To organize Performance Support and workplace learning properly, the use of the right technology is essential. Therefore, Xprtise partners with a number of preferred vendors to develop the best innovative workplace learning solutions to make learning in the workplace truly possible. One of those solutions is AskDelphi; an Embedded Performance Support System (EPSS), developed based on the 5 Moments of Need™ methodology. It’s an online learning and performance support platform that – in the moment of need – offers users relevant information at the right moment, based on the employee’s role, location, and personal preferences.

7 principles for effective Performance Support

AskDelphi is purpose-built to support the 5 Moments of Need™ methodology. This performance support software platform follows agile development principles and offers regular feature updates based on input from 5 Moments of Need™ professionals. Its user community is an active contributor to the product roadmap and new functionalities are made available to all users of the platform.

The strategic AskDelphi product roadmap is governed by 7 principles for effective Performance Support. These are:

  1. The learning and performance objectives must be targeted to meet specific business objectives. You can’t improve what you can’t measure. It is important that the performance support technology can provide usage patterns and other relevant data that can be correlated to business KPIs. Connecting data from other business systems is also important here..
  2. The platform offers a combination of functionalities that cover the whole 70:20:10 spectrum (blended). Hence, not only learning in the workplace (70), but also social learning (20), for instance through peer support or coaching, and formal learning (10) like classical training and e-learning are integrated into the platform.
  3. Performance Support puts the user first, and is therefore personalized to the individual user. AskDelphi calls this contextual. Users only want access to information that is relevant and personalized and meets their specific needs at that specific moment.
  4. Effective learning occurs best in the workflow itself. Performance Support must be embedded: where the user is. AskDelphi is available on multiple devices – think smartphone, tablet, desktop, smartwatch, etc.
  5. Within organizations, there is a continuous need for up-to-date information and content from both inside and outside the organization. It is important for this content to be validated and approved by the Business , so that employees can always be assured that they are working with the most recent and reliable information (curated and trusted). AskDelphi facilitates user-generated content through commenting and review features.
  6. Performance Support provides just enough support for that specific moment of need. The information that is offered must give the user the just right amount of support in two clicks and ten seconds, so that he or she can quickly continue working as effectively as possible.
  7. AskDelphi supports the entire workflow. Effective Performance Support needs to support the full work process and help users in performing his or her task, whether this is within the context of a software application, a production environment or in a management context.
Robert Bezemer, product owner of AskDelphi: “Five years ago we started the development of AskDelphi because we wanted to make workplace learning that follows the 5 Moments of Need™ methodology possible. There was no ‘tooling’ on the market that fully enabled that. AskDelphi is developed in close collaboration with 5 Moments of Need™ professionals, resulting in an innovative and effective learning experience and performance support platform.”

Some unique functionalities

AskDelphi runs in the trusted Microsoft Azure Cloud environment and leverages Microsoft Azure’s system security and information protection capabilities. Using Microsoft Translator, performance support content can be automatically translated into 50+ languages. Through advanced import features, a content design structure for a workplace learning solution based on the 5 Moments of Need™ methodology can be created at the push of a button, and a functional Proof of Concept can be built in just one day. The platform offers extensive data analytics functionality, making it possible to create reports on system usage: what content is used often, what content isn’t, what is being liked and shared, etc. Based on this, important decisions can be made and the content can be kept up to date. AskDelphi is an open platform and can easily integrate with third-party software, to support a complete learning ecosystem. Think integrations with Drillster, virtual lab environments, LMSs, and all kinds of APIs with which links to other software systems can be established.

Robert Bezemer, product owner of AskDelphi:“Because we closely involve our user community in the development of the software and they are active contributors to our ‘product roadmap,’ AskDelphi has become a unique learning experience and performance support platform that is aligned with the 5 Moments of Need™ methodology.”

AskAlrijne

A good example of an AskDelphi implementation was developed for Alrijne Healthcare Group. Under the name AskAlrijne, an innovative workplace learning solution was developed that enables nurses to effectively carry out their tasks – at any time – by providing the right amount of information. The adaptive learning system Drillster was embedded within AskDelphi to provide adaptive math testing. The questions for this test were put together in collaboration with the Alrijne Hospital employees. Thanks to AskAlrijne, nurses can effectively perform their daily tasks and keep their math skills up to date at all times.

Together with Alrijne Healthcare Group Xprtise received the Bronze Learning and Technologies Award 2018 in the category ‘Best use of learning technologies to ensure compliance’. The 5 Moments of Need™ methodology was used to innovatively change the training policy for medical arithmetic of Alrijne employees.