BIG for 2006: LCMSs, Podcasting, and Outsourcing

What's expected to be really hot in 2006 and beyond? Outsourcing training design and development, podcasting, and LCMSs. According to the awesome online magazine Elearning!:

LCMSs

• 42% of organizations with LMSs (learning management system) are planning to acquire some type of LCMS (learning content management system). The $30 million LCMS market will grow by 30% next year! Of course, the LMS market is expected to continue to grow and mature, as will the demand for on-demand LMSs (such as GeoLearning and Learn.com), especially for mid-size companies.

Podcasting

• According to Josh Bersin of Bersin & Associates, as mentioned in Elearning! magazine, true on-demand learning solutions are growing in interest, and include podcasts, RSS feeds, expert directories, highly personalized learning paths and powerful search technologies.
• Podcasts are expected to exceed 62 million by 2010, from 5 million in 2005 and only 1 million in 2004.

Outsourcing

• The most frequently outsourced items have been technology intrastructure, and content design, development, and delivery. That's great news for CramerSweeney Instructional Design, since that is what we do: instructional design and development for both e-learning and ILT (instructor-led training)!
• Outsourcing is growing and attitudes toward outsourcing are positive. When companies try it, they like it. Content modification (conversion to e-learning) will see greater outsourcing next year and beyond.

Good News!

E-learning is projected to continue growing, at a rate of 35% next year, with the e-learning content side (instructional design) remaining the largest market opportunity.

More good news from the ASTD (American Society for Training & Development): US organizations are increasing their investments in employee learning, to the tune of 16.4% more. Annual training expenditure per employee increased to $944, up from $820 last year. Formal training per employee increased from 26 hours to 32 hours. Training delivered via technology increased from 24% to 28%.

More Cool Statistics & Trivia

• Number of registered websites in 1995: 18,957
  Number of registered websites in 2005: 74,409,971
  Wow! Now that's real growth!
• The ratio of average CEO pay to average production worker pay:
  1982 - 42:1
  1990 - 107:1
  2001 - 525:1
  2004 - 431:1
  At least the gap may have started to close the last few years.