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Mary Vonnegut (mvonnegut@primegenesis.com) is formerly the president of Gumps Catalog, senior vice president of marketing of Hanover Direct, vice president of marketing of Ross-Simons, and chief operating officer of Passport Internationale. She is co-author of Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time.

Mary Vonnegut

Get Everyone on Board for Successful Onboarding

Onboarding for Business Success

Infilling team development tackles the blight of organizational sprawl by replacing the rotting core with high –performance communities.

Counter Effects of Organizational Sprawl With Team Infilling

You can’t build tomorrow’s learning program on yesterday’s infrastructure. Whether you’re training internal teams or educating external audiences like customers or members, the goal isn’t just to “keep up;” it’s to stay ahead. That means building a program that scales without breaking, adapts without rework, and delivers measurable value at every growth stage.If your current training program feels stuck in the past (or in spreadsheets), you’re not alone. But scaling isn’t just about making things bigger. It’s about making them better. Here’s what separates scalable learning programs from the ones that stall out.Designed for Flexibility, Not Just FunctionalityA rigid learning program might check boxes today, but will it hold up next quarter? Next year? Or when you onboard twice as many learners?Scalable programs are built with flexibility at the core. That means modular, reusable content that can easily be tailored by audience, role, or skill level. Instead of locking knowledge into a 60-minute webinar, you can break it into microlearning modules that slot into different learning paths.And don’t underestimate the value of interoperability. A program that “plays well with others” (whether that’s HR platforms, CRMs, or credentialing systems) is more likely to scale without rework or technical debt. Flexibility isn’t just about convenience; it’s your insurance policy against constant reinvention.Learner Experience Comes First (Always)You could have the most sophisticated learning platform on the planet, but learners won’t stick around if it’s hard to navigate.A scalable program puts the learner experience at the center. That includes intuitive navigation, mobile accessibility, clear content progression, and interactive elements that drive engagement. (No offense to static PDFs, but they’re not exactly binge-worthy.)And let’s talk about personalization. Scalable learning programs offer pathways that adjust to each learner’s goals and knowledge level. If someone’s already nailed the basics, let them skip ahead. If they need extra help, give them targeted content. The goal is to help learners succeed faster, not slog through irrelevant material just to hit a “completion” bar.Data Isn’t Just Nice to Have—It’s NonnegotiableIf you’re still gauging program success by the number of people “logged in,” it’s time for an upgrade.Scalable learning programs use data to measure not just activity but impact. They track knowledge retention, course effectiveness, skill progression, and business outcomes, like reduced onboarding time or improved customer satisfaction.This data empowers your teams to iterate in real time. Noticing a drop-off in a certain module? Optimize the content. Seeing a spike in demand for a specific skill? Build a new learning path. When your program is data-informed, it’s no longer reactive—it’s strategic.Technology That’s Built to Scale With YouSpoiler: not all learning platforms are created equal. Choosing the wrong tech stack can feel like upgrading a flip phone with an app store.A scalable program is built on technology that grows with your organization. That means open APIs, customizable workflows, native integrations, and a vibrant partner ecosystem. Whether layering on credentialing, integrating video learning, or expanding into new audiences, your tech shouldn’t hold you back.Equally important? Administrative ease. Your learning ops team should be able to manage content, users, reporting, and integrations without needing a developer on speed dial.Supports Internal AND External Training at ScaleYour organization likely has more than one audience to train. Employees, contractors, customers, channel partners, members, you name it. Too often, companies build a separate system for each, leading to silos, redundant content, and (let’s be honest) a support nightmare.A truly scalable program supports multiple audiences within one platform, with role-based access, custom branding, and personalized learning paths: one system, multiple audiences, zero chaos.This is especially valuable for organizations that generate revenue from education. If your learning program drives business growth, it needs to scale like any other revenue engine with visibility, control, and flexibility baked in.Final Thought: Scaling Is a Mindset, Not a MilestoneThe reality is that no learning program is ever “done.” Business needs evolve, technology shifts, and learner expectations keep rising. A scalable, future-ready learning program is one that adapts to all of it without starting from scratch every time.The organizations that succeed long term don’t just react to change—they design for it. They treat learning as a strategic function, prioritize the learner experience, and ask bold questions: Are we building for today, or preparing for what’s next?Interested in learning how to create e-learning content? ATD’s Articulate Storyline Certificate will show you how to use this powerful tool to create innovative, interactive e-learning content.

Future-Proofing Your Learning Program: 5 Traits of Scalable Success

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