What started the process of introducing a new training strategy in her business? Was it pulled by necessities, pushed by technical possibilities - or did it just seem like a good idea? What was the driving force?

Heike Setzkamp: What kicked off eLearning in the NWD group was a coincidental but very compelling conversation with Joachim Lautenschlager of a training provider called VIWIS. Before this discussion, which took place at a seminar, we had never really thought about eLearning.

In retrospect, this coincidence turned into a golden opportunity. And given what we now know, it was a very courageous step on our part.

Our CEO, Volker Landes, is very positive about all areas of education and immediately appointed a project manager and gave a green light for to start the planning. This step saved us two years of project preparation.

The cornerstone of the introduction of eLearning was to be a joint-effor
t between Viwis GmbH and the NWD Group. Our first topic had to do with refreshing dental technicians' and dentists' X-ray knowledge - which had just been made mandatory by law.

How much effort did it take and what obstacles did you face?

Heike Setzkamp: We never even considered obstacles or uncertainties. What could go wrong? Our partner is an eLearning professional and thousands of learners needed to improve their skills in a very limited time. It was low-hanging fruit and money would come pouring in.

Our first assessment was that VIWIS had to do most of the work; we only had to put together the technical content. And were just as convinced about the ease of this task, for which we took on a professional lecturer, Professor Peter Jöhren, as a third partner.

We never thought at this point that reality would catch up with us so fast, and I am firmly convinced that we always misjudged the time factor.

Our first obstacle was the explaining the medical content to the programmers. We had to explain it, correct it, improve it, and rework the technical presentation repeatedly. We simply didn't expect that medical information isn't immediately comprehensible to everyone.

The second error of judgment in time management was the correction work. Again here I would have made an incorrect forecast in a project plan.

But the most surprising challenge was our users ...

Was there any type of cost-benefit calculation or was there a budget that could be used on an "experimental" basis?

Heike Setzkamp: Yes. The financial cost and expected income were calculated quickly in our optimistic theoretical projections. Unfortunately, we never achieved the goals that were set.

In my presentation at LEARNTEC, participants will see that in the meantime we have come to understand how eLearning can be made to function successfully.

In your particular case, what was the most expensive component in the introduction of mobile learning?

Heike Setzkamp: Everything! We had no experience, and we are still the first and only firm specializing in the dental trade that uses eLearning both internally and in the external area.

Our biggest miscalculation was the benchmarking and evaluation of pure learning time and of effective learning objectives. Without eLearning we could only guess and evaluate subjectively. We were never able to measure student achievement in a timely and sustainable manner.

In addition, we initially had very high external costs, which we had planned, but which we sought to reduce in the future. Today, we've reduced them. Instead of high external costs, we can now afford high personnel costs, but these are much better for us to refinance.

Are you satisfied with the results so far?

Heike Setzkamp: YES!

Today we know that events with the industry have a strong impact. Today we analyze and evaluate projects totally different. Today we work successfully as a dental-medical service provider in the field of eLearning. Today, all NWD employees work regularly and successfully on their own personal learning platform. Today our customers book eLearning courses. Today we are still fascinated by the possibilities and positive effects. Today we're glad that we chose this path so joyously and naively.

eLearning is a cost-effective and, for us, the most effective way to provide knowledge and education in our company in a way that has regularly proven successful. And eLearning is a very successful marketing tool for the NWD Group!

My talk about mobile learning in SMEs is a success story with honest confessions in regard to our errors and misjudgments. Pink glasses and Münchausen syndrome are not my area of expertise. I'm going to talk about real processes and facts, and about people and the joy of being able to laugh at our own mistakes.