Meet The Talented Learning Center: What’s In It For You?

When you think back on the quarantine of 2020, what will you remember? At Talented Learning, we’ll recall this timeframe as a catalyst for our strategic reinvention.

Last year when the pandemic struck and shutdowns gripped the globe, we saw an opportunity to expand our business in a way we had always envisioned, but never had time to start (let alone complete). We decided to mobilize around a single substantial mission:

To deploy a member-based extended enterprise LMS loaded with high-value, fiercely independent research and educational content.

Our goal is to enable learning professionals to successfully buy, sell, implement, measure and improve extended enterprise learning systems and programs of all types.

Talk about eating your own dog food!

Over the years, I’ve interviewed hundreds of extended enterprise education practitioners, vendors and industry luminaries. I’ve also developed a continuous stream of original content about every aspect of the professional learning market and the LMS landscape.

And now I’m packing the best of these insights into one comprehensive, easy-to-navigate resource – The Talented Learning Center (TLC).

So we’re not just talking about extended enterprise learning anymore. Now, we’re also operating side-by-side with you as an online education provider. And we’re sharing our experiences for everyone’s benefit.

What is the Talented Learning Center?

The Talented Learning Center is the world’s only educational and research community centered on the learning systems marketplace. It is a member-based community destination, intended to bring together the diverse ecosystem of extended enterprise learning and technology professionals.

The fundamental premise behind the Talented Learning Center is that Education + Research = LMS/Learning System Success. We’ve designed and developed our educational curriculum to provide value for anyone who wants to research, buy, sell, implement or improve learning systems for better business results. Our research focuses on the learning systems vendor landscape and market trends, as well as individual solutions and differentiators.

Who Should Join the Talented Learning Center?

We developed this destination to serve a global community of extended enterprise professionals of all types, knowledge levels and experience. Primarily, we serve these audiences:

Benefits of Joining the Talented Learning Center

Because the extended enterprise industry is moving so fast, buyers, sellers and practitioners, alike, need a trusted partner who will help them navigate these dynamic waters. The Talented Learning Center provides all the insights and guidance you need to get up-to-speed and stay there throughout your career as a learning industry professional. Here’s what you can expect:

FOR LEARNING SYSTEMS BUYERS

• Learn the right way to research and buy an LMS
• Reduce the risk of selecting the wrong learning system
• Accurately research and identify potential solutions with our “Vendor Shortlister” tool
• Learn best practices from your industry peers

FOR LEARNING SYSTEMS VENDORS

• Stay up to date with emerging industry capabilities and use cases
• Expand your awareness and understanding of hot topics and jargon
• Find and collaborate with potential buyers
• Ramp up and continually educate your team

FOR LEARNING SYSTEMS PRACTITIONERS

• Expand your learning systems knowledge and skills
• Learn what works (and what doesn’t) from over 100 guest expert practitioners and learning innovators
• Earn marketable certifications and display evidence of your skills in your professional online profiles
• Stay abreast of important new technologies, vendors and trends

FOR LEARNING SYSTEMS NEWBIES

• Prepare for a career in the red-hot field of online learning systems
• Earn relevant certifications that you can display in professional online profiles to showcase your knowledge
• Learn about the market in-depth, including key segments and top solutions
• Research vendors for potential employment “fit”

Core Design Concept: “Use Cases”

Because the extended enterprise market is so expansive and diverse, we simplify the learning process with targeted use case “hubs.” Each hub focuses on a core learning specialty and is loaded with relevant educational content and vendor solution research. I invite you to take a tour of our charter “hubs” below:

• Corporate Extended Enterprise Learning – How to extend training to any combination of employees, prospects, customers, partners or contractors.
• Customer Learning – How to create measurable business value through education that supports customers through every stage in the relationship lifecycle.
• Partner and Channel Learning – How to integrate a diverse partner ecosystem into a holistic learning community that serves manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, franchise partners and more.
• Employee Learning – Many extended enterprise deployments also include employee audiences, so employee learning interests must be considered along with the needs of external audiences.
• Association Member Learning – How organizations can drive value and profitable non-dues revenue from certifications, webinars, virtual and blended events and more.
• Continuing Education – Specifically for commercial training providers, subject matter experts, publishers and teachers – anyone with a business based on delivering learning content.

Authoritative Vendor Research

Whether you’re actively qualifying and shortlisting vendors, contemplating a vendor switch or just researching the market, there’s deep, relevant and fiercely independent advice and analysis for you!

The Talented Learning Center currently features 62 learning systems vendors, and our in-depth research library continues to expand every day. Research tools and content types include:

• “Living” Vendor Profiles:  Learn what you need to know about popular extended enterprise learning solutions – target market, functionality, thought leadership, client case studies and more. We continually update these profiles with information, news and analysis. Learn more in this video:

• “Vendor Shortlister” tool:  For more in-depth vendor comparisons, we group learning systems by use case, as well as dozens of requirements criteria so you can filter and find solutions that meet your unique needs. Find out more in this video:

• Executive Briefings:  Join me as I review the world’s hottest learning tech vendors one-on-one. Get under the hood with their business mission, history, product roadmap, target markets and key differentiators. Then walk through a product demo with me to see how their solutions work up-close.
• Hot Takes:  Want my quick assessment of a vendor solution, industry M&A news or other market events in 5-minutes or less? Check these brief videos for the latest updates, whenever it’s convenient for you.
• White Papers:  Get unlimited access to all of our market assessments, research notes and whitepapers, including emerging technology trends, extended enterprise applications, business case development guides and more.
• Market Updates:  Learn about key LMS trends, awards, vendor comparisons, mergers, acquisitions and more in video and text formats.

Vendor-Neutral Education

The Talented Learning Center is much more than a vendor research source for LMS buyers. You’ll also find a vast library of educational content to help you make the most of whatever learning systems you use.

Choose the format you prefer from our selection of digital documents, video, audio, graphics, lessons, online courses, curated learning paths and certifications. Whether you have 1 minute or 20 hours, there’s always something useful to learn. Membership includes access to these special educational content collections:

• Ask John Leh Videos:  3-5 minute videos focused on the practical application of learning systems in the extended enterprise.
• Microlessons:  15-minute practical tutorials focused on learning use cases, functionality and key technology topics.
• Podcasts:  30-minute interviews with the hottest experts in learning technology.
• On-Demand Webinars:  60-minute thought leadership sessions where I explore key issues with industry executives and customers.
• Live Webinars:  In-depth educational sessions for members only, where I walk through core topics in extended enterprise learning.
• Panel Discussions:  60-minute discussions with learning practitioners and other experts.
• Certifications:  15-20 hour certifications for professionals who want to demonstrate expertise in selecting and purchasing learning systems.

To learn more about content types, watch this video:

How to Join the Talented Learning Center

NOTE: We updated the original 2021 membership plans in 2023. See the latest plans here >>

Getting started with the Talented Learning Center couldn’t be easier. Three inaugural membership tiers are available:

• Basic Member:  (Offered for a limited time in 2021.) This free tier includes access to our proprietary “Living Vendor Profiles” and “Vendor Shortlister” tools, as well members-only webinars, podcasts and select premium-level content. Cost: $0.

• Individual Premium Member:  Get access to all Basic Member TLC content, plus Vendor Executive Briefings, Hot Takes, “Ask John Leh”  videos, microlessons, courses, certifications and market updates. Cost: $1299/year.

• Teams:  LMS buyer and seller teams can join for one simple price and enjoy full access to all content in a private team portal. Your team Talented Learning Center experience is supported by private collaboration, team management, reporting, dashboards, awards, leaderboards and more. Cost: $5,500/year for up to five members.

To get started, just visit our Membership Plans page, choose the level that fits your interests and start your extended enterprise learning journey today.

We look forward to seeing you in the Talented Learning Center.

Thanks for reading!