News

17 December 2004 - Leeds City Council Over the Moon with e-learning

MKM have partnered with Keystrokes in the creation and implementation of a new e-learning system and content for Leeds City Council. This has been executed with outstanding results in a record time of 6 weeks from brief to implementation.

The transition to a new computer environment has provided Leeds City Council with the opportunity to embrace a unique e-learning environment, and a new way of providing training. Leeds City Council have invested in a new computer infrastructure that will support powerful new information systems and enable the Council’s 12,000 computer users to benefit from increased efficiency, security and reliability. The new systems will be introduced over a period of four months beginning in December and, with 12,000 users converting from Office 97 to Office 2003, it was a priority to ensure that staff possessed the skills they needed to make a smooth transition and carry on “business as usual”.

With such a short timescale, removing staff from the workplace to attend traditional training courses was ruled out on the basis of cost and practicality. The Council decided that it was an ideal opportunity to exploit cutting edge technology by opting for an e-learning solution. This would allow users to prepare for the change by gaining the new skills they needed, at a time that suited them.

The requirement was for a course pitched at users with existing skills in Office 97, not at complete novices, and should be tailored content-wise to the Council’s customised environment. In addition, Leeds City Council is a Gold Standard corporate member of the Institute of IT Training, the main professional body setting standards for the IT training industry, so any solution should meet these high standards and maintain the Council’s status as a centre of excellence. Extensive research by the Council’s Learning and Development Unit revealed no satisfactory off-the-shelf products.

Following a rigorous tendering process, the contract for the tailored system was awarded to MyKnowledgeMand and our partner, Knaresborough based learning and development specialists Keystrokes Ltd. Keystrokes provided subject matter expertise, course content and planning, together with project management. MyKnowledgeMap’s expert team of designers and developers converted the plans into reality – up to 6 hours of interactive learning where users can select relevant modules, track their progress and test their new skills.

Said Keystrokes Operations Director, Gaynor Pearson, “it was a great challenge to develop a comprehensive e-learning course that was flexible, engaging and interactive, to such a tight deadline. Thanks to great cooperation and teamwork with MyKnowledgeMap plus clear objectives and guidance from everyone involved at Leeds City Council, we delivered in record time.”

It took just over 6 weeks to develop this unique e-learning resource and tailored virtual e-learning environment, branded internally within the Council as “e-learnIT”. It allows project managers to control user access to the course in line with the rollout of new systems. They can track and monitor the progress of individuals and groups of learners and establish whether they have the new skills they need for a smooth transition.

Pat McConnell, manager of the Council’s Learning and Development Unit said that she was “over the moon” with e-learnIT.

“Choosing the e-learning route for this project presented significant practical and cost benefits as well as providing us with the chance to embrace new ways of learning. Users can let us know what they think of e-learnIT online and we will be monitoring the success of the course over the next few months. We are supporting users with a high quality e-learning resource and we look forward to a positive response.”