About IVM

IVM is a specialist in the area of occupational health & safety, fire prevention and crisismanagement. Through consultancy, training, education and contracting IVM supports organizations and their employees to work safe. IVM sees investing in knowledge as essential for to maintain and increase safety. IVM is known for it’s innovative approach in developing and delivering it’s products and services which is why they are the link between knowing and doing. 

IVM has a clear vision on learning. Dorine van Gulik, education scientist at IVM: “We see that professionals learn best when knowledge and skills are relevant or essential. Ideally training should be delivered right there and than. We’ve found a solution for this in developing e-learning modules. Through the use of realistic video we illustrate the daily work practice of our customers. Learners are motivated engage with the interactive questions and assignments that are provided. The importance and benefits of working safe is clearly signified.”

Service Innovation

The partnership between IVM and CapCloud provides new opportunities for both organizations. For IVM it is the next step in innovating their service delivery in which e-learning plays an increasingly important role. Michael Wielens, Operations Manager at IVM is clear on the benefits: “Using the CapCloud platform enables us to always deliver the latest version of our e-learning modules effortlessly and safe to our customers and resellers. We maintain ownership of the modules while our customers can integrate our e-learnings into their own learning management system (LMS). Taylor made service delivery. And customers maintain ownership of their own learning data.”

Also for CapCloud this partnership means an important next step. Machiel van Gogh, Consultant at CapCloud: “Our digital learning environment already supported competence management, learning and performance management processes. Now we also provide a platform for hosting and distributing specialized training content provided by professional training institutions. This enables us to make this training content available to all our customers and their employees. Learning results will be registered directly into the e-portfolio of individual users. CapCloud as a one-stop-shop.”

CapCloud and IVM will continue to work together on the innovation of training and training delivery. 

For more information on this partnership and opportunities this may present to your organisation please contact Michael Wielens of  IVM or Machiel van Gogh of CapCloud.

As we work together, clients become partners. One of our partners is Vivare, a Dutch housing cooperative. All employees at Vivare use CapCloud to define, monitor, illustrate, and evaluate their performance during the whole year. Their performance cycle is becoming a continuous, transparent and employee-driven process instead of a one-way conversation with their manager one or two times a year.

Vivare was recently interviewed for Flow Magazine on how they implemented their core values in the hearts and minds of their staff and used CapCloud to support this. We are proud to share this article with you.

Connecting personnel administration systems

Most organisations have a system in place for personnel administration. These systems contain basic personnel data, as well as departments, managers and direct reports. All these data are also relevant for an online learning environment. Through a smart connection, a so-called “API” (Application Programming Interface), personnel systems can be linked easily to an online learning environment like CapCloud. Personnel data can be exchanged. In this way duplicated administration is prevented. This can take away the threshold for choosing the best systems for different purposes. CapCloud offers such an API, like most personnel systems do. As a result, CapCloud can easily be connected.
 

Information Security

Information security is important, especially when personal data are concerned. An API does not open the door for all personnel data. Each organisation may selectively decide which data to exchange and which not. For an online learning environment, the required data are often limited to basic information as name and email address, position, department and manager.

How does it work?

Personnel log on to their company’s network for their daily work. For this they user their normal login details. On their desktop or in the Office 365 environment they will find a tile or a link to CapCloud. By clicking on the tile or link, the employee will directly enter his personal learning environment in CapCloud. Employees experience as if they stay in the company environment, while in fact they are using a specialised cloud service.

At the same time it remains possible for all personnel to login securely through the CapCloud website, using any internet connection. 

Information Security

Information security is very important to CapCloud. The question may be raised whether login details are exchanged and potentially exposed to illegitimate usage. The answer is: no.

When the employee wants to enter CapCloud, only the employee’s identity will be checked and confirmed before granting access to the CapCloud platform. Company login details are neither known, nor stored at CapCloud. It is also not possible to login on the company’s network through CapCloud. Single Sign-On only works one way.

It is as if you need to show your ID when you want to enter some buildings or premises. Your identity is checked, but there is need to leave your identity papers. 

Learning Tools Interoperability® (LTI)
The answer is provided by Learning Tools Interoperability®, in short LTI, a standard developed by the IMS Global Learning Consortium. LTI is a technical standard on the basis of which learning systems can easily exchange data, without being physically integrated.

The idea is simple: a one-stop-shop for all learning activities, that includes the automatic learning data registration in the own LMS.
 

CapCloud as a One-Stop-Shop
It is possible to create an internal training catalogue in CapCloud. Training and other learning tools can be added to the competence profiles of the personnel. Should a training be with an external provider, and it can be connected through LTI. The employee will go, through CapCloud, to the systems of the training provider and completes the training. After completion, the training data will be properly recorded in the personal portfolio of the employee and all company overviews.

In this case, CapCloud is a so-called “LTI Consumer”.
 

For training providers: hosting content in CapCloud
This functionality can also be turned around. Providers can have their learning content and tools hosted by CapCloud. All content can than be made available to all other organisations registered in CapCloud.

And what is more, employees of customers can access the learning content via the customer’s own LMS. After completion, CapCloud will sent all relevant learning data back to the LMS of the customer.

In this case, CapCloud is a so-called “LTI Provider”.
 

CapCloud is ready for LTI
We have several LTI connections operational with the CapCloud platform operating as both a LTI Consumer and a LTI Provider.  from where our clients are serviced. Please call or mail for more information to have external training connected, or to have your own training hosted by CapCloud.

Personal data in the Cloud

CapCloud assumes a special responsibility. The innovative platform for Human Resources Development uses the technological advantages of Internet: flexibility, continuity and social interaction.  However, data that are being processed by CapCloud on behalf of its clients are personal data, possibly sensitive personal data. One may think education and training data, but also assessments, development plans and the results of personnel appraisals. Those data must be secure at all times and protected against loss and illegitimate use.
 

Vision and Policy

In 2014, after the first few years of starting up the company, CapCloud decided to create a policy for integrity and data protection. The team developed the awareness that data protection and the trust therein would be an absolute prerequisite for further growth. CapCloud is not just another Internet platform: it is innovative and interactive at the front end, solid and conservative at the backend. There is no messing around with data. In 2014, this vision led to the voluntary appointment of a Data Protection Office and the start of developing a management system.
 

Data Loss: an incident

By the end of 2014, despite all good initiatives, CapCloud was faced with a data loss. Shortcomings in the software triggered a rare error in the live CapCloud environment of a client: Housing corporation Vivare in Arnhem.  An employee was able to see the appraisal of another employee. This had a major impact and speeded up all running initiatives.
 

Sander Speklé, HR Manager at Vivare, tells about the incident: “It shocked the organisation, and directly damaged the trust in CapCloud. The incident raised all kinds of questions like ‘how is this possible?’, ‘what more could have been disclosed?’, for how long has this error occurred?’, and ‘could other organisations also have seen our data?’. Although the issue was solved right away, it made me decide to have an audit conducted at CapCloud: having an independent review of the information security measures by CapCloud.”

Management System and certification

In 2015 a lot of effort was put in the development of an information security management system. And not only the system, also the awareness of the CapCloud team. Paul Meijer, Data Protection Officer of CapCloud says: “Privacy knowledge starts with awareness. The client occupies a central place when security awareness is concerned. The client must be confident about CapCloud treating its personal data in the right way ”. Eventually, the development led to ISO 27001 certification by BSI.

One of the lessons learnt from the period of development was that information security must be picked together with the client. Sander Speklé shares this opinion: “It is right, the audit report formed the basis for bilateral discussions and consultations around the certification of CapCloud.”

In 2016, additional measures will be taken to increase the cooperation with clients on information security management.
 

Further information

Click here for further information about data protection at CapCloud, or contact Bart Dijkhuizen or Paul Meijer on +31 881 702010.

Interested in the experience of Vivare? Contact Sander Speklé on +31 880 541199.

Four Quick Wins for HR

In Human Resources, especially learning and development, 4 quick wins can be identified leading to more efficiency, and so reduced costs. As a matter of fact, valuable time is being lost.

1. Increase management and employee involvement

In many organisations the processes for learning and development, including the performance/appraisal management cycle, are centralised. This requires capacity of centralised staff departments, not necessarily reducing the time spent elsewhere in the organisation. Papers are prepared, distributed, returned and (manually) analysed. It would be better to delegate this work to the ones directly involved in the organisation. They will not spend more time, just differently and more efficient. Involvement and commitment from employees and leaders make that required actions are timely identified, planned and followed-up, even better aligned with daily duties. This would not require any time anymore from a central (HR) department.
 

2. Quit Excel

“Excel is your best friend”, a statement that is often heard. However, Excel is also a silent killer when considering time spent. Excel is a calculator, not a records management system. A single Excel file per employee for keeping records is labour intensive and susceptible for errors. Changes in management approach must be processed in all individual files, and everyone can – and will – mess around. Analysing data requires more copying and pasting. Excel is easy and user friendly, but does not reach the efficiency of a proper database with reporting options.
 

3. Stop shifting papers

As hardcopy or electronically, HR departments remain shifting a lot of paperwork. An HR department can be considered a roundabout for records. Forms are sent out and received back, making sure files are kept and record copies are send out again to the appropriate persons. Certificates from training providers are received, copied and archived, and forwarded to the stakeholders. There is no real added value in all those activities, while it still requires a lot of time to execute. An organisation should provide for a proper database to which everyone can contribute, and where everyone can find the information required and permitted.
 

4. Offer knowledge electronically

Training costs are not so much related to the invoice to be paid. The biggest costs of training are related to reduced deployment of personnel as a result of time spent in a training institute. For knowledge transfer, there is no need to be in a training institute. Many course do have a knowledge part and skills part. Knowledge can be offered and assessed separately through electronic means, at a time that does have less impact on daily business. In this way a significant reduction of required training time can be achieved.
 

Client Case: Savings at Croon Elektrotechniek

Croon Elektrotechniek, a large electrical engineering company in the installation sector, has developed their “iLearningPortal” based on CapCloud, since 2014. Currently Croon has registered over 2100 accounts with CapCloud. The basis for the development was, and is, a clear vision on learning and development, but also the short-term business case was easily done looking at efficiency improvement.

Sandra Mouwen, E-College Coordinator: “In order to meet the demands of continually changing markets, characterised by a high level of uncertainty and complexity, it has become necessary to join forces with personnel for increasing their employability. It means making their talents visible, sharing knowledge and managing all opportunities for learning and development, including re-education. Of course, at minimum costs. Using the iLearningPortal based on CapCloud, employees can learn in their own time, at the right moment, focused on personal needs. Things learnt can directly be applied in their daily jobs.”

Apart from the operational benefits of the iLearningPortal, also the cost savings became apparent in Croon. Sandra explains: “Less days spent in training institutes, and digital information transfer instead, possibly in combination with personal interaction. It means a significant reduction in time spent and associated costs, and an increased effectiveness of learning and increased performance of employees. Only the minimum safety training (SSC/VCA) made us earn back the whole investment already.”
 

Feasability: if you could only safe 3 hours

The 4 quick wins can easily be achieved making use of the CapCloud platform. Available directly, always and everywhere. Even if your organisation could only save 3 hours per employee per year, CapCloud earns itself back. All other savings and performance improvement can then be considered profit.

Curious about the feasibility? Please request for a quick quote by just sending an email indicating the number of personnel. Just good to consider. 

For more information please call or mail CapCloud.

If you want to know more about the experience of Croon, please contact Sandra Mouwen, + 31 88 923 3344

Who is Centrica Storage?

Centrica Storage Limited operates the Rough gas storage facility in the southern North Sea and the Easington onshore gas processing terminal in East Yorkshire, UK. It is the largest gas storage facility in the UK, able to meet approximately 10% of the UK's current peak day demand and representing more than 70% of the UK's current storage capacity. Around 350 staff and contractors are employed within the operation, both onshore and offshore.

Health, safety and security

Ian Griffin, competency manager at Centrica Storage says: “Health, safety and security are vital elements of our organisation culture. This explains our focus on competence and qualification management. However, as our operation grew over time we ended up using several information systems to report on and manage staff competence and qualifications. Developing and executing a long term strategy for competence and qualification management became very complicated. We needed a better solution.”

CapCloud

What made Centrica Storage select CapCloud as their solution? Ian Griffin explains: “We’ve encountered many specialized systems for either competence or qualification management. Integrated systems often seemed too rigid in adapting the systems functionality to the way we work. With CapCloud we have an integrated system for both competence and qualification management and it supports the way we choose to work, not the other way around.”

“The CapCloud platform can be configured or otherwise developed in ways that it meets our needs. The type of support and engagement we experience from the CapCloud Learning Consultants is essential in this. We really work together on solutions as we move through the implementation process.”

Estelle de Hingh, leading CapCloud consultant on the project recognises the pleasant working relationship: “Centrica Storage’s drive and commitment to put an effective approach to competence and qualification management in place is obvious. They have a thorough and structured approach, and we are really working together towards an effective system and working practices.”

Implementation

Key elements of the implementation process include:

1. Vision creation. Creating a clear and shared vision on how the system can support the Competence & Qualification process.
2. Platform configuration. Vital configuration options include the permission structure, Job Roles (capability profiles), competence programmes and giving the system the CSL look & feel. All existing information on competences and qualifications will be imported into the CapCloud system by using a data uploader.
3. Content creation. Digital tests for knowledge testing, using the CapCloud e-learning functionality will be used.
4. Customization. Customizations relating to the course planning process, management information and dashboards have been requested. These features will be realized by the CapCloud development team part of the cost-neutral co-creation arrangements.
5. Train-the-trainer. The key-users will be trained in such a way that they will be able to train end users independently.
6. Trial group. Implementation will start with a trail group before the system will be rollout across the organisation.

CapCloud Learning Consultants experienced in oil & gas advise on our Competence & Qualification Management process and procedures.

Improved capabilities

Ian Griffin recognises some core benefits:

• Increased accuracy and speed of data registration, which includes our assessors to report directly into CapCloud.

• Manage (and enforce) uniform competence profiles for specific roles across the entire organisation.
• Provide self-management functionality for staff and line managers in matters of individual or team competence and qualification status. This helps us foster a culture where our professionals are responsible for their own professional development, safety and compliance.
• Strategic training planning. We expect to expand our time horizon some 4 years into the future. Needless to say that purchasing our training programs more strategically will save us a lot of money too.

Data Protection

Personal data in the cloud presents some challenges regarding privacy and data protection. The CapCloud organisation, processes and systems were subject of a thorough review by the Centrica organisation. Bart Dijkhuizen, responsible for information security in CapCloud, is glad about this attention: “Explicit attention to data protection by our clients is really appreciated. Ultimately, information security is a joined effort which should lead to continuous improvement. Also the involvement of Centrica led to some additional measures.”

For more details about the project contact Ian Griffin (+44 1482 895296) or Estelle de Hingh (+31 881 702040).