This chat is about industry insights on learning platforms and AI in the e-learning space
Training Journal: Thought Industries describes itself as an external enterprise learning platform for customer, partner, and professional training. The market for learning platforms is still developing and quite dynamic. What should someone shopping for a learning platform look for?
Robin Wadsworth: We think the ability to tailor solutions should be table stakes – an absolute minimum. Learning, training, and certification programs tend to look a little different for a services company than they do for a manufacturer. A solution for a non-profit is liable to look a little different than a solution for a commercial operation. Small- and medium-sized companies probably have separate needs than an enterprise. Even if two organisations have very similar needs, if the scale is probably distinctive and that suggests similar solutions might be implemented in different ways.
Every learning experience is one of a kind, so anyone who offers a learning platform needs to be able to tailor that platform. Even better if you already have experience with different types of organisations of different sizes. We do and we think that experience is crucial, because it’s the foundation of our collaborations with our customers. Tailoring doesn’t mean anything if you can’t understand the intricacies of that customer’s specific needs. You can’t evolve your tools to meet a customer’s needs if you don’t have any basis for understanding those needs.
We think taking the time to collect that data is critical, so we work with customers and conduct in-depth analyses that allow us to understand each client’s unique demands. The most successful business processes are data-driven, and of course that includes building learning solutions for our customers, so people need to be asking how organisations customise success to their specific needs.
TJ: You mentioned tailoring these learning experiences based on unique needs. How does Thought Industries approach personalising learning for different audiences and individual learners and how is AI contributing to that?
Robin: Our approach centers on making sure that every learner – whether a business unit, a global region, or an individual – receives a learning experience that’s relevant to them and that’s where personalisation tools to cater to diverse needs and preferences come in.
AI is completely transforming the online learning experience, making it more dynamic and personalised than ever. The idea is to tailor every individual’s educational experience to that individual’s needs and skill levels, so each person sees content that’s meaningful and practical at every stage of their journey. Rather than forcing learners to navigate through endless content to find what they need, AI streamlines the learning journey by analysing user behavior, preferences, and progress. Instant feedback mechanisms and relevant recommendations keep learners engaged and support continuous development.
What’s even more exciting is how AI can anticipate a learner’s next steps. By understanding patterns in their learning journey, AI can suggest new topics or skills that align with their goals, helping them build expertise in a much more intuitive way. The idea is that predictive learning analytics enhance proactive support, while natural language processing (NLP) improves accessibility, making content more inclusive for all learners. These AI-driven advancements are pivotal in saving time and keeping learners more engaged and motivated by receiving content that’s directly relevant to what they need when they need it.
Learning is no longer about just delivering content, it’s about delivering the right experience to each learner to help them achieve their goals efficiently. Personalization isn’t just an add-on; it’s built into the way we design and deliver our learning experiences, giving each audience the power to engage in ways that are most impactful to them. This approach helps ensure that our clients can drive deeper engagement, faster learning outcomes, and ultimately, stronger business results.
TJ: How do you stay ahead of industry trends and ensure that Thought Industries remains competitive in the market?
Robin: We keep up on new technologies like AI. We keep abreast of new techniques and methods in learning and training. Collaboration is key, but the key to successful collaboration is that it shouldn’t end with set-up, and for us, it doesn’t.
We keep working with our customers and adjust our platform based on their ongoing needs. That gives us a pretty comprehensive perspective of customer end-points. That experience is definitely rare, but we think it’s unique. Our customer successes aren’t just a testament to the positive impact our platform has made, but also serve as a constant feedback loop that teaches us where the market is heading.
Robin Wadsworth is CEO of Thought Industries
