From acorn to accolade - behind award-winning eLearning

Laura Hooper is Unicorn Training's Learning Awards Instructional Designer of the Year. She provides the lowdown on how an award-winning project comes together......

"It was quite a shock to be named Instructional Designer of the Year Award at the Learning and Performance Institute’s Learning Awards earlier this month. It was even more of a shock as I only ended up an Instructional Designer by accident on this particular project!

I am primarily a content developer, but as was the case with the Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) project that this award recognised, I’m often involved in initial ideas and implementation.

No one gets too precious about job titles at Unicorn Training, and if someone has an idea that is discussed and liked, normally one where everyone feels the user is going to enjoy the learning as much as possible, then that person will regularly see their idea implemented. That’s not to say I haven’t had a few ideas that have quickly been cast aside too!

The basic brief for this project was that VWFS wanted a new bespoke eLearning course to provide pre-launch training on their new Gap Insurance product for 6000+ staff in their network of over 700 dealerships and distributors nationwide.

But here was the challenge. Firstly the details of the new product were only finalised in early December 2010, with a planned launch date at the end of January 2011, meaning we had just six weeks to turn the whole project around during a period that included Christmas and New Year. Secondly, VWFS wanted a completely novel approach to the design, the level of which couldn’t be built in any of the popular rapid development tools.

The showroom/office idea came up pretty early on but the details were a bit sketchy. Because we knew time was precious, I got on with building a ‘wireframe’ of the possible functionality /usability and we started taking a more iterative approach.

This basically meant that we were able to break the project down into more manageable, less scary sized pieces that interlocked like a jigsaw as the project evolved. Graphics affected the Flash build, the build helped the scriptwriting and the writing influenced the build in return, and so on. It didn’t take too long for the final concrete solution to start taking shape.

I’ve worked in eLearning for 11 years now and from experience, I knew I had to make the course quickly adaptable – it’s always possible things might change at the last minute! Text is held externally in XML format, so it can be edited, updated, re-written or translated by an SME in a convenient form, and instantly uploaded back into the course template. Similarly graphic assets and key design variables are held externally making it very simple for example to change background graphics and characters involved in the scenarios.

This turned out to be an added benefit as we ended up building a highly-flexible Flash template that has been reused as a unique and effective rapid development tool for multiple courses and modules. It’s always exciting trying to bring learning to life, so the user is as engaged as possible. I think the Gap Insurance course looked really good and it was really pleasing how well it was received by users and the good feedback it gained.

I’ll always be proud of the fact my work was recognised in this way but I was purely the figurehead of a close-knit team that was put forward for the award.

eLearning Detox drive by eLN (#c4ee)

As an eLearning Network Board member, Unicorn Training's Mark Jones is throwing his weight behind the eLN's 'Campaign for Effective eLearning' to wipe out ineffective, inefficient, flabby eLearning. He explains......

"The eLN connects people and organisations, encourages collaboration and believes vehemently that elearning is about so much more than just the ‘next’ button. Our latest campaign for effective eLearning aims to help everyone create and commission better elearning content, systems and apps. We want great eLearning and we want it now!"

The new campaign was launched with a presentation by eLN chair Rob Hubbard at the recent Learning Technologies - an online version of this presentation, plus more information about how you can support the campaign, can be viewed here.

The eLN is the UK’s number one source for guidance on best practice and future trends in technology-based learning and development at work, with nearly 3,000 members.

Mark Jones is LinkedIn at http://uk.linkedin.com/in/markjonesunicorntraining

Double Unicorn award joy at LPI Awards

Unicorn Training is celebrating after winning two awards for Instructional Designer and Solution of the Year at the 2012 Learning and Performance Institute (LPI) Learning Awards held at The Dorchester, Park Lane on Thursday 2 February.

Leading financial services eLearning solutions providers, Unicorn Training, last year became the first organisation to achieve accreditation under the new banner of the LPI.

And the company, which next year celebrates 25 years at the forefront of eLearning excellence, made its mark on its first Learning Awards as an accredited body as Unicorn Training’s Laura Hooper was named ID of the Year and its industry-leading online training and competency resource for UK brokers, Broker ASSESS, handed the top Solution accolade.

The LPI Learning Awards recognise outstanding examples of high standards, best practice, innovation and excellence within the Learning and Development industry and are now firmly established as the benchmark for excellence throughout the learning industry.

Laura Hooper was recognised for her innovative and engaging solution to meet a demanding and time critical training need for long time client, Volkswagen Financial Services. The judges also recognised the flexibility of Laura’s solution that has enabled the template to be applied to several further scenarios and situations as a unique and effective rapid development tool. View Laura's winning design in action here

Thanks to the support of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) and AXA, Broker ASSESS is the broking industry’s largest, most widely used and authoritative online training and competency resource. It is used by over 750 regulated UK firms with 25,000 current registered individual users to help improve commercial performance and levels of customer service and meet regulatory obligations.

Peter Phillips, Unicorn Training CEO, said: “I am delighted to have had the creativity and value of our work in encouraging effective learning and development recognised by the judges. We believe strongly in action-based learning, putting learners into emotionally engaging situations that are context rich, practical and highly effective. Evolving technologies, new tools and higher customer expectations means we can apply these principles more effectively than ever throughout our courseware and business simulations.

“Laura’s award reflects this ethos as her Flash template is rooted in putting the learner experience at the heart of instructional design.

“The past year has seen Broker ASSESS undergo a major upgrade and redesign to deliver a more complete, engaging and practical learning experience, hosted on a new Web 2.0 platform offering advanced management and reporting tools, and sector-leading continuing professional development (CPD) functionality.”

Unicorn Training had been shortlisted for four LPI Learning Awards in total – the winning two entries plus External Training Project (Volkswagen Financial Services) and Training Company of the Year.

In November, Unicorn Training was named eLearning Development Company of the Year at the annual eLearning Awards.

For more information about how Unicorn Training can help you find the right online solutions for your business visit www.unicorntraining.com

New fraud figures provide food for training thought

So the latest fraud figures are out and they don’t make for pretty reading.

Over 236,500 frauds - the highest number of frauds ever recorded by its members - were identified during 2011 by CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, an increase of 9% on 2010 levels.

Identity fraud has increased by 10% and now accounts for almost half of all fraud cases.

Meanwhile there has also been an 18% rise in ‘takeover fraud’, where a fraudster gains access and fraudulently uses a victim’s account such as a credit card, bank account or mobile phone. According to CIFAS, this type of fraud has rocketed by nearly 300 per cent in just five years. Yikes!

Rarely a month goes by when another industry body doesn’t release some sort of harrowing fraud data, whether it’s from the financial services, banking, insurance or mortgage sectors. The trends are the same throughout and the reasons for it well-versed....

“The rising cost in living”
“Frozen pay levels”
“VAT changes”
“Job cuts”
“Business closures”

But if we know all this, and we know it’s still increasing how do we stop it?

Well the sad truth is we probably can’t rely on Scooby Doo arriving to save the day. There are some very clever criminals out there utilising some extremely clever technology– crack one and they will have already come up with another.

This leaves probably every business’ biggest ally in tackling fraud - its frontline staff.

One of our clients, a leading mortgage network, has done great work in helping its staff nip attempted mortgage fraud in the bud after discovering items such as payslips, bank statements and utility bills are readily available on the internet for as little as £13! An absolute bargain to the determined fraudster.

So what are they doing about it? All their Network advisers are trained in fraud prevention, using Unicorn Training’s Fighting Fraud and Identity Crime courses, blended with face-to-face training around the issue of identity verification.

Meanwhile, last March, a potential fraud was prevented at Volkswagen Croydon when a staff member, who had previously passed Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) ‘Fraud Awareness and Prevention’ course, developed by Unicorn, spotted a fake driving licence and details were passed to the Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime intelligence Service (AVCIS).

Quality training cannot be underestimated in the fight against fraud.

Granted a high street bank cashier is not going to single-handedly bring down an entire criminal operation, but if their scepticism and suspicion can trigger alarm bells then that is one small step on the road to the war being won and maybe, as the benefits of investing in staff training take hold, next year we will be reading about how fraud figures have dipped in 2012?

New Executive Structure at Unicorn Training

Neill McWilliams is to step down as Managing Director after six successful years at Unicorn Training, as the 2011 eLearning Development Company of the Year announces a new Executive structure.

Unicorn founder Peter Phillips takes over the day-to-day running of the business in his new role of Chief Executive Officer, while Ken Pringle, Chairman of Whitworths Limited and former CEO of Tetley Group, the world’s largest Tea Company, becomes non-executive Chairman. McWilliams remains on the Unicorn Board as a non-executive director.

Over the past three years Unicorn Training, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, has expanded rapidly, repositioning its business as an integrated solutions provider, able to service the end-to-end needs of its customers.

The company has recorded consistent year-on-year growth culminating in record sales and profits in the last year, and the new structure reflects this expansion.

Peter Phillips commented: “Neill has played a huge part in the development and success of Unicorn over the past six years, and he is stepping back at a time when the business has delivered record sales and profits and stands proudly as the eLearning Development Company of the Year. I am pleased that he has agreed to remain on the Board in a non-executive capacity. I am also delighted that Ken Pringle has agreed to take on the Chairman’s role. Ken has been a member of the Unicorn Training Board for several years. He has vast business experience and will be a great asset to us in his new role. “

Neill McWilliams added: “Unicorn Training has expanded to be the leading eLearning solutions company within the financial sector, both in terms of growth and reputation. These factors, coupled with the excellent team that we have at Unicorn Training, affords me the perfect opportunity to leave the company on a high to pursue some other personal and business interests. I am confident Unicorn will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

For more information about Unicorn Training visit www.unicorntraining.com

Unicorn Successfully Defends Insurance Simulations Intellectual Property Rights

Unicorn Training has successfully reached an out-of-court settlement to protect its intellectual property (IP) rights, along with those of partners International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF), for Unicorn’s unique insurance business simulations.

Unicorn Training’s business simulations have been used on executive development programmes in over 30 countries worldwide, and it was the most widely used of these, the strategic insurance models, that were at the heart of the protracted legal action.

The general insurance model ‘Morotania’, the reinsurance simulation ‘ReAction’, and ‘Genris’, a model derived from and combining elements of both, are owned by Unicorn Training. None of these simulations can be offered by any third party unless they have a licence from Unicorn Training or ICMIF.

Peter Phillips, director at Unicorn Training, the 2011 eLearning Development Company of the Year, said: “Taking legal action has been a long and expensive process, but our intellectual property is at the heart of the Unicorn business, and we were determined to protect that IP vigorously and with the full force of the law. I am pleased, that in the end, we avoided the need for a High Court appearance by reaching a satisfactory settlement.”

During Unicorn’s business simulations events, participants practice and improve their business skills through planning and running a business venture in a simulated competitive environment. Unicorn are strong believers in action-based learning, putting participants into intellectually-challenging situations that are context rich, practical and memorable.

Peter added: “Taking legal action is a stressful and complex process, so I would particularly like to thank our solicitor, Robert Bajaj of Steele Raymond, and our barrister, Tim Penny of 11 Stone Chambers, who were both invaluable in guiding us through the legal minefield to a successful outcome. I would never recommend anyone to embark on legal action lightly, but if you do so, make sure that you have the support of high-quality professional advisers.”

Unicorn Training is the 2011 eLearning Company of the Year. To find about more about our insurance business simulations visit www.unicorntraining.com/insurance

New Act guidance keeps bribery perils in focus

The Bribery Act, which came into force in July 2011, means the UK now has the most comprehensive anti-bribery legislation in the world, enhancing its reputation as a safe commercial environment in which to do business.

To help support banks in their ongoing efforts to comply with the Bribery Act 2010, the British Banking Association (BBA) has published its new ‘Bribery Act 2010 - Guidance on Compliance’.

The BBA stresses there will be a continuing need for the banking sector to collaborate closely and share best practice and experiences as the legislation is tested in a legal and practical sense. The new ‘Guidance on Compliance’ publication focuses on helping banks assess the policies and procedures they need to put in place to meet the requirements of the Act, and also considers the links with other requirements such as FSA regulations.

In partnership with BBA, Unicorn Training was the first-to-market with our updated Countering Bribery and Corruption course last year, incorporating the Ministry of Justice guidance dealing with Sections 7-9 of the Act, which had led to the initial delay in the Act coming into force.

There are financial services sector and insurance-specific versions of the course, both of which shun the traditionally dry ‘tick-box’ compliance learning style by focussing on engaging the end user in practical situations that make the course relevant to them. The underlying principle is to engage the learner by testing their ability to apply knowledge in familiar, practical situations.

The course opens with a short ‘cameo’ of a character talking emotionally about his personal experience of the consequences of not following or understanding his regulatory obligations. The subsequent interactive content includes sector-specific case studies.

Take a look at a short demo.....

Download the BBA ‘Bribery Act 2010 - Guidance on compliance’.