WBTIC 1996 Training Survey

Introduction

The Web-Based Training Information Center 1996 Training Survey, conducted from September 1996 to June 1997, polled site visitors on organizational training capabilities, current implementations, plans, and attitudes that pertain to WBT. The results of the survey show participant interest in Web-based training and Web-based performance support systems for workplace training and organizational interest in the financial, cultural, and technical structures necessary to implement such systems. While respondents were self-selected, the high degree of participation offers sufficient data from which to draw meaningful conclusions.

Participants

Survey participants are employees of large multi-national corporations, small businesses, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and academia. Here is a small sample of participating organizations:

Summary

The questionnaire comprised five components: Respondent Profile, Organization Profile, Training Program Profile, Computer Resources Profile, and Attitudes.

Over 82% of respondents are part of a company or organization that uses or develops training for internal use, 68% are part of a company or organization that develops training for others. 16% identified themselves as instructional designers, 11% as educators, 11% as director/department manager, 10% as project manager/group leader, and 8% as chairman/president/owner. The department or function of the majority of respondents are organization training (27%) and education (20%). The greatest response came from educational institutions (23%) followed by computer software companies (10%).

These organizations are generally very large or very small: 29% have over 4000 employees, 29% have 100 or fewer, and 5-9% each for the remaining 6 size catagories. It is no surprise that 62% of organizations have multiple sites linked by computer, 21% have only one location, and 16% have multiple sites not linked by computer. A full 78% indicated that their organization either had an intranet or would be implementing one soon. 76% of organizations have budgeted specifically for employee training.

Quite predictably, the largest percent or respondents (75%) believe that quality of learning is the most important consideration in selecting training followed by cost to implement (36%). Somewhat surprising is the least important consideration, speed to implement, one of the advantages of WBT.

Data Details