Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management Application

Instructions for Submission:

1) 2) 3) 4) Complete the general information form (downloaded with this application). Review the definition and benchmark criteria, below. Complete this category application. Submit general information form and category application(s) no later than midnight (Pacific Daylight Time) on September 16, 2011 (see below for mailing details).

Vendor Innovation Segments:

(Check the appropriate segments.)

Platforms: A technology platform or system used for management, delivery, or administration of learning or talent programs. Examples are learning management systems, talent management suites, assessment systems, competency management systems and analytics systems. Tools: A tool used to make it easy to build high impact learning and talent experiences and programs. Examples are tools for development, rapid e-learning, assessment, media creation, publishing, blogging/collaboration, editing, translation and streaming. Business Solutions: Methodologies, approaches, or initiatives which you have developed and deployed resulting in a scalable, effective process for development, delivery, measurement, management, or planning of enterprise learning or talent management. Content: Commercially available learning content such as that for IT, soft skills, compliance and other training topics. Content can include e-learning courses, simulations or videos. Informal Learning: Technology and content that enables rapid access to training information. Examples include social networking systems, content repositories, portals, collaborative games and learning on demand content.

* IMPORTANT: Please review the definition and benchmark criteria below prior to completing the application questions. Definition:
As described above, your submission must be in one or more of the five vendor innovation categories. If you believe there is any possible confusion about which category your offering belongs, please explain why you put it into the category (or categories) you submitted.

Benchmark Criteria:
This is the criteria Bersin & Associates will use to access your application. This is for your information to help you complete the application questionnaire. 1. Business value: What is the ultimate business benefit of this innovation? What learning, development, or business problem does it solve? Are there explicit examples of clients using it to solve these problems? Are these problems significant, widespread, and common among many organizations? Were looking for the ultimate business value to a buyer.

Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management Application, page 1 Learning Leaders Awards Program

Bersin & Associates

2. Innovation and uniqueness: What about this particular platform, tool, or process is unique? What features, architecture, or approach are different from other such offerings on the market? Is it an offering that we can easily say is one of a kind or best of breed among its peers? 3. History and proven effectiveness: How long has this particular offering been in the market and how market-tested is it? Are there two or three excellent references with whom we can speak? Has it been proven across a range of applications, organization sizes, industries, and problems? We know that innovative offerings are often very new, but we want to make sure that it is market-tested and proven to provide high levels of value. 4. Price-performance: How does this offering provide very high levels of customer value? While it may in fact solve a major problem, how does it provide ROI in itself? We want to recognize solutions that are not only powerful, but also are affordable by a large number of organizations. 5. Flexibility, supportability and maintainability: How easy and proven is this solution for an organization to own, manage, and support? Many innovative solutions are good for solving a problem but they may not have the flexibility to evolve as an organizations needs evolve. We would like to understand how your innovation will not only solve problems today but also be able to solve a range of problems into the future. 6. Ease of use and implementation: We recognize that training organizations are busy and often understaffed. How is your solution easy to adopt and easy to implement? While in some cases easeof-implementation is not your first priority, we want to recognize solutions which can meet the needs of many organizations, not only the very largest organizations with greater resources.

Application Questionnaire
Part One: Summary
1. Provide a general description of your product or solution, how it works, what problems it solves, and examples of its implementation.

Click here to enter text.

2. Please provide two or three examples of how your offering is being used. What particular problems does it solve and how?

Click here to enter text.

Part Two: Innovative Features, Architecture, or Processes

1. What about your offering is innovative? What is unique? Are there particular features, architectural aspects, or processes which are new and different? Without disclosing anything confidential, please tell us what it is about your offering that is truly unique and innovative? Feel free to provide a technical discussion, diagrams, or any other supporting materials (our analysts have good technical backgrounds)..

Click here to enter text.

2. How would you describe its cost of implementation and ownership? What aspects of the solution keep cost of ownership low and affordable?

Click here to enter text.

Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management Application, page 2 Learning Leaders Awards Program

Bersin & Associates

Part Three: Ease of Use, Implementation, and Flexibility

1. How easy is your solution to implement and use? What about it makes it easy for an organization to get up and running? Why is it easy to integrate into an organizations environment? What aspects of it make it particularly flexible as business, learning, and technology needs change?

Click here to enter text.

2. How would you describe its cost of implementation and ownership? What aspects of the solution keep cost of ownership low and affordable?

Click here to enter text. Part Four: Business Value

1. What is the ultimate business value of this solution? Please give us some specific examples of customer benefits, citing customer names if possible, with any ROI or specific metrics which describe what financial, time-to-market, learning, or other benefits these customers have achieved.

Click here to enter text.

2. Why do you believe your solution will provide long-lasting value? What aspects to your solution will evolve into future benefits over time (i.e., architectural features, new applications you can solve, long term reusable benefits, etc)?

Click here to enter text.

Part Five: Business Experiences and Learning

1. Finally, we understand that all innovative solutions take years to develop and refine. Tell us what interesting and valuable experiences you have learned through the development, deployment, and evolution of your solution. What have you learned that can be of benefit to other organizations when they are looking for a solution like yours? What best-practices have you identified? Are there any important lessons you would like to share with us that you have learned through the development and successful deployment of your solution?

Click here to enter text.

2. Provide three contacts (name, title, phone, email) who can speak to the value and results of the initiative.

Contact 1

Click here to enter text.

Name

Click here to enter text.

Title

Click here to enter text.

Phone

Click here to enter text.

Email

Contact 2

Click here to enter text.

Name

Click here to enter text.

Title

Click here to enter text.

Phone

Click here to enter text.

Email

Contact 3

Click here to enter text.

Name

Click here to enter text.

Title

Click here to enter text.

Phone

Click here to enter text.

Email

Note: We would also welcome sample content, reports or any other materials you would like to provide to help us analyze your effectiveness, impact and innovation. You may send as attachments to an e-mail of this application or send hardcopies in the mail.

Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management Application, page 3 Learning Leaders Awards Program

Bersin & Associates

Complete this application and send along with the completed general information form to: Submit by email: Send your completed application to learningleaders@bersin.com. Submit by mail to:
Laura Evenson Learning Leaders Program 180 Grand Avenue, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94612

NewtwonPO Box 733 Newtown, CT 06470

Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management Application, page 4 Learning Leaders Awards Program

Bersin & Associates