Going Local with Global Learning

Singapore, Singapore (PRWEB) August 16, 2010

As more and more companies turn to E-Learning to train their international workforce, there are certain key aspects that they can keep in mind to avoid common problems. Nicholas Goh, CEO of Verztec Consulting Pte Ltd, a leading global content management services provider, shares a tip sheet on how to deploy E-Learning technologies effectively.

Now, more than ever, companies have a multicultural workforce with teams and leadership spreading across the globe. This is true not only for companies in international business, but increasingly for small to mid-sized firms too. And this trend will continue as communication technology allows more and more "offshore" out-sourcing of work components. Yet for companies that require constant training and skills upgrading, a far-flung work force creates many training problems. Deploying a global E-Learning platform would seem to offer the ideal solution. Yet, if not utilized correctly, this can cause more problems than it solves. The good news is there are certain key aspects beyond translation that these companies can keep in mind to avoid common errors.

1. E-Learning: The Bigger Picture

When Subway Systems Singapore Pte Ltd needed to adapt their franchisee training material to suit regional frontline staff, they knew that the dubbing and subtitling would be key to the success of their training program. And it worked!

The expert localization of their material led to a successful training program that inevitably enhanced their bottom line by creating happier workers and satisfied customers in a difficult multilingual market.

Yet, despite such evidence of corporate success in localizing training, most companies remain unaware of the need for such cultural tailoring. According to an American Society for Training and Development study, "The Role of Learning in Globally Dispersed Workforces", the majority of global companies do not have an established protocol for adapting learning content for different cultures.

Furthermore, approximately 35 percent of companies taught basic job skills, conducted orientation or taught industry knowledge to employees via E-Learning, yet only 25 percent addressed cultural differences that affect management. A correlating statistics is that only 28 percent felt that learning initiatives in their global operations were successful.

Employees felt the same way. According to one survey by Campaign for Learning (UK), 12 percent of respondents claimed that E-Learning content was "terrible". The website linezine.com reports that "At E-Learning orientation seminars in the UK we attended, we found a strong theme of distrust and of 'not invented here'."

E-Learning is certainly here to stay. But given such disappointing results, how can businesses be sure to get it right the first time?

2. How-to Tips and Tricks

Before you begin, establish a protocol for deciding what and how to adapt. Consistency is paramount in delivering eLearning content that can be useful globally.

(a)    Remember to start with the basics: the easiest aspects of learning content to adapt are language, visuals and IT delivery.

(b)    Present most content in images, and keep text to a bare minimum. This will require less translation as well as more easily navigated learning content.

(c)    Keep IT fresh, but don't over-do it. The more razzle-dazzle you try to incorporate, the less coherent the core message of the content will be.

3. Pitfalls to Watch For

Remember that your audience is global, which means that not everyone is like yourself. Here are some common missteps that can be easily avoided:

(a)    Avoid ethnocentric symbols that may cause offense or be misconstrued. For instance, crosses, or body parts like hands and feet, may hold cultural significance. Stick to simple, universal signs and symbols.

(b)     Do not use puns, jokes, metaphors and slangs. Not only are they notoriously difficult to translate, they are also notoriously offensive in different contexts. One culture's humour may very well be another's taboo.

(c)    Whenever possible, engage input from cultural natives. Budget time to pass drafts to colleagues in target cultural settings for pre-deployment feedback - the best way to avoid offence is to ask someone if they're offended.

4. Professional Partner Selection

It is especially unfortunate when the training team at corporate headquarters spends many hours putting the final touches on a complex training program only to have it unravel during delivery phase because their overseas colleagues misconstrued the core meaning.

Being aware of cultural adaptability that requires the use of visual cues and simple localized languages to avoid ambiguity can make or break training materials in a global company - be sure to entrust your global content management to a professional company with a proven track record in the field.

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About the Author:

Nicholas Goh is the CEO of Verztec Consulting Pte Ltd, an ISO 9001:2008 Certified company specializing in a range of Multilingual Communication services which includes Multilingual Brand Management, Translation & Localization, On-Site Interpretation, Multilingual Voice-overs and Desktop Publishing, E-Learning and Web Localization. For more information, please view http://www.verztec.com.

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