IBM relies on partners to spread e-learning

IBM to push half of the business from its new Learning Management System through the channel

IBM said last week that it wants to push half of the business from its new Learning Management System (LMS) through the channel.

IBM LMS, which started shipping earlier this month, features e-learning components that are scalable from departmental to enterprise level.

It is designed to connect learning to an organisation's core technology, such as portals, ERP, customer relationship management and other learning systems.

IBM director of e-learning, Andrew Sadler, admitted that interest in e-learning had stalled because of widespread disillusionment about the corporate benefits and a lack of financial resources.

"But we're starting to see a lot of interest. We're on the way up again," Sadler said.

He added that industries with strong compliance issues, in particular financial services and healthcare, were driving a lot of business.

"We want to capture market share and to do that we're looking to drive the indirect channel real hard," he said.

Sadler said IBM wants to boost its capability with global and regional systems integrators and ISVs.

Clive Longbottom, service director at analyst Quocirca, said: "What IBM has is essentially very good, but most people still see e-learning as computer-based training.

"IBM isn't doing a good job of getting the message across about the benefits. Using e-learning is more effective and allows you to do highly targeted learning. The training channel should be getting excited about this."

Paddy Lawton, managing director at ISV Digital Union, said: "E-learning is not something we get directly involved in but we get enquiries, which we pass on. There's a huge opportunity out there for niche VARs."