Same as it ever was. (Review).

* Leading for Business Results: Leadership in the New Economy, online, 2002, SmartForce (888-395-0014, www.smartforce.com), $14-$25 per student per year for typical enterprise license.

* Leading for Business Results: Leadership Management Simulations, online, 2002, SmartForce (888-395-0014, www.smartforce.com), $14-$25 per student per year for typical enterprise license

One of the hardest decisions a training manager has to make is pulling the plug on a much-beloved training program, taking a once-strong contributor off life-support. But at least we've got lots to guide us: complaints that content isn't relevant or courseware user friendly, dropping enrollments, declining course ratings, threats to our budgets and our job security. So we update our project dockets, invest in a redesign or replacement, and even perhaps get excited about a new way to approach the learning objectives.

But what do the big online providers like SmartForce, billed as "the world's largest and most experienced e-learning company," do? What are they doing to be confident their courses are delivering the goods, and when curriculum size is in itself a marketing tool, what incentive do they have to evaluate effectiveness or satisfaction?

I've reviewed SmartForce programs before (Training Media Review, Jan.-Feb. 2000) and described courses that were "a curious mix of first generation, text-dependent CBT with more contemporary web-based resources, a product captured in the midst of its own evolution." I commented that they'd deliver better training if they focused on practical, actionable content rather than on the glitz.

Imagine my disappointment when, two years later, I find leadership programs still cluttering the curriculum that don't meet SmartForce's self-described standard: delivering learning solutions that produce tangible results, drive business transformation, and gain competitive advantage.

A course of theory

One such program is Leadership in the New Economy. If you want a leader in your organization who can say "according to the Vroom-Yetton-Jago model of leadership..." or "the path-goal theory of leadership proposes..." this is the course for you. But if you want a leader who can do something to change things, you'll probably agree this course is unlikely to alter behavior or provide any practical skill.

I love theory and academic rigor as much as the next guy, but this superficial survey of standard leadership literature makes no real attempt to translate insights into real world action for your learner. What were the exercises beyond the limited click-and-read "interaction, questions, and one or two activities? "Write a report" exercises. Will that help you meet next month's payroll?

Links to other sites and examples do enrich the course content, but they don't touch on the post- e-commerce era. "New economy" is used here, it would seem, to refer to lots of post-sixties transformational companies. Clearly there's nothing new about the content: the Ohio State Studies, the leadership grid, charismatic and transformational leadership. Just in case you already know this stuff, there's a 116-question pretest. The basic learning design building blocks are here, but the course seems written by a grad assistant and a bubble figure graphic artist who don't understand leadership is a performance art.

A more accurate title, one that focused on the content rather than the examples, might have helped, and some links to articles and other online resources needed updating. The ever-present Jack Welch is profiled, complete with a link to GE'S website. Of course, Jack isn't there anymore, but I did take a moment to browse their selection of electric ranges.

Simulations show some promise

Leadership Management Simulations did provide some useful learning opportunities, but here, too, success is relative. At SmartForce prices, I wouldn't ask for cutting edge interactivity, graphics, or design complexity, yet each of the three simulations included specific, skill-enhancing feedback your learners will be able to use.

Packaging the three simulations together, though, seemed a curious choice. Most designers know delaying a final practice or application opportunity seldom has value, but there are times when it does make sense. In this case, SmartForce is making the assumption learners have completed the related content modules on motivational strategies and goal setting, team development, and managing change, but designers haven't taken advantage of any leverage opportunities. The formats and situations differ and too much time and bandwidth is invested in repeating setup instructions.

In each simulation, learners encounter a graphic of a straightforward office setting and are asked to click on a door, cubicle, etc., to interact with characters. High energy voices deliver information and move each scenario ahead (text is repeated in an adjacent window). Also available are links to email, voice/video mail, etc., but only one choice at a time is active, so all this clicking is linear and a means of downloading the next brief segment's visuals and audio. Learner patience will be tested with so many screens used to deliver limited content, and I did have occasional problems with the downloading, including those pesky connection failed exceptions.

The situations themselves, and the human responses to their problems and project frustrations, ring true. The thimbleful of decisions and choices learners actually do make will result in very helpful, direct feedback. Printable comments, ratings, and narrative on decisions were insightful. Even during the simulation, some characters' comments imply other choices might have been worthwhile, and learners can use the back button on their browser to try something else.

Recommendation

So much about the SmartForce learning website is appealing that it's hard not to overlook some program unevenness, to trust that they'll keep at it until they get it right. SmartForce has built an effective and interest-creating web infrastructure to support programming and aid learning. The ground won't tremble beneath your seat, but you'll find pretty much everything learners need to access and use the courseware including:

* a nice automated system check

* complete tech support

* Downloadable coursework for offline work

* free promotional content, articles, store links

* curriculum maps and "My Progress" course status.

The critical question is how your learners react to the curriculum clutter and unevenness. A dedicated learner no doubt can bounce around and find lots to be excited about. But perhaps it's time for an "average customer rating" to be shared for each course in any large, enterprise-wide or online curriculum resource.

That's certainly a suggestion you could make to SmartForce. With a clear picture of how they actually evaluate their training and monitor quality, you'd be able to make a more informed purchase decision, and your learners could make better choices about individual courses. SmartForce definitely would know that their promotional promises are being kept.

Leadership in the New Economy product rating

Rating categories    Courses  Simulations

Holds user interest  *        **
Production quality   **       **
Ease of navigation   ** 1/2   **
Interactivity        * 1/2    * 1/2
Value of content     *        ** 1/2
Instructional value  *        ** 1/2
Value for the money  **       ** 1/2
Overall rating       *        **

**** Outstanding

*** 1/2 Very good

*** Good

** 1/2 Above average

** Average

* 1/2 Below Average

* Poor

NA Not applicable

NR Not rated (Usually not enough information)

Tom Abraham ([e-mail]) is president of Chartwell Partners, a consulting practice in the Midwest specializing in leadership and the implementation of change.