Enterprise-Wide LMS Deployment

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is a technology-driven USD 8.5 billion company that infuses engineering with imagination. The L&T Group is divided into various operating divisions, each with their own HR and Training cells. However, the training function is centralized in the form of a corporate HR which manages the training process for the entire group through its division cells.

At the time of engagement with Upside Learning in 2006, L&T employed over 35,000 people across its 6 main ODs, with further sub-division within the ODs.

Managing training was already a challenge for L&T and hence the company was looking at a centralized eLearning delivery platform which would enable it to control, manage and allocate eLearning to its various divisions.

It needed a SCORM compliant Learning Management System that could integrate tightly with its SAP platform for user information exchange on a daily basis, given the number of employees.

Given L&T’s unique requirements, Upside Learning offered its proprietary, multi-award winning Learning Management System, UpsideLMS, to address the eLearning delivery and management. The company’s need to integrate with SAP, along with creation of the centralized delivery and management function, was brought about by customizing the system.

UpsideLMS standard version, at the time, shipped with a 3-tier organization: Site manager, Client Manager (for each account portal created), and a Learner profile. This 3-tier organization fitted very well to L&T’s needs wherein an account portal was setup for each OD and the corporate HR was granted access to the Site Manager.

Each OD was branded in a distinct identity but the business rules were maintained same across all ODs, as per the requirement. Thus, UpsideLMS allowed each OD area to have a separate look & feel with additional customizations inorder to create supplementary interfaces for the Site Manager for managing the content at the micro level.

UpsideLMS also was able to run courses from various vendors that L&T had engaged with – SkillSoft, NetG, and other custom developed courses as well without major problems.

UpsideLMS components that were activated for L&T were:

1. Site Manager with complete management access on content
2. An account portal for each OD
3. SCORM and AICC compliance, integration with NetG, SkillSoft, and other custom courses
4. Online exam and survey module
5. Curriculum structure for unified delivery of learning material
6. Helpdesk and client machine diagnostics module
7. SAP integration for data exchange
8. MIS reports with some custom built reports

On L&T’s requirements, Upside Learning branded the LMS as ATL (Any Time Learning) – a name which strongly reflected L&T’s ‘anytime’ philosophy, also depicted through their sun & moon logo. More so, the system was opened for access both on intranet and internet making it easier for the employees to work from home / other location as well.

Using ATL, L&T was able to source excellent courses from market leaders on various skills and topics, and also get courses custom developed for its specific training needs. Loading a good number of premium quality courses on a reliable platform granted the corporate HR with adequate controls to deliver and track progress thereby helping L&T get traction on eLearning speedily. UpsideLMS (through ATL) delivered on quality as it easily handled the increasing load and ran without problems.

The Upside Learning team worked closely with L&T’s IT team for data maintenance and disaster recovery. This helped the system to be available 24x7 and ensured that the employees picked up the eLearning rapidly. HR & management also made eLearning a part of the entire training function thereby giving it the right push.

Regular customizations were done to training processes, MIS reporting needs, etc. as per the employees’ feedback so as to keep the system in line with the evolving needs.

The system with its stable and reliable offering helped L&T’s HR focus on their core business, and work towards increasing awareness and usage of the ATL.

ATL is now used extensively across L&T and runs a milieu of courses and other reference materials on the system from a number of vendors, now including the likes of Harvard Manage Mentor, etc. Recently a module on 270 degree performance management was added to the ATL. Also, when L&T rolled out a new SAP version, the integration interface was modified. With the new SAP version the ATL now runs over 35 account portals rather than 6 which were initially there.

ATL continues to be the center of the training at L&T and is only increasing in usage as L&T keeps the momentum going by offering the right courses to a vast cross-section of people.

1. Hands-off integration with other course vendors was brought about by ATL‘s (UpsideLMS’) modules on SCORM and AICC compliance with work-free integration. It made the system highly scalable in terms of the amount of courses that could be offered.
2. Centralization of training – With the control of eLearning with corporate HR, the overall training function became very coherent. And with an increasing usage of appropriate eLearning, L&T not only enjoyed cost savings but also a reliable way of training its workforce.
3. Cost savings in terms of training team size at corporate HR level. A quick-response Level 2 support from Upside Learning ensured that the training team at L&T could focus on the training related activities, while a reliable platform ensured that users enjoyed their experience on the ATL and returned to the system making it viable for L&T to continue spending on it.
4. Talent management was enabled by the recent module on 270 degrees performance management.

UpsideLMS runs on Apache Tomcat 6.0 and MS SQL Server 2005 on a single Windows Server 2003 in L&T’s data center.

The hardware (with 4 GB RAM and 320 GB HDD) was supplied by L&T internally.

Level 1 technical support was managed by L&T’s internal IT team.

1. Custom branded as ATL (Any Time Learning)
2. SAP integration for data exchange
3. Integration with other course vendors
4. Talent Management through 270 degrees performance management module

Download PDF VersionBack To Case Studies