Learning technologies industry is failing to understand client organisations
The biggest problem organisations experience with suppliers of technology-supported learning and communications is a failure of the supplier company to understand the client’s business, new research has shown. In a survey commissioned by LINE Communications, leading provider of learning and communications solutions, respondents cited lack of understanding of their sector, brand, values, culture, process, and of project objectives as major bugbears. The survey also reveals that suppliers tend to fall down on technological incompatibility of their solutions with the organisations’ in-house systems and IT infrastructure, and lack of customisation of solutions.
On a more positive note, respondents valued highly the specialised expertise they get from their suppliers, and the external perspective they bring on learning and communications problems. Over all, however, a picture emerges of an industry which is weak in requirements capture, and too ready to provide an off-the-shelf-solution regardless of the underlying business problem being addressed and of the organisational context in which it will be deployed.
LINE itself comes out well from the survey. Respondents rated the company as creative, smart, specialist, customer-friendly, leading edge and technically advanced. “LINE is an honest and thoughtful business with excellent individuals who bring a mix of skills and technologies and creativity to their work," said a typical respondent. "They really aim to understand the mindset of the companies they partner with."
The survey was carried out in July and taken by 157 individuals within organisations that use technology-supported learning and communications. 52% of respondents were at senior management level or above. 34% were from organisations that have used LINE, and 66% were non-clients. The survey was carried out online, and distributed widely among the target market using LinkedIn groups and Twitter.
Further details of the survey will appear in the coming weeks on the LINE blog at: http://www.line.co.uk/headline/