Ames-based Phasient Learning Technologies is breaking ground in the area of online learning, helping clients train their workforces while keeping costs under control.
Phasient has two key offerings -- providing online, on-demand classes and customized courseware for its clients. Although most of Phasient’s current clients are based in Iowa or the Midwest, the majority have a global presence, such as Pioneer, Kemin Industries and Vermeer Manufacturing.
Employees, sales teams, members and customers of Phasient’s clients can log in securely to a specialized web address and register for the classes they need through Phasient’s CLaaS, or Cloud Learning as a Service. Participants can start learning immediately and can return at any time, anywhere an internet connection is available.
With CLaaS, clients do not need to purchase hardware, install software, or worry about internal tech support or maintenance.
Phasient works with clients to develop online courses that reflect the particular organization's unique culture and products. The courses contain engaging scenarios, simulations, Virtual Role Play™ and other interactive features that capture learners' interests and provide realistic practice in applying knowledge.
The concept of virtual role play technology was originally developed for the call center industry, but clients have come up other creative ways to use the technology. Learners can interact with the course verbally and then play it back. Phasient tries to build in different and even unusual scenarios to help companies prepare their employees. The role play aspect gives employees and supervisors the opportunity to practice or reflect on difficult conversations or how to respond to difficult situations.
Denise Link, Phasient’s Vice President and one of the company’s founders, said a key goal is to keep the online learner engaged with courses that are relevant and interactive.
“We try to make all our courses media-rich -- using audio, images, and video when it is appropriate -- as we try to stay away from the ‘talking head’ concept,” Link said. “When it’s appropriate to show a video or use Flash animation to illustrate a concept, we will do so, but our goal is to keep it interactive. We don’t want people to just turn the course on and let it play, then walk away and do something else.”
Phasient believes in engaging subject matter experts on the most sought-after content needed in today’s business world, but the company also gives clients the ability to develop or edit the Phasient-created courses with what the company calls its “authoring tool.” This allows both Phasient and client to tailor and revise courses so they stay up to date.
The entire team thrives on excellence and innovation, but Link said the heart of the company is the instructional designers and course developers.
“We hire teachers, technical writers and communicators because we find they are very good at taking new information they didn’t know before, understanding it, organizing it in a meaningful way and presenting it to the audience,” Link said. “They have extremely logical minds and think ‘how can I lay this out in the best way for my learners’?”
Just as the internet and cloud computing technologies were created and continue to morph through their own business life-cycles, so has Phasient.
“When we first started the company in 2002, we had a team of software developers, software engineers and myself. We simply believed we could do e-learning better than anyone else that was out there at the time,” said Link, who has a background in education and technical communication. “Over the years, after the technology was built out and developed, the business became more mature and just needed maintenance.”
Phasient is currently expanding its product base by developing a library of courses that are less customized with topics such as leadership, communications and teamwork. Relevant across many different industries, the courses expose learners to real-life business situations they might encounter with both customers and peers.
“We’re constantly looking at ways we can leverage our platform and our ability to expand beyond training…at how we can bring value to our clients and to other markets,” Link said. “As we press ahead towards the future, it’s very exciting to try to figure out ‘what else can we be’?”
