Workflow Learning Debuts At Training Fall

Training Fall, which will be held October 11-13 in San Francisco, is hosting the first gathering of a community of practice in support of workflow learning. The Workflow Learning Symposium is designed to share the latest research, demonstrate working models, and prepare participants to introduce workflow learning into their organizations. Participants will hear from thought leaders in the field, see workflow learning in action, and experiment with workflow tools.

"Workflow learning is only two years old and customers have just started buying real-time learning products," says Jay Cross, managing director of the Workflow Institute. "Bottom-up knowledge management and effective learning products have only recently appeared on the market. With best practices starting to emerge, early adopters are making preparations to cross the chasm."

A keynote by Gloria Gery and the founders of the Workflow Institute will set the stage for nine related breakout sessions and continuous demonstrations in the Workflow Learning Pavilion. The Workflow Institute projects a $15 billion market for next-generation learning products by 2008, of which more than $2.5 billion will come from workflow learning.

Beyond the technology, participants will talk about the future of work. "Employees in the future will need to learn as they work in order to deal with large amounts of information and unexpected conditions," says Cross. "They won't want courses and fat manuals; they'll want immediate answers. This is an historic opportunity to reconfigure learning and work. We imagine creating workplaces where computers do what they do best, and people can do what they find most fulfilling."

The Workflow Institute will post a complete archive of the event, including presentations, handouts, and interviews, at its website (www.workflowinstitut...) after the conclusion of Training Fall. —G.J.