Session 215LRS: What you need

to knowRob Houck, LearnShare

Megan Torrance, TorranceLearning

Orlando, FL • March 16 – 18, 2016

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Megan TorranceCEO, TorranceLearning

Rob HouckCTO, LearnShare LLC

What is xAPI?

Answer #1 Next-generation SCORM

Answer #2 A standard way of recording any learning experience to give a more rich picture of the development path.

Answer #3A protocol for sending, storing and retrieving data about learning and performance experiences: activity statements

Answer #4“the holy grail” where we can correlate job performance data with training data to assess people and training effectiveness

What are you doing with xAPI?

I can spell xAPI.

I am sending xAPI statements.

I am reporting on the xAPI statements that I’m sending.

I am making decisions based on what I’m collecting in the LRS.

What is an LRS?

Answer #1Learning Record Store

Answer #2It’s where we store the training data.

Answer #3It’s a database where we send xAPI activity statements and retrieve them later for decision-making.

Answer #4It’s a next-generation LMS.

The LRS is all about making xAPI work.

• We want beautiful analysis• We want data justifying the training

we’re delivering.• We want data to understand learner

use – so we can optimize the training itself.

Your LMS today

Users

Courses Enro

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SCORM Data

Reporting

Your LMS today … really an ecosystem

Users

Courses Enro

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SCORM Data

Reporting

CoursesClasses

Certs

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Messaging

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Reporting

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Import/Export Biz Data

Your LMS with xAPI

Users

Courses Enro

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SCORM Data

Reporting

LRS

LRS

SCORM data

Your learning platform with xAPI

Users

Courses Enro

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SCORM Data

Reporting

CoursesClasses

Certs

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Messaging

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Reporting

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Import/Export Biz Data

LRS

SCORM data

The managed ecosystem approach Users

CoursesClasses

eCommerce

LRS Dash Boards

Games Sims Perf Supp

Reports

Social

Performance, Talent

Other Biz Data

Other LRSes

LMS

All this is AWESOMEbut…

Why don’t we just store the xAPI data in the LMS?

SCORM is structured data

SCORM has “buckets” for everything it needs to store.

So where do you put “experience” data? It doesn’t fit the mold!

Learner Course Time Score StatusHouck, R Compliance 101 28 M 85 Pass

Simpson, H Compliance 101 35 M 90 Pass

Torrance, M Compliance 101 26 M 70 Fail

xAPI is semi-unstructured data

It starts out ok … then gets messy.

Actor Verb Object ContextHouck, R completed Compliance 101 85% 28M Pass

Simpson, H practiced Frosting a cake 35M Pink

Torrance, M read Tin Can for Dummies 4 stars

xAPI is semi-unstructured data

• Unlike SCORM, xAPI doesn’t need to understand what data is being stored ahead of time.• All this requires an entirely new

method of storing this data – thus the LRS.

xAPI (and the LRS) allows storage of information that was previously impossible (or really, really hard) to collect.

If you don’t have an LMS and you don’t have SCORM …

• Publish to xAPI.• Get an LRS product.• Rock and roll.• Grow over time.

If you’re ready to dive in, adding an LRS is a relatively fast and easy way to go.

If you already have an LMS and you do have SCORM …

• Do you need an LRS today?• If what you get out of our

elearning today is just fine, no. • Will you want an LRS in the future? • Probably! • Listen for the right project

• As course vendors start to leverage the real power of the tools, you don’t want to be on the outside.

But don’t limit yourself to thinking inside the course.

• There’s a lot going on outside of your courses:• Checklists & job aids• Social interaction• Mentoring• Observations• Assessments• Performance & talent mgmt• Actual work behavior stored in

other systems• Results of actual work behavior

stored in other systems

A few models

1. LRS, LMS

2. LRS LMS

3. LRS & LMS BI

4. LMS LRS

5. LMS/LRS + TMS + PMS

LRS, LMS

Side-by-side

THIS IS YOU IF …• You’re experimenting.• You just bought an xAPI based tool.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT?• First starting out• Lots of flexibility• Change it easily

1

LRS, LMS

Side-by-side

BUYERS GUIDE• Buy, don’t build• The LRS can be invisible• Start small & cheap, then scale up• Focus on exporting your data

Tip: Think through your index values – they have to line up.

1

LRS LMS

THIS IS YOU IF …• You use the LRS for what it does best

(collect data).• You use the LMS for what it does

best (manage training).• You might have multiple front end

xAPI tools all on different LRSes.• You need that “completion” in your

LMS for reporting & learning plans.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT?• You have a single source of truth:

the LMS2

LRS LMS

BUYER’S GUIDE• Focus on exporting your data• Limit the number of systems and

moving parts to preserve your sanity• Figure out what constitutes a

”course” and a “completion”

Tip: You’re not going to be happy in this spot for a long time so don’t over-invest emotionally.2

LRS to BI

THIS IS YOU IF …• You’re already spending a lot of

money on BI

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT?• The BI team is already at “the table”• The BI team is already good at

connecting multiple data streams

3

LRS to BI

BUYERS GUIDE• That’s what your BI is for – work

with them, not against them.• Focus on exporting your data -- keep

your data orderly.• Don’t worry too much about

analytics inside the LRS.

Tip: Talk to BI about your unstructured data or all you’ll get out of them is SCORMy stuff.3

LMS LRS

THIS IS YOU IF …• You have multiple LMSes.• You still have legacy LMS data.• If you’re getting better reporting and

visualizations from the LRS.• You want all the richness of your

xAPI data.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT?• Start comparing experience data

with SCORM completion data 4

LMS LRS

BUYER’S GUIDE• Focus on reporting since every

curriculum will send different data.• Plan to add more data streams

once people see this because it’ll be super cool.

Tip: Demand amazingly flexible reporting.

4

LMS/LRS

THIS IS YOU IF … • It’s 2017.• You’ve moved past the LMS as the

center of the universe, but it’s still pretty important.• You can manage structured +

unstructured data together

• WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT THIS? • Everything’s in one place.• You’re able to do your own people-

based BI.• You can pull in other data streams

(Sf.com, Oracle, SAP…)5

LMS/LRSUsers

Courses Enro

llmen

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SCORM Data

Reporting

CoursesClasses

Certs

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Soci

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earn

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Messaging

Perfo

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Reporting

Games Sims Perf Supp

Dash

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eCommerce

Import/Export Biz Data

LRS

SCORM data

5

LMS/LRS BUYERS GUIDE• If you’re buying new, you only have

one thing to get through your IT.

Tip: Roll in your TMS and PMS, too. Buy new business cards.

5

There Be Dragons Here

Questions to ask no matter what:

• What does the integration look like? Will users see a difference? How about LMS managers?• What does reporting look like?• What’s it cost? Do I need an

upgrade, or can I just “do it”?• What does a pilot look like?

Getting started

• Prêt-à-porter• Day hikes• Look for the right project & sponsor• Start where there is no LMS legacy

• You can’t sell the alphabet soup.

In the meantime: Baby Steps

• Leverage your prototypes!• Deploy – gain feedback, refine• Reporting – validate, refine• Validate your business case,• Lather, rinse, repeat

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What will you take away?

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Megan TorranceCEO, TorranceLearning

Rob HouckCTO, LearnShare LLC