January 2008

Review – Perspective – Overview:
the i-qbox continues to grow!

Review:  2007 was another very successful year for Comartis. Again, several European and US businesses, for which blended learning plays a strategic role, opted for the i-qbox Human Performance Suite . At scores of businesses, the i-qbox is currently on the short list for evaluation. We are especially pleased that the market's interest in the modules for automated learning quality management and company-wide competence management is still growing.

Perspective:  Looking into the i-qbox’s near future shows not only the further development of competence management but also the implementation of specific solutions that actively promote learning transfer. For the latter, innovative concepts and features are being developed. As for education administration, great emphasis will still be placed on the extensive automation of all processes.

Overview: To ensure that we maintain an overview of the continually increasing number of features, we have been working on the comprehensive review and completion of our product documentation. The future documentation will be composed of interactive short modules and brief instructions as well as detailed documents.

More info... 

The i-qbox Human Performance Suite on tour:
coming exhibitions and special highlights

Exhibition	Where	Booth location	When
Learntec	Karlsruhe	Hall 4, booth D1	29 – 31 January 2008
SALT	Orlando (US)	still open	20 – 22 February 2008
CeBIT	Hannover	Hall 6, booth B34	4 – 9 March 2008
ASTD	San Diego (US)	#1507	2. bis 4. Juni 2008

 
 
Learntec – core themes and survey
The Basic-Check for graduates in Switzerland which was implemented with the help of the i-qbox will be our focus at the Learntec . The solution, which has successfully established itself by now and facilitates graduates' search for an apprenticeship place, will be presented on 30 January 2008 from 2:25 – 2:40 pm in a lecture by Urs Martini (basic check ag) and Reto Schilliger at Zukunftswerkstatt which is sponsored by Comartis. If you are in charge of training you are offered the opportunity to inform yourself at Comartis’ booth on the requirements and the procedures to assess the ROI of training projects.

For years, Comartis AG has regularly been involved in the Learntec and special events such as this year’s Zukunftswerkstatt. Comartis asked exhibition visitors in an online survey on the i-qbox about their expectations of the Learntec and about how they rate the potential of new trends. The results of this survey will be available from the start of the exhibition at Comartis’ booth.
 

Comartis twice at the SALT in Orlando (US)!
At the SALT, the important conference of the Society for Applied Learning Technology in Orlando (Florida), Omar Lahyani (CEO of Comartis) will talk to the audience on two occasions:

1 Panel discussion on “Knowledge Management and Learning”
Thursday, 21 February 2008, 3:30 – 5:00 pm

Peter Rizza, renowned e-Learning expert and president of Princeton Center for Education Services, Inc., which now offers Comartis’ i-qbox and their ExpressTrain® Transformation Suite™ in one package for the creation of training tools with regard to workflows, will also participate in the discussion.

2 Speech on “Boosting Enterprise Learning with Fully Integrated Training Evaluation”. 
Friday, 22 February 2008, 8:30 – 9:10 am

In his speech, Omar Lahyani will show how the i-qbox Learning Quality Management System (LQMS) can be used in large companies. Special emphasis will be placed on the automated evaluation of training measures on all levels as proposed by Kirkpatrick and Phillips.

More info... 

Global placeholder functionality facilitates adjustment of terminology!

 
Changes of technical terminology and of numerical values on short notice can cause unpleasant surprises with regard to the development of information and learning offers.

Quite frequently terminology changes are due to the fact that provisional terms are used until shortly before the implementation of a new product, a new service, a new process or a new internal communication organization. The definitive terms are determined late and may suddenly differ from the provisional terms used. Textual changes may also become necessary if numerical values (VAT rate, cash payment discount, number of staff, etc.) are adapted. However, textual changes on short notice cannot be avoided.

With centrally managed placeholders for terms, the i-qbox Human Performance Suite enhances the flexibility relating to terminology. Centrally managed terms can be used in all i-qbox texts (test questions and test answers, survey text, curriculum entries, course descriptions, meta information, etc.).

If a terminology change occurs, any terms that are centrally managed with the help of placeholders need  to be adjusted only once. They will then immediately and automatically be displayed correctly in all other instances.

Like all other i-qbox entries, the placeholder functionality features true multilanguage support, i.e. every user language can be assigned a different entry.

Comartis way - the change friendly way!