Digitally mature organizations operate differently. Technology plays a role, but it’s just part of the recipe. The technology available magnifies the impact of how the organization operates, however, technology alone is never the answer. Being Digital is about embracing new ways of working, which requires an aligned culture and mindset. Digital organizations work differently – they are flatter, people are empowered, they embrace experiments, transparency is prominent and team-based models abound.

We often discuss the competencies needed for “being” Digital and one that receives less attention than it should is “Digital Learning.” Digital Learning is a core competency for a digital organization. Organizations that lack this competency will struggle with Digital, will lag behind competitors, and disappoint their stakeholders (shareholders, customers, and employees).   

An organization that is “doing” Digital, may encounter a definition of Digital Learning like the following:  

“Digital learning is any type of learning that is accompanied by technology or by instructional practice that makes effective use of technology. It encompasses the application of a wide spectrum of practices including: blended and virtual learning.[1] Digital Learning is sometimes confused with online learning or e-learning, digital learning encompasses the aforementioned concepts.” — wikipedia.org

What jumps out is the focus on the technology. Digital Learning is about much more than technology – and any pursuits that focus only on technology will fall short (which in turn will limit overall Digital maturity).

So, if being Digital is about embracing new ways of working, then Digital Learning is about embracing new ways of learning. In the past, we’d find that learning in organizations is centrally managed, hierarchical, formal and infrequent. Digital Learning needs to be optimized to align with the needs, pace and operating model of the Digital organization. Digitally mature organizations embrace the new ways of learning that are decentralized, democratized, informal, social, team-based, learner-driven, and continuous.    

I’m using this site to share digital learning experiences, experiments, and explorations. The goal is to share, connect and drive discussions.  

You can find also find me via LinkedIn or Twitter.

Thanks for visiting!

Lee.