Mountain View, Calif., January 28, 2010 — SumTotal® Systems, Inc., a market leader and a global provider of talent development solutions, today announced that American Management Association (AMA), a world leader in talent development, successfully launched several of its most popular instructor-led seminars as live, online classes using SumTotal ResultsOnDemand®—Learning, a comprehensive learning management system delivered via a software as a service (SaaS) model. As a result, AMA will more than double the number of Live Online Seminars currently offered, with 17 titles available in the market by July 2010.
“The SumTotal ResultsOnDemand solution allows us to bring the AMA experience to the desktop,” said Nicholas Igneri, Vice President of Learning Technologies for AMA. “It meets two critical needs for our customers: to continue to educate the workforce, and to do it more efficiently.”
With over 85 years of experience, AMA has found that the most effective training still occurs in a classroom setting that combines real people with real experiences. The organization faced the challenge of moving the real classroom experience to the online world while maintaining a high level of interactivity. In late 2007, AMA started using SumTotal ResultsOnDemand—Learning software to offer a blended format with Web-based learning tools. The trial was so successful that it prompted AMA to expand its offerings.
“We wanted to increase our choices to include a virtual classroom, in order to expand our reach and attract more customers,” said Igneri. “Companies want to lower travel costs and minimize time out of the office for key employees.”
“In an economic environment in which companies are required to stretch dollars as far as possible, it is vital for these organizations to find efficient ways to continue developing their workforce,” said Barbara Stinnett, President of SumTotal Systems. “As AMA’s partner, we are pleased to help them provide their customers with more accessible virtual learning opportunities through the use of our SaaS solutions.”
AMA chose ResultsOnDemand—Learning with the integrated Adobe Connect module to conduct the virtual synchronous sessions. The Live Online Seminars feature AMA’s comprehensive, high-quality content in a dynamic new format that provides real-time online interaction among the course leader and seminar participants. The AMA Learning Portal, based on ResultsOnDemand, manages a curriculum structure for each learner, notifies the learner of each event, and opens a window on the learner’s desktop for each virtual lesson. With a single sign-on, the learner doesn’t have to re-register or sign in again — all lessons are launched from the SumTotal platform, which also provides all participant materials, assessments, and evaluations. Learners use voice-over-IP and chat to interact with the instructor and their peers.
AMA is now able to provide its customers a choice in how they receive learning, and as a result is drawing in new customers. “This is definitely a revenue-generating initiative,” Igneri said. “We are increasing the number of titles that we offer, and we’re effectively extending our reach to people who could not come before.”
About SumTotal Systems, Inc.
SumTotal Systems, Inc. a leading provider of proven talent development solutions that automate and integrate learning, performance, and compensation to drive business results on a daily basis. Our solutions strengthen and develop employee skills to accelerate time-to-market, close skill gaps, and reduce the risk of business disruptions. With more than 1,500 customers and 18 million users worldwide, we have increased the performance at some of the world’s best-known companies, organizations and government agencies. Our category leadership and applied insight help us understand the critical success factors for businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit www.sumtotalsystems.com.
About AMA
American Management Association (www.amanet.org) is a world leader in talent development, advancing the skills of individuals to drive business success. AMA’s approach to improving performance combines experiential learning—learning through doing—with opportunities for ongoing professional growth at every step of one’s career journey. AMA supports the goals of individuals and organizations through a complete range of products and services, including classroom and live online seminars, webcasts, webinars, podcasts, conferences, corporate and government solutions, business books and research. Organizations worldwide, including the majority of the Fortune 500, turn to AMA as their trusted partner in professional development and draw upon its experience to enhance skills, abilities and knowledge with noticeable results from day one.
Copyright © 2010 SumTotal Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
SumTotal, the SumTotal logo, and ResultsOnDemand are registered trademarks or trademarks of SumTotal Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
This press release was distributed through PR Web by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company listed above.