E-learning at Dow Chemical

LearnShare E-Learning Best Practices

Sonya Davis

Global Project Leader

Human Resources Strategic Center

The Dow Chemical Company• Dow is a global company

– 50,000 employees– $30 billion in annual sales– 171 sites in 35 countries

• Serves many markets– Water purification - Health & Medicine– Transportation - Paper and Printing– Electronics - Building & Construction– Food - Furniture/Furnishings– Personal care - Home care/improvement

Learning: A Strategic Element to Global Success

• 1995 – Dow began shifting to global, de-layered structure based on business units

• Learning Leadership Team was formed to address needs of global workforce

• Challenge: How do we provide the latest most cost effective learning just in time to learners where and when they want it?

The answer – learn@dow.now

• A global web-based learning management and delivery system

• Courses are developed internally, purchased from external sources and/or developed specifically for Dow (5 preferred vendors)

• Links to employee training records

Advantages of Web-based Training Delivery

• Consistent message to all employees globally

• “Just-in-time” training

• Always available

• Employees are in control and can receive training anytime and anywhere

• Delivery cost benefits

Keys To Success

• Common IT Platform

• Open Platform

• Reduction in delivery costs while providing greater access to training when and where employees want it.

• Preferred Vendors

• Management Support

Investments

• Start-up– $1 million to purchase project– Design team comprised of six employees and

managers

• Ongoing cost:– Annual operational cost $540,000– One full-time manager and five employees in

part-time roles (functional administrators), and learning coordinators.

learn@dow.now Today

• 600 courses available

• Subject areas range from safety to marketing

• 153,392 courses completed in 2000

• 315,265 courses completed in 2001

Cost Benefits

• Savings in 2000 = $22 million

• Savings in 2001 = $45 million

• Projection for 1999-2003 = $189 million

• Based on measurement of:– Automatic vs. manual records– Reduction of delivery and material cost– Reduction in learner time

Change Management Considerations

• Clear value proposition

• Convert learners from classroom to web-based

• Deliver content in multiple languages

• Increase awareness and usage through the organization

• Provide ongoing system support and operation

What’s next?

• Technical expansions – video enhancements which will broaden use

• Blended solutions – Use learn@dow.now with NetMeeting/LearnLinc for classroom settings

• Audience expansion – Use learn@dow.now to train customers, suppliers, distributors