocolate for over $100 each is an art as well as a science. Godiva and LEO Learning injected passion into aspiring Millennial retail staff in Godiva’s chocolate retail outlets – ‘boutiques’ - using an ingenious mobile-first solution.

This combined five e-learning modules with a parallel multi-level game called Chocolate Quest: Guardians of the Cocoa Bean. Employees embraced this approach to learning wholeheartedly, giving it an average rating of 8.9/10.0. Most importantly, a follow-up evaluation proved they were applying the learning in store, which contributed to boutiques represented on the programme growing significantly faster year-on-year than boutiques that weren’t.

Designed as a clearly-articulated business need and for a specific audience of Millennials, the judges liked the way in which Leo combined its learning expertise with the marketing and lifestyle perspective of the Godiva team.

The result was a solution that includes online modules, social forums and - the star of the solution - a game that makes good use of different media and translates directly to in-store experiences and transactions. Sweet success.

Meet the customer - Funkis Multimedia and Volvo Group University

Meet the Customer is a virtual learning game played out in four consecutive team meetings with in-between prep or self-study. The filmed, virtual facilitator guides the team through the game. The learner meets customers, either in a face to face setting or via Skype, experiences their operations and solves their challenges. A democratic and enriching learning experience combines the advantages of face-to-face training with the efficiency of digital distribution and shared messaging.

The judges saw Meet the Customer as an original, imaginative combination of technology-led learning and social learning, aimed at resolving a well-defined business challenge. The research and writing of scenarios, competitive team game construction and the visual presentation were all excellent. A critical aspect was including steps to bring the learning back into the workplace. Hearing how responses from the teams flowed back into the business as design and development ideas was an impressive, if unintended, bonus.

Mondelēz & SweetRush - Leading Myself: a story-driven, unique and highly effective enterprise leadership program

Leading Myself is a multifaceted learning programme that develops leadership skills and mindset development. However, it offers a unique twist on leadership programmes: It targets all employees throughout the enterprise, not just management.

Leading Myself embraces a combination of e-learning, virtual instructor-led training (vILT), coaching/self-reflection exercises, and performance support. The extensive use of storytelling — brought to life through relatable, 3D avatar-driven animations — is compelling and engaging for learners. This innovative programme embraces diversity, creates an emotional connection with learners, shows all employees how to be leaders, and demonstrates that US-based multinational food and beverage company Mondelēz cares about its employees’ personal growth and development.

For the judges this was a ‘ticks every box’ moment. The project is a well-designed blended learning programme seeking to address a defined international business challenge. The project displayed great creativity in the use of storytelling and in the visual design. The multi-faceted programme seeks to reinforce learning through reflection, professional coaching and performance support, appropriate to the hearts-and-minds challenge.

ProChef® by Lobster Ink & The Culinary Institute of America

ProChef® represents the coming together of over 70 years of culinary training experience and the latest in blended online learning techniques. The result is fit-for-purpose, interactive training that expedites experience, reduces seat time and teaches the professional skills, knowledge and behaviours required by leading kitchens today. Like great food, learning is a science. From the use of Experience Nodes as the building blocks of each lesson to actively managing cognitive load through relevant production techniques, ProChef® leverages the latest in learning science and online learning innovation to solve an industry-wide training challenge and skills shortage.

The judges valued the way this project was based on thorough research and analysis of audience specific needs. The highest production values were matched by learning design theory and best practice. The global distribution of excellent video assets would not have been enough to earn this project an award. The features which brought it over the line were the link with the professional body, the follow-up activities and the positioning of learners to gain a professional accreditation.

CCEA - STEM in Minecraft

Minecraft: Education Edition is an open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination.

The STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in Minecraft resource provides a range of active learning opportunities, making connections both within and beyond The World Around Us. Included are several STEM enquiries to connect Science and Technology to a topic (the Vikings) traditionally viewed as being relevant to History only.

For a blended approach to learning the STEM in Minecraft Quests have been signposted. They are aligned to the curriculum so that pupils are applying learning through online gaming. Pupils become the Viking protagonist, facing a series of choices and challenges on a journey towards mastery.

All this impressed the judges as they labelled this an imaginative and impactful adoption of an existing and popular game to maximise impact in the classroom. Crucially, the interface to the material was clear and easy to use, and the success of the project speaks for itself.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution: Lifeboat Crew - Introduction to Navigation

The RNLI College Navigation training has historically been delivered entirely as a face to face programme over four and a half days. Lifeboat crew were required to travel from all over the UK and Ireland to attend this training. The programme encompassed theory in the classroom and hands-on training on the lifeboats.

Increased RNLI maritime competency standards resulted in additional classroom time being required and reduced practical learning time. Novice learners from non-maritime backgrounds struggled to assimilate the large quantities of theory and knowledge. An e-learning course was developed to address this learning need and improve the efficiency of the learning delivery.

This training made a splash as far as the judges were concerned. They labelled it as: “Comprehensive, immersive, interesting and well matched to its target audience. An impressive piece, particularly from a small team.”

Frontline Humanitarian Toolbox by DTS

The Frontline Humanitarian Toolbox (FHT) was designed by Digital Training Solutions (DTS) on behalf of the Norwegian Refugee Council. The aim was to create an innovative solution to help support humanitarian efforts and save lives in Syria.

DTS used its Near-Life gaming technology to provide an immersive, experiential learning platform to support local partner staff in safely negotiating and managing access in Syria. Delivering a comprehensive overview of humanitarian principles and a hands-on means of understanding best practice in aid provision, FHT enables outreach to staff who would otherwise be unable to access training due to the remote-management context. 

The judges were impressed with the professional and impactful video dealing with difficult and dangerous situations in this submission. Its immersive nature hit the right note given the performance required. The design presented a clean and simple interface and straightforward interaction which struck the judges as appropriate for the training need.

A.G. Barr iLearn with Learning Pool

A.G. Barr Soft Drinks has been manufacturing and distributing soft drinks and refreshments since 1875. Manufacturers of ‘Scotland’s other national drink’, Irn Bru, the business currently has 950+ employees at multiple facilities across the UK.

Recognising the need to continually invest in its employees to increase skills, develop and retain talent, and support the delivery of business objectives. A.G. Barr needed an LMS which would maximise user engagement and grow with them.

Key requirements were: a first-class user experience; a scalable solution to accommodate company growth; integration with existing HR system; automated ‘digital first’ induction programme, including an on-brand welcome email; flexibility to deliver learning and content on a range of devices; facilitation of the management of all learning - online, face-to-face, and blended - in a consistent manner; clear, concise reporting to ensure compliance; and automation of recertification of compliance courses.

A.G. Barr implemented a company-wide LMS, based on Totara, with a solid focus on user experience. The judges said this was one of the most user-friendly Totara implementations that they have seen and they praised the iterative approach which used an agile build, measure, learn philosophy enabling them to create a system that is highly personalised to the user. They also used video-led marketing to stimulate engagement with their hard to reach audience, resulting in cost savings, increased sales and reduction in health and safety incidents.

YHA

YHA is a non-profit organisation providing hostel accommodation across the UK. It is important that its teams have the right skills and knowledge to fulfil both its charitable and strategic objectives.

An appropriate learning management system has been key to achieving constant and comprehensive learning for all.  YHA partnered with Flow to migrate YHA’s trainees’ existing qualifications as well as system integration with some of its existing HR software.

Using the integrated mobile app with offline capability, YHA is now able to reach people in the remote hostels. YHA has seen measurable improvements in the time to onboard people, compliance training completions and performance reviews. These impressed the judges who noted the system has proved so successful that YHA staff are requesting additional learning content.

Sainsbury’s digital transformation with Kallidus

Two years ago, supermarket Sainsbury’s began a major digital learning transformation journey. At that time it had a complex and inefficient method of maintaining training records - based on over 5,000 store-based spreadsheets. Much of the training was face-to-face, which was hard to scale effectively.

The implementation of Kallidus LMS involved a lengthy process of transforming, validating and importing these 5000 spreadsheets, with 11 million data records.  Alongside that, they have also fed Kallidus with data from six different management systems, which allowed Kallidus to personalise the training offer to an employee based on multiple factors.

This has had a huge impact on the organisation which has significantly improving resource efficiencies and allowed Sainsbury’s to demonstrate measurable value gained through the new LMS. Staff are more engaged with learning, the induction process is quicker and cheaper with fewer compliance issues.

The judges were impressed by how Kallidus LMS has enabled staff working hours to be released back into the organisation, enabling Sainsbury’s to focus even more effort on delivering a first-class customer service.

Drive - Westhill Consulting for Intercars

Westhill Consulting have worked with Intercars, a Polish car parts company, to implement a game-based learning platform, Drive.

Drive has taken 1,500 sales representatives on a journey across the USA along the legendary Route 66 where they had to complete a range of challenges. With dedicated development paths, the educational content includes e-books, tests, videos and quizzes with the training aligned with the game path.

Together Westhill Consulting and Intercars co-created knowledge while tailor-made implementation has been designed to suit match the client’s brand and the target groups.

The judges were impressed by the data which demonstrates very significant improvements in sales figures comparing those who have and those who haven't used the platform. The approach to implementation had a strong focus on the needs and culture of the users. So much so, that the system's guide avatar became a personality in her own right.

Implementing social learning in a global, multi-lingual environment - Hilti & Fuse Universal

Hilti is a global, multi-lingual manufacturing organisation, with 25,000 employees who are mostly field-based. This is a story about future-proofing a learning organisation with a 77-year family heritage.

In implementing the Fuse platform, the aim was to change the learning culture from teaching to learning - to focus on the essentials of what a person needs at a specific moment.

That was achieved through pioneering social learning technology and deep understanding of learner psychology - to convert learning into high-performance behaviours.

Given imminent requirements to onboard 4-5,000 employees in 2017 into its 25,000+ multilingual workforce Hilti partnered with Fuse Universal to implement a next generation learning environment - enabling business change in record time.

The change in learning culture really made this a stand-out winner. The company has moved from a permission-based approach to learning, with an endemic fear of failure, to one in which experts from 52 countries have uploaded 11,000 pieces of content.

The judges were also impressed by results that demonstrated outstanding engagement (83%); faster time-to-performance; radical shifts in mindsets; and learners who are teachers able to benefit from and share ‘tacit’ knowledge (in 34 languages) when, how and where they need it. 

Overcoming Organizational growing pains and rise to the challenge of rapid organizational expansion at Pandora using CrossKnowledge Learning Suite

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, PANDORA, a global jewellery brand, employs more than 27,300 people worldwide. Around 13,200 are in Thailand, where the company manufactures its jewellery.

In early 2016, PANDORA embarked on a major restructuring program to support its emerging needs as a global player. This included setting up a new Global Learning & Development team, tasked with providing more effective learning solutions and tools for the whole organization.

PANDORA had to embrace the fact that it wasn’t a small company anymore, so they undertook a massive reorganisation, establishing entirely new regions and business units.

The judges were impressed with the way the company implemented the CrossKnowledge platform, with only six weeks from kick-off to go-live.

The aim was to improve governance and efficiency of training administration by putting in place a centralised system which allowed users to access learning materials on any device.

Within the six weeks, the team had successfully imported 3,000 spreadsheets of user data and launched a global training campaign.

The data provided indicated that the global administration and support burden had decreased significantly.

The judges felt this was a great example of an agile implementation - going live with the minimum viable product, and then incrementally making improvements based on lessons learned.

Brightwave & PWC: Be Smart. Be Secure.

Professional services firm PwC identified a requirement to prepare over 18,000 learners to significantly improve reported human error incidents relating to information management and security.

Brightwave created an immersive e-learning programme, using style and production as key motivators of change, innovative ‘safe-to-fail’ scenarios and a ground-breaking ‘point-of- behaviour’ assessment mechanism. Its impact includes a significant increase in email data incident reports, hundreds if not thousands of voluntary revisits of the programme, and widespread mitigation of risk to clients and resultant reputational damage. It shows PwC and Brightwave are leading the drive to improve security standards and trust through compliance.

Use of video and storytelling to transform what could have been very tedious learning content was a stand-out point for the judges. As was the 'free' nature of identifying the 'errors' which the judges labelled as really refreshing. The concept of the user being the ‘investigator’ and highlighting the risks themselves before they have the option to find out more lifts it above conventional compliance e-learning. Good use of gamification and video which helped to bring the topic to life. Some good data on effectiveness too meant that this project rose to the very top in this category.

Tesco License Legend in partnership with Media Zoo

Alcohol licensing regulations in Scotland require anyone that sells alcohol to have a personal alcohol licence. This licence is obtained by passing an exam containing a range of technical questions, and proof that each licensee has completed at least two hours of revision.

Tesco, one of the largest retailers in Scotland, approached Media Zoo to build an interactive course with unique and memorable interactions to support revision for a nationally accredited exam. The solution provided a highly visual adventure game designed to meet new legislation.

This was a strong submission that clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of an online approach. The business need was clear, effective research into what was needed was carried out, and a range of key stakeholders engaged. The use of gamification contributed to the overall effectiveness. Though not actually a game the e-learning felt fun and engaging and was clearly an effective approach with the target audience. Good data on the effectiveness of the solution with considerably more learners passing the stringent assessment. This is revision at its very best.

AskAlrijne

The management board of the Netherlands Alrijne hospital asked the Alrijne Academy, in co-operation with Xprtise, to develop a learning solution allowing nurses to prove their obligatory mastery of medical arithmetic skills. The result was AskAlrijne.

AskAlrijne integrates two innovative learning solutions: performance support and adaptive learning. The performance support element empowers nurses to work more effectively at every moment of need. It provides exactly the right amount of information at the moment of application.  Adaptive learning helps nurses to continuously keep their math skills up to date.

All of this really added up for the judges. They said this project mixed performance support and the five moments of need with adaptive and spaced practice. The cycle of teaching, practice and repetition creates a constant circle of learning which is accessible day to day in the workflow. The user interface, and mobile access was also well thought through and the solution integrated several third-party tools to provide a solution that can be re-purposed and used in a wide variety of contexts. Usage is still limited but early results are very encouraging.

Partner Devices - John Lewis Partnership

John Lewis Partners who serve customers in its shops were provided with a new mobile device and apps to deliver great customer service and drive omni-channel sales.  To enable Partners to start to use the device and its functions quickly, a series of bite-size, self-led web app resources were made accessible via the device.

The mobile solution reached larger numbers of Partners, received very strong positive feedback from Partners who used it, and demonstrated clear organisational impact through increased sales. The project blazed a trail for future mobile learning, supporting the growth of a digital culture in John Lewis shops.

For the judges this mobile learning demonstrated how the John Lewis Partnership clearly understands what they were doing and how they were able to take it to a new level.  They developed an application which, using the unique qualities of mobile, reached new places and empowered staff. 

They established both clear business and individual needs for implementation as well as providing evidence of impact and success of the project.  John Lewis Partnership learned from their users and leveraged this information to redesign a better tool, establishing better ways of working in the process. This is a very impressive initiative which the judges hope will not only be expanded within JLP, but that others in our community will learn from.

Turning Learning into Action™ with a Learning Transfer Chatbot

Pharmaceutical giant Bayer and learning transfer specialists Lever – Transfer of Learning collaborated on a new AI learning transfer chatbot, a powerful mobile learning tool to support learners in transferring their learning, creating real behavioural change.

Creating behavioural change is key to any learning initiative. It’s proven that following up learning with a coaching component will deliver far superior results than training alone. With busy sales managers based outside the office environment, the company was looking for an opportunity to optimise learning transfer on the job. So what could be done ??

Well the judges were impressed with what could be done. They labelled this an excellent use of mobile learning specifically designed to create that all-important behavioural change. The judges noted the organisation’s understanding of the importance of being a ‘reflective practitioner’ and the benefits this can bring to learners at all levels.  The technology behind the use of a bot which developed an interactive coaching relationship with participants was clearly visible.

The submission and presentation contained a great deal of positive impact evidence both individually and on an organisational level. The judges look forward to seeing how this initiative progresses.

EduMe & Mobile Operator Tigo - Increasing Sales by 66%

Tigo Honduras is the central American country’s largest mobile operator with close to five million customers. Its agents are its distribution network, responsible for selling a wide range of products and providing excellent customer service.

Tigo was looking for a way to deliver training and information in a concise, accessible manner that fits around the agents’ busy schedules. EduMe’s microlearning app makes it easy for agents to upgrade their skills and learn about new products. Sales of Tigo agents increased by 66% just three months after the launch of EduMe, proving the value of providing easy, streamlined access to training and information.

This all struck a bell with the judges who saw an excellent use of mobile technology where both business and individual needs of mobile learning had been clearly identified. EduMe also evidenced clear business results. While well worthy of this Bronze Award, the judges say this initiative has the potential to be expanded beyond the current audience and are looking forward to seeing this happen.

Mitchells & Butlers and Kineo inspire employees to train with Mable

Established in 1898, Mitchells & Butlers is one of the largest operators of restaurants, pubs and bars in the UK. Its vision is to be the first choice for anyone looking to go out for a relaxed, casual meal or drink.

During the Norovirus outbreak in 2017/18, Mitchells & Butlers was determined to suffer minimal disruption. It achieved this through a robust solution which engaged with its 46,000, often transient employees. Through this stakeholder engagement it increased food quality scores, boosted profit from coffee sales and cut costs by over £1m. 

Central to this was Mitchells & Butlers Learning Environment (MABLE) who quickly became Mable, the heart and soul of their learning efforts personified as a feisty little old lady who loves hitting the gym. She seamlessly integrates social learning and gamification

Good research and a clever launch campaign enabled the team to deliver a massive turnaround in engagement with learning through a social-first approach, which translated directly into tangible business and customer benefits. The underlying philosophy was also clearly explained and executed.

The judges felt this was an impressive wide-scale project which scored top marks across all criteria in a very competitive category.

(additional material from www.kineo.com/case-studies/mitchells-and-butlers-social-learning)

Engineering Real Results Ltd

A shortage of properly trained and highly skilled trades professionals demands a new approach to training on building sites. On-Site Virtual Reality, an immersive system from Engineering Real Results, allows apprentices to practice demanding tasks in a safe virtual environment while on the site. They can then move on to the real-world physical task.

This revolutionary approach cuts training and wastage costs by 81% and provides confident and competent workers able to carry out highly skilled tasks safely and lawfully. It generated excellent feedback from customers and participants.

The judges commended an excellent application of virtual reality technology, the implementation of the project and applauded time and cost savings as well as quality improvements delivered by the training.

TUI UK&I & Wildfire - Travel Geography

TUI UK and Ireland, part of travel and tourism company the TUI Group, had to develop 138 training modules for Retail Apprentices in just eight weeks with a limited budget.

With 10,000 employees and six million customers each year, TUI UK&I realised it needed to book a new approach to rapid development of high-quality learning content. To speed up the process TUI UK&I took the brave step of selecting a beta phase artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

A newly formed learning team faced down some major implementation challenges through collaboratively reworking testing processes. The result saw triple savings; six months knocked off the expected timescales, £15,000 in salaries and £438,000 of the development budget

The judges commended this “brave and innovative approach” which they said, “delivered remarkable results within a limited budget and reduced timescales”.

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and Cadpeople

Founded in 2014 but with a great heritage of wind power and offshore, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind teamed up with technology-led comms agency Cadpeople to introduce digital training simulators in the wind energy industry.

The result is a breath of fresh air compared to traditional simulators. Costs blew down by a third, with the technology inexpensive to replicate and could be updated as the winds of change blow through technological developments.

Elisabeth Mygind Thorsen, Manager of Technical & Safety Training, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, says: “The new tools have been received very well by employees and we can do courses around the world instead of here in Denmark. We have taken training to a new level where safety, quality, flexibility, employee satisfaction and costs have all improved”.

The judges were blown away by this entry which they saw as a game changer. In an industry where the speed of technological change is ever increasing, this learning technologies project has implications for the renewables sector and the learning technology industry as a whole and raises the bar for the use of simulation.

Bridgestone & SweetRush - Consumer Tire Education: A learning technologies tour de force

Part of multinational auto and truck manufacturer Bridgestone, Bridgestone Consumer Tire Education was designed as an innovative all-encompassing learning ecosystem for extended enterprise sales associates such as channel sales and marketing partners, including resellers, distributors and affiliates.

A unifying brand, a gamified learning portal, and an incentives programme combine engaging e-learning, mobile learning games, instructor-led training (ILT) and story-driven 3D animated videos

The project’s many components use a full array of learning technologies that work together to offer a highly effective and unique programme for the largely millennial and Gen Z audience.

The judges were gripped by highly engaging and creative learning to a diverse audience spread remotely across countries and continents. They commented it was rare to see learning have such an impact on both brand awareness, perception and the bottom line. However, San Francisco-based learning company SweetRush and Bridgestone partnered to deliver learning which is driving Bridgestone’s market share.

Vehicle Handover Training – Volvo Trucks & RMMBR

To enhance the driving experience and improve fuel efficiency Volvo was looking for vehicle handover training presented through a mobile game. The answer was a hybrid app that truck drivers can use anytime, anywhere.

Content created for each truck configuration ensures a hyper relevant learning experience. Micro-learnings, VR experience, leader boards and rich interactive content appeal to the users’ way of consuming content.

Combining learning and fleet management data helps Volvo to pinpoint and push learning content in the app that contributes to higher fuel efficiency. A higher fuel efficiency score means a lower carbon footprint and less maintenance costs.

The judges enthused about the a highly engaging and sophisticated experience for the end user. The digital experience replaced the traditional customer facing learning. Combining product knowledge, communication and learning creates an excellent customer experience. Plus, the integration with other information drives sustainable behaviour change in the health and safety and environment.

Financial Literacy Program for Entrepreneurs - Kashida - Riyali

Arabic financial literacy for entrepreneurs, Rowad Riyali, aims to equip entrepreneurs with the financial management skills and knowledge needed to run and manage businesses successfully and effectively.

Kashida developed the Rowad as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme for the Saudi Arabia based SEDCO group. The programme focussed on knowledge retention and practical financial management methods to help entrepreneurs. 

The self-paced solution was delivered on the Riyali platform and in a blended format in collaboration with start-up incubators across Saudi Arabia.

This comprehensive programme had the judges praising the design excellence at every stage. The user experience was top drawer with the learning linked to the participant’s individual context and the technology extending beyond introducing concepts to building and practicing new habits through templates, reflection and gaming.

The whole experience – the consultation with stakeholders, the sensitivity to the local context, and maximising learner time – is impressive.

Sudden cardiac arrest: recognise and respond - The Football Association

In the UK, 12 young people die from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) every week. Unfortunately, understanding of this event is poor – which leads to misdiagnosis and, ultimately, death. Football has been particularly affected by SCA. To address this, the FA’s internal development team created an innovative e-module: through animation, case studies and interactive video, this solution helps learners to understand who’s at risk of SCA, how to recognise when it happens and how to respond appropriately. Impact has been excellent, with dramatic increases in self-reported knowledge, and both learners and stakeholders highlighting that this module may save a life.

The judges were impressed by the use of Articulate Storyline to develop interactions that help prepare the learner for practical training. Good use of media to create tension with purpose and a solid consistent branding gives the finished product a high quality and engaging user experience.

The project was backed up by great stats on impact and behaviour change, including evidence that this programme has saved lives. They haven’t stopped there - a continual curiosity to use data to understand how to constantly raise the game is inspirational. This project is innovative in all the right ways - it stays true to the outcome and context of its learners whilst challenging the perceptions of what is possible in e-learning

Overall the judges saw it as a superb example of total focus on the outcome and thinking beyond the typical uses of e-learning content and the associated authoring tools. The process of learning has been changed by technology - with the ability to tailor the programme up front by asking questions that build personal interest, and the process of ask and tell to ensure that all the bases are covered in the right way.

Transforming Medical CPD with NEJM Group - Knowledge+

For doctors – time starved workers with demanding jobs - traditional training approaches to Board Certification preparation are time consuming and do not adapt to the needs of individual practicing physicians.

By using NEJM Knowledge+, physicians who were first-time test takers passed the American Board of Internal Medicine-Certifying Exam (ABIM-CE) at a significantly higher rate than the national average. 

A collaboration between NEJM Group, publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine, and Area9 Learning, NEJM Knowledge+ is a first-of-its-kind platform with smart technology that adapts to clinicians’ learning goals, pace and knowledge gaps.

The judges saw this as a high impact example of delivering personalised learning to scale when appropriate technology matches the outcome perfectly. They said: “For any organisation looking to understand the use case and implementation of machine learning, this is a go-to project. The solution is on the surface simple (which makes it easy to use for the learner) but sophisticated in its application of logic and rigorous testing. The impact data was also some of the most robustly collated we have seen.”

Partner Devices - John Lewis Partnership

This learning solution supported John Lewis Partners who serve customers in their shops to use a new mobile device and apps to deliver great customer service and drive omni-channel sales. To ensure a powerful and efficient learning experience that took into account different abilities and the shop-floor context, the blended solution incorporated self-led mobile learning resources and on-the-job coaching from digital guides. These guides were trained via face-to-face sessions.

The judges offered their congratulations on a slick and smart solution. This was a well-crafted and human-centric approach which delivered excellent results. The judges added: “We loved the design and it was clear a lot of thought and planning had gone in to every stage.”

Henry Ford Academy - Recruiting the Right People

The Henry Ford Academy has undertaken vast change in order to bring effective learning to the UK Dealer Training Network. This includes thousands of employees across the Sales and Aftersales Departments. The Academy is dedicated to this approach and has invested heavily to create a new learning technologies department. Headed up by Jack Sumeray, this department now consists of a team of eight, connecting with other teams to expand the Academy’s approach to produce outstanding blended learning.

The judges concluded that this was ‘A fantastic effort and a worthy entry that used appropriate blended learning techniques to bring previously dull content to life’. They congratulated the Academy on ensuring the content was contextualised for the specific audiences and thought carefully about the methods of delivery.

Learn My Way - Good Things Foundation

Good Things Foundation is a UK-based registered social change charity that is working towards a world where everyone benefits from digital. It runs a range of programmes, but its flagship Future Digital Inclusion programme aims to teach Basic Digital Skills to one million digitally excluded people in England by 2019.

Funded by the Department for Education, the programme started back in 2014, and since that time has supported 998,092 people to improve their basic digital skills. The programme uses the community reach of the Online Centres Network to support and engage some of the hardest to reach people in society.

The judges saw a well-thought out and appropriate blended solution for both learners and trainers, with the admirable aim of digital inclusion for vulnerable users. They were particularly impressed with the simple yet sensitive approach that managed to be highly successful on a small budget.

Honda Motor Europe

In 2017 the launch of the new Honda Civic placed significant commercial expectations on Honda Motor Europe’s training department, who are responsible for training over 2,500 Sales Associates, across 16 countries.

They need skills and knowledge to maximise sales and deliver outstanding customer experience. High expectations were compounded by a context of historically poor levels of training completion, and Honda Motor Europe wanted to address the challenge of proving that learning transfer had effectively taken place. The business responded with a highly innovative blended learning approach, using complementary learning techniques, each playing to their distinct strengths – with outstanding results against targets.

This excellent submission was voted unanimously as the judges’ Gold winner of this hard-fought category. If offered a seamless blend that incorporates many different facets of learning, from online courses and resources to experiential sessions in a way that makes perfect sense to both individual learners and the overall business. The link between learning and its impact on business results is inspirational and one the judges hope will encourage more organisations to create solutions that ultimately improve people performance.

ING Think Forward Leadership Experience

ING’s strategy is built around empowerment and the promise to customers to make banking clear and easy, available anytime and anywhere and to keep getting better. The Think Forward Strategy is crystal clear on where ING wants to play and how it wants to win.

The Think Forward Leadership Experience amplifies behaviours and skills that leaders and managers need to create and maintain this culture.

Take on board the stats: 5,000+ participants, a 16-week path, 96 participants per cohort, 94 learning objects, eight different learning technologies, five contributors, internal and external facilitators and much more. 

This seamless blend was unanimously voted amongst the winners in this incredibly tough category. The judges noted how the pedagogical excellence has not been sacrificed in the pursuit of business impact. Balancing the two demands is not easy but here, it has been done with style and in way that works for learners and the organisation as a whole. An interesting and innovative solution that the judges absolutely applaud.

Westfield Insurance Active Shooter Training

In today’s environment, preparing employees to face active threat risks aligns with Westfield Insurance’s mission to provide peace of mind and protection. While US-based Westfield Insurance provides a safe and great work environment, employees need to continue preparations to address these types of potential risks. 

Training is a vital component of ensuring that employees are aware of active shooter threats and are trained to protect themselves in the unfortunate circumstance of this threat ever being realised. The active threat training initiative at Westfield Insurance is an e-learning programme that enables employees to recognise and respond to violent situations in the workplace.

This stunning use of blended learning bowled the judges over with its innovative approach to an unbelievably difficult area. The judges loved the way Westfield Insurance shared the story. To see digital learning being used to tackle something as serious as gun crime could have been unthinkable previously. But thanks to a carefully and sensitively crafted blend, it has proved incredibly effective. It is an inspiring story and one that other organisations tackling difficult or challenging topics could learn from.

Digital coaching and Ai - increasing emotional and commercial resilience

You know it’s a good product when the judging panel wants to buy it. Emoquo is an award-winning technology platform that drives emotional intelligence at work. It provides companies and employees with a simple digital solution that guides workers through difficult issues - boosting emotional resilience.

Via machine learning It helps employers to see in real-time the emotional health of their organisation. A real-time emotional heat map helps employers use Emoquo to help improve morale and performance, and drive significant financial impact.

The judges made their feelings clear about this product: Emoquo is tackling the very real problem of improving mental health and wellbeing at work through a neatly executed and very thoroughly researched app. The potential impact of Emoquo (and its imitators, which are sure to follow) could be a game-changer for the way personal performance support is perceived in workplace learning. “We'll take three,” say the judges.

CoachBot by Saberr

Saberr – a London-based company that produces software to improve team performance – says that the hardest problems of today’s world require teams not individuals in order to be solved. Collaboration is the key to its success, so the business wanted to make it easier and more enjoyable. The software is designed to predict and improve team performance enabling teams to improve dynamics, resulting in happier teams and higher performance.

The company says CoachBot is the world’s first digital team coach. It’s built on the principle that technology should make us interact offline more, not less. Understanding relationships within the team and increasing communication can help improve trust and ultimately help teams collaborate better in the workplace.

Agreeing with the idea that teams are what the world of work is all about, the judges say that learning technology has been slow to address the challenge of creating high performing teams, especially in a world where teams are more transient, fluid and fast flowing, and management is less controlling. 

The judges liked the way Saberr has looked at how it uses technology not just to provide content, but develop the connectivity and relationships in teams to make them work together better. Using individual and group coaching driven by AI and chatbots to power the human touch in team development is a powerful message, one that highlights where the technology is taking us and its power in nudging organisations to be more engaging and productive.

Anders Pink: AI Powered Content Curation App

We all need to continuously learn and stay updated. This means going beyond formal courses to discover and curate relevant content from the web. But it’s not easy to scan multiple sources every day.

That where Anders Pink comes in. It is an AI-powered curation tool that saves time and aims to keep teams smart. 

Learners define exactly what topics and sources to track. Algorithms scan millions of items, filter by preferences and keep it current and relevant. The next step is to embed into tools like Slack for a seamless experience. With integrations into multiple platforms, enterprise clients and 7500+ users, Anders Pink is making curation easier for the world’s learning organisations.

The judges thought this is clever stuff. An elegant product that serves highly tailored social feeds into a number of delivery channels. In particular the business model impressed, where Anders Pink offers value to the end user, to the organisation they work for, and critically, LMS vendors who can integrate Anders Pink so adding another layer of engagement to their platforms.

Good Things Foundation

Good Things Foundation​ is a social change charity, helping people to improve their lives through digital. It does this by working with grassroots community organisations across the country called Online Centres​. The learning team develops courses and learning content for ​Learn My Way​, the free online e-learning website which helps people to improve their basic digital skills.

The team also: supports tutors in Online Centres by developing resources to help them support learners; supports international delivery of basic digital skills training in Australia and Kenya; develops and helps others with the delivery of training and workshops; and supports other teams by developing learning content for specialist ​digital and social inclusion projects​.

The judges were blown away by the huge ambitions for such a small team, successfully addressed through clever thinking around the issues. Solutions are necessarily low tech, but the Foundation has achieved a lot reaching a huge number of people whose lives have been changed through gaining the confidence in digital skills. It was a pleasure to see fresh thinking used throughout.

Lonza IT Learning

The IT Learning Team at Lonza Pharmaceuticals is made up of just three people. But despite the small numbers it has revolutionized the way in which IT learning is designed and delivered.

Taking it from face-to-face lectures with some PowerPoint and no instructional design they now offer effective interactive learning delivered by virtual classroom, face-to-face and e-learning that empowers employees and drives business.

The ensuing cost savings run into hundreds of thousands of Swiss Francs. Such has been the success and impact that other departments throughout the organisation are now replicating their approach across 50 countries in 9 languages to 14,000 employees.

The judges could only admire the hugely impressive amount of work taken on by such a small team - with clearly evidenced results. The methodology used to ensure high quality training via different methods for a large user-base has now led to the IT Learning Team acting as consultants for other teams that want to adopt the same methodology.

Digital and Innovative Learning Team, EDF Energy

The Digital and Innovative Learning Team at EDF Energy work in an environment where advisors must respond in seconds, Nuclear Power Stations were designed pre-internet and the IT Security is so tight that in the team’s own words; “it could hide alien conspiracies.”

But despite the constraints the Digital and Innovative Learning Team has saved lives, reduced costs and developed tomorrow’s leaders.

What makes the team unique is that they are part of a corporate team, developing their methodology to meet the business’ needs. They value what’s coming just as much as what they have. And from this EDF Energy are able to stay a step ahead of the learning curve.

The judges said it was good to see an organisation looking outside their own company to see what's available. Actively changing the culture from risk-averse to willing-to-try proofs of concept is a massive step. The judges saw a team that has a very clear vision of what they are looking at now and where they want to move to in the future. They bring teams together around a problem and are actively acting as catalysts for change. They may be a small team, but they have big ideas.

Learning Pool

Learning Pool believes better informed people power the most successful businesses.  The company therefore has built a high performing team that puts the customer at the centre of everything it does.

By building long-term customer relationships, they have set out to understand the challenges customers face and are obsessive about providing world class implementation and service care that increase organisational performance.

The learning community Learning Pool has fostered over the years is one of their biggest strengths. They learn from its customers and they learn from each other.

Regularly facilitating free events to bring current and future customers together, Learning Pool says it listens to its customers every day and these conversations inform its products with new features, fresh content and innovative approaches.

This means they only invest in new technology which will provide maximum benefit and return for clients. With a fine, well-presented entry with data and achievements to back it up, it is easy, say the judges, to see how Learning Pool has won a place as a respected provider in the market which has doubled in size in the last two years.

Sponge

With a reputation for creativity and innovation Sponge is among the largest custom digital learning companies in Europe. When you consider Sponge’s impressive record with world-class clients, it’s easy to forget the company is still a family-run business.

Sponge’s growth is centred around delivering excellent results for clients, anticipating their needs, building strong relationships and developing internal talent.

Financial growth is outstanding at 174% between 2014 and 2017, but the real achievement is that Sponge hasn’t compromised on its commitment to the creativity that remains at its heart.

No wonder that Sponge’s clients believe the company “shines out” among learning providers. All of which led the judges to comment that the company was the most inspirational organisation that they saw.

Media Zoo

The past year has been one of the most significant and exciting twelve months for Media Zoo since it moved from a small flat in Battersea over ten years ago. Significant new hires, high-value client wins, investment in new technology, a new Glasgow office, plans for further global expansion and an acquisition in the offing have all combined to make every day an adventure.

As well as welcoming a huge range of new clients this agency has continued to do work with many significant existing clients that has been exceptionally well received.

The judges felt that this entry demonstrated real client successes backed up by enthusiastic customer services. Unlike many other entries they also demonstrated a genuine company integrity – a highly competitive entry which may have won the Gold award in other years.