The main reason, she says, is that e-learning improves the technological competency of employees. But cutting-edge products coming out now are so engaging they're almost addictive, Mr. Urdan says. Trainees take charge of the events in the simulations, and their choices dictate the outcome. Calif. The company, which has developed online seminars for Duke University's Fuqua School, offers customized simulations that can include a customer's product. Customers can buy immediate support, he says, but few go to that expense.
Most users complete an exercise in a course and then submit it to their tutor for comment.
Instead of waiting around for a response, Mr. Gordon says most users then either move on to the next exercise or log off and go back to work, returning to their coursework later to find the answer, or score, from a tutor. Fast tutor support is critical in maintaining an engaging experience. Some who monitor the industry say corporate e-learning still has a long way to go before it becomes standard practice. IDC's Mr. Anderson, for one, notes that for interested employers, choosing the right products can be a complex process, requiring research into courses, infrastructure and management systems that allow the company to monitor employee progress. Over the past six months, he says, the industry has responded by forming alliances that offer executives one-stop shopping.