Training internal and external audiences
Headquartered in Hamburg-Eppendorf, Eppendorf AG develops, produces and distributes products and services for laboratories all over the world. These products are often used in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and food sectors.
The company is the world market leader in many areas of laboratory technology. Across its global operations, the group has more than 3,000 employees at 34 locations.
Knowledge acquisition in record time
Increasing legal requirements, fast global growth, more employees, a more extensive portfolio and a shorter time to market – A few years ago, Eppendorf AG faced all of these challenges. To fight these challenges, it required not only the employees to be trained but also the network of external partners and service providers to be educated. Only when this network of both internal and external groups (together the so-called "Extended Enterprise") is up to date with the latest products, services and developments, at all times, Eppendorf can provide the quality that it strives for. Time and efficiency are essential in this training process.
Mastering these challenges is even harder when old-fashioned and time-consuming training processes slow down the progress. This is where the professionally set-up blended learning concept within a cloud-based solution comes to the rescue.
An open professional development concept
As part of an integrated e-learning strategy, the imc Learning Suite was implemented across the entire company as “Eppendorf Academy”. Hosting in the Microsoft Azure Cloud ensures virtually unlimited scalability and immediate availability
The objective was to systematically complement or replace existing face-to-face training courses with e-learning offers to create a blended learning experience.
The imc authoring tool Content Studio was chosen for the creation of interactive and multimedia learning content.
90 % of users rate the courses
as helpful
In order to facilitate swift identification and rectification of gaps in the content, obtaining continuous feedback from the course participants was very important for Eppendorf AG.
The dialogue with the learners directly shows to what extent the learning content helped the learners perform their daily tasks, and where further improvements were needed.
The participants’ feedback has been impressive: A staggering 90% of users to date rate the courses as helpful or very helpful.
Get your grey matter in top form
Brain cells always need new stimuli to stay fit. Together with the mobile communications provider Mobilcom-Debitel, we developed a brain jogging app which offers a personalised training plan to achieve that goal.
Logic, concentration, orientation, reaction and memory are trained with scientifically proven methods.
Exciting brain training for customers
Mobilcom-Debitel wanted to offer its customers a special feature for smartphones: a brain jogging app that trains the grey matter with scientifically proven methods. It was crucial that the app would be intuitive to operate to ensure users could get started without stumbling blocks.
The training goal was to spark the users’ ambition. Unlike many other apps, it was meant to respond to each customer’s individual requirements to facilitate an optimal challenge at all times. This aimed to make the app particularly efficient while also keeping training fun.
Uniform processes and time-savings
With “Gehirn Coach” ("brain coach"), the imc team developed a brain jogging app for smartphones that trains all five cognitive skills: logic, concentration, orientation, reaction and memory. The five skills are trained in different game formats.
To start off, the current status is determined with a fitness test. A personalised training plan is created based on the results. In addition, users can define their own priorities – for example, if they want to concentrate on memory training. After training, users can track their personal progress with the fitness tracker. User can see their fitness level in each skill, as well as their personal overall fitness in a special view for the current week, month or year.
“Gehirn Coach” was developed in collaboration with TU Kaiserslautern. The researchers investigated thought processes in depth, and conducted studies to optimise the effectiveness of the app. Thanks to usability and eye-tracking tests throughout the development, the app is intuitive to operate. Mobilcom-Debitel customers can add “Gehirn Coach” to their mobile phone contract as an optional extra, or download the app from the app store.
Overcoming tool chaos with a learning management system (LMS)
The Visma Group comprises more than 200 companies in 16 countries. Visma | Raet Academy (VRA) is a department of Visma | Raet, the market leader for cloud solutions and associated services with a focus on HR and payroll.
VRA can look back on many years of experience in IT training for clients that help users learn to use the software. VRA also offers internal training on topics such as soft skills, compliance and management.
Simplifying processes and lowering
the error rate
In order to train its employees and clients, the Visma | Raet Academy (VRA) was looking for a multilingual and highly scalable learning management system. The goal was to simplify processes and replace a range of error-prone tools with one efficient system.
Rather than performance, VRA focused on learning outcomes and prioritised learning journeys over individual training events. Moving beyond exclusively formal learning, the desired solution would provide a 70:20:10 ratio and cover the five moments of (learning) needs with suitable learning experiences.
imc Learning Suite in the cloud
Following a strict selection procedure, VRA chose imc and its cloud-based version of imc’s own learning management system. The ready-to-use, secure and easily scalable Software-as-a-Service LMS solution by imc was a winner.
The implementation project got underway in March 2018, as part of which three interfaces were built and two major adaptations were made. After handover to the imc Service Desk, the “Visma | Raet Academy Learning Portal” LMS became the one-stop portal for all courses used by Visma | Raet Academy, including live virtual training, seminars, webinars, in-company training courses and much more.
The catalogue is divided into several sub-catalogues, providing a clear overview of the Academy’s offer. The high degree of automation and the use of a single, reliable system to serve employees and clients significantly improved the efficiency and reduced the error rate of the administrative processes.
Optimised processes and a fresh start
Since the initial implementation in 2018, substantial process improvements have already been realised by replacing outdated systems with a single high-performance LMS. Continuous process improvements are planned and implemented in a controlled manner. However, these are usually only minor optimisations, rather than significant process improvements.
The conclusion of the implementation stage marked a fresh start for the Academy. As soon as the system was implemented, the “Further Development LMS” project was initiated. A key objective was to master the challenge of introducing new and innovative technologies and processes in the company. The development of the LMS is set to create further opportunities for VRA.
The functionalities are tested and implemented using an agile approach, achieving some progress almost every week. The project owners at VRA are confident that the imc Learning Suite offers the tools and functions needed in the long term to achieve the VRA mission and vision together with imc.
