Expertus and Training Industry's Latest Survey Explores Innovations in the Use of Learning Portals

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwire - May 18, 2009) - Expertus (www.expertus.com), a global provider of services that optimize the business impact of learning, and Training Industry, Inc. (www.trainingindustry.com), an objective and trusted expert on the marketplace for learning, today announced the findings from their recent study, "2009 Study on Learning Portals & Informal Learning Technologies." The full results report can be viewed at http://www.trainingefficiency.com/system/files/Survey-Results_Learning-Portals-Expertus_April09.pdf.

The study uncovered how learning executives' use of learning portals has gained widespread momentum as a learning technology platform. The study defined a learning portal as, "a website where learners find, buy or simply get access to training." The research also reveals how learning leaders use technology to enable or measure informal learning, as well as the importance of including informal learning technologies in training programs.

"We are always interested in industry trends regarding learning technology and wanted to gauge learning executives' outlook on and use of portal technology," said Ramesh Ramani, Founder and CEO of Expertus. "The ownership of portals is staggeringly high, while the usage differs greatly. Portals offer a wide breadth of offerings, from a one-stop training repository for customers, partners, and employees to find and consume training to a hub for informal training and collaboration."

The top five findings of the research are:

Finding #1: Almost all respondents' learning organizations use learning portals.

Over 93% of respondents' learning organizations have learning portals. Training organizations that train internal employees are by far the most frequent users of learning portals. However, two thirds of those who train customers and over half of those who train channel partners or vendors also use learning portals.

Finding #2: A majority plan to launch a new portal or upgrade their existing portal.

Within the next two years, 45% of respondents say they will upgrade their existing learning portal and 14% plan to launch a new learning portal.

Finding #3: Most portals are home to a large array of learning tools and technologies.

Most respondents use all of the twelve major learning tools and technologies listed on the survey in their portals. These include blogs, online coaching, polls, self-study programs, communities of practice, and more.

Finding #4: The most important benefit of having a learning portal is improving learner satisfaction.

Improving learner (and customer) satisfaction was cited by 68% of respondents as a top benefit of having a learning portal. The other two top benefits are tracking and enabling informal learning and helping to integrate learning technology.

Finding #5: The vast majority view informal learning technology as important.

Fifty percent of respondents said that including informal learning technologies in their learning programs was critically important and 39% reported that it was somewhat important. Less than 5% said that it was not important.

"We have been watching the industry's interest in learning portals grow over the last few years and I was pleasantly surprised by the leading benefit being learner satisfaction," added Doug Harward, CEO of Training Industry, Inc. "This indicates that organizations are committed to learning technology platforms that measure and sustain learner satisfaction, which is a critical element to a training organization's success."

To learn more about this topic, some of the survey results will be shared in a free, on-demand webinar available on www.trainingefficiency.com. It will be live and available for download soon.

The survey was completed by 194 corporate and government training professionals in organizations with varying sizes. All major industries were represented, but the largest number of respondents came from Technology (14%), Education (13%), Banking and Finance (12%), and Healthcare (11%).

To view the full results of the study and supporting charts, visit http://www.trainingefficiency.com/system/files/Survey-Results_Learning-Portals-Expertus_April09.pdf.

About Expertus

Expertus is the leading global provider of services that optimize the business impact of learning. For more than a decade, the firm's 500+ learning management professionals have defined and implemented plans, processes and technologies that transform training organizations -- creating measurable value for the world's most successful corporations. Clients include ADP, Cisco, ConocoPhillips, EMC, Honeywell and Lockheed Martin. Every day at these and other companies, more than a million employees, customers and business partners are educated as a result of Expertus' innovative business strategies, outsourcing services and technology-rich solutions.

Based in Silicon Valley, Expertus serves its clients from offices in the US, UK and India. For more information, visit www.expertus.com, or call toll-free (877) 827-8160.

About Training Industry, Inc.

Training Industry, Inc. is an objective and trusted expert on the marketplace for learning. Its mission is to make the marketplace more efficient through the world's largest online community of training communities and through services such as Training Industry Conferences, Training Industry Quarterly Ezine, Training Industry Webinars and Training Industry Research. For more information, go to www.trainingindustry.com or call (919) 653-4990.

Contact Information: Press Contact: Alicia Hassinger CSG-PR (720) 933-8119