Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is blended learning?
2. What is a learning management system?
3. What is e-learning?
4. What is e-development?
5. How easily do LRI’s products integrate with our existing IT systems?
6. Where would our version of LRI’s learning platforms be hosted?
7. Will I be buying features and benefits that our company doesn’t need?
8. Is any e-learning accredited to qualification awarding bodies?
9. How quickly can we have things up and running?
10. It sounds like a lot of work for our Learning & Development team, who are very busy. Have we got time to do this?
11. How will we work together?
12. Can LRI's online learning platforms be branded to my organisation?
13. How will you support us in getting the most out of the product - initially and on an ongoing basis?
14. Can we retain face to face training?
15. Where does the e-learning content come from?

1. What is blended learning?

Blended learning is difficult to define as everyone has different ideas of what it is. Commonly it is believed to be 'the use of two or more distinct methods of training'.

We believe it is much more than this: it is how these distinct methods of training form with other information, communication, assessment and support elements to create joined-up components of a single, cohesive and powerful process.

Read the case study from DP World, the company responsible for the world's largest port terminal in Dubai, to see the true power of blended learning.

2. What is a learning management system?

Traditionally a learning management system (LMS) is a software application for administering, tracking and reporting online learning (e-learning) programmes. Some on the market have limited features around offline activities.

BLEND Learning Management is much more than a standard LMS: it enables you to enhance, streamline, plan and better manage every aspect of training, development and knowledge requirements for all your staff. It allows you to look forward, facilitating the management of all activities and performance via pushed or selected development plans, rather than simply recording what has happened. It is a true first-step to introducing performance management into your organisation.

3. What is e-learning?

e-learning consists of all forms of electronically-supported learning, training and education. It allows people to learn any time and any place.

Organisations using e-learning can provide their staff with a more flexible way of training - reducing the time spent away from desks.

We believe that e-learning should not be used to replace all your face-to-face training, rather supplement and enhance it. e-Learning allows Learning and Development and HR professionals to make more of their resources, increasing their training capacity and reach.

However in order to really succeed, organisations must focus as much on the process around e-learning as much as the content itself - a fact that many organisations have found out to their cost.

4. What is e-development?

This is the approach where development process is much as a focus as the content, and a process where success is secured through true integration of training and organisational development methods.

5. How easily do LRI’s products integrate with our existing IT systems?

LRI’s learning platforms are compatible with virtually all HR and personnel systems. We can test our platforms with any IT systems you may have to make sure they are compatible. Records are transferable when staff move and information about your staff can easily be imported into the system.

We recognise that your data will be highly sensitive and being allowed direct access to your infrastructure will prove to be a challenge if not impossible. That’s why our approach is non-invasive and designed to work with any 3rd party product – we haven’t found a system that we can’t integrate with yet!

6. Where would our version of LRI’s learning platforms be hosted?

Your learning platform would be hosted externally using Rackspace (www.rackspace.co.uk) server provision, with LRI providing full technical telephone and email support from our UK head office. All data held within the platforms is totally secure, separate and safe for your organisation.

Rackspace are one of the world’s leading providers of hosting, with clients including Vodafone and Renault. As an ISO27001 Certified organisation, they take the security of our servers as seriously as we do.

7. Will I be buying features and benefits that our company doesn’t need?

We offer a consultative approach to make sure you get what you need. LRI’s platforms are scalable and sustainable and we have solutions suited for every stage of the organisational development journey – whether you want to dip your toe into e-learning or are ready to dive into a enhanced learning management system with full performance management processes.

8. Is any e-learning accredited to qualification awarding bodies?

Our core e-learning catalogue contains over 300 e-learning courses, a large number of which are ILM accredited and mapped to ILM Qualification Levels 2, 3, 4 and 5.

9. How quickly can we have things up and running?

BLEND Learning management can be set up and branded with staff loaded and ready to go within four to eight weeks. The majority of our other solutions take much less time to implement.

10. It sounds like a lot of work for our Learning & Development team, who are very busy. Have we got time to do this?

We will do all the hard work, making the implementation process is fast and simple for you. We have experienced project managers who use PRINCE2 methodologies to manage all projects - allowing you and your team to still focus on your day-to-day job.

Your solution is delivered in launch-ready condition - your data, e-learning courses and your L&D staff fully trained. In short, ready for a sustainable and scalable implementation.

11. How will we work together?

Our platforms are constantly evolving and improving as a result of feedback from and working together with our clients. We see a sale as the beginning of a client partnership rather than the end of a transaction where we would simply provide a product.

"LRI have brought an unexpected level of Learning and Development experience to our e-learning project and implementation - they are clearly educational and learning professionals not (just) software developers." David Stock, Head of Leadership and Learning Cayman Islands Civil Service College

12. Can LRI's online learning platforms be branded to my organisation?

Yes, all of LRI's online platforms are branded and styled to your organisation's look and feel. Multiple brands, subsidiary companies and clients are also accommodated within the same common portal.

13. How will LRI support us in getting the most out of the product - initially and on an ongoing basis?

We provide up-front training, ongoing support and a consultative account manager to you and your team. Your organisation will be provided with telephone and email support from our dedicated team in our head office, who also regularly update and improve our learning platforms.

Marketing support is also provided to sell your new organisational development solution to your staff or clients.

Selling software is not our business, changing organisations is - if we don't help you make it work we have failed!

14. Can we retain face to face training?

Of course, as you should! Our platforms allow you to reduce and to manage this component and to assess the impact of it.

15. Where does the e-learning content come from?

LRI works with leading courseware developers to provide SCORM compliant, industry-specific and general (e,g, soft-skills, finance and IT) online learning that is used extensively within public and private organisations worldwide. We can work with you to develop bespoke e-learning course and show you how to create further content for your system. Third-party SCORM compliant e-learning can also be uploaded onto any of our learning platforms.