Banking on enterprise e-learning: Part 5 in this series tells how PNC Bank made the most of its learning management system to up-skill employees through a competence manager application. The summary follows

T+D, August, 2003 by Martha Gold

For example, Dickersoffs team discovered that despite scrupulous care in addressing all of the technical aspects of the implementation, some of the pre-LMS courses on CDs didn't work in the new system. "We should have had a better understanding of our network environment," he says. "In doing so, we could've designed to it without compromising what we wanted to achieve instructionally. You just can't put it out and assume that it's going to function."

Another technical challenge Dickerson's team faced was getting media-rich content to the branches over bandwidth already crowded with CRM and teller transactions applications. Without broadband, the bank had to be careful and creative regarding the use of audio and graphics. "We've done hybrid solutions," says Hellman. "We've put the graphics and media on a CD and run the course through the LMS. The LMS calls to the CD to bring up the graphics and media without slowing things down."

After getting the LMS system up and running in the last quarter of 2001, Dickerson's team flung open the doors to its new virtual training shop and waited for customers to pour in. That was when the team discovered that the saying "If you build it, they will come" doesn't apply regarding getting employees to switch over from instructor led to learning online. Dickerson said his group had been so engrossed with the technical aspects that it had neglected to market the new system sufficiently; many employees just weren't aware of it. So, Dickerson and his team enlisted other managers to help spread the word.

"The managers have been very receptive about working with us," says Hellman. "We started out by identifying pilot audiences. Luckily, we have a hierarchy of regional and sector managers. We got them involved by giving them presentations when they came to headquarters for meetings." In addition, the RCB design team built programs that guided employees when accessing the LMS for the first d me, with an introduction to the system that was added to the bank's orientation program. Now, about 40 percent of training at the bank takes place online. RCB aims to bring that number up to 50 to 60 percent at some point and is looking into ways to extend online learning by adding kiosk stations, where employees can leave their work area to get education during a break or scheduled training time. The bank is currently offering this service in treasury management for employees who don't have PCs.

"We're looking to make the right mix (e-learning and instructor-led) as opposed to attaining a number for the sake of a number," says Dickerson.

With the system up and running, the next phase of improvements will include building up the courseware library, adding more synchronous courses, and expanding the LMS's skills-tracking component to the entire bank. RCB also hopes to expand training beyond the bank, making it accessible to employees outside of the office and to customers. However, security concerns have curbed efforts thus far.

"Our biggest challenge as a financial institution is firewall and risk issues," says Hellman. "Although we could deliver outside of the business, we need special security access and an application for employees so they can launch e-learning from home."