SOFTWARE BUSINESS CASE
SKILLSOFT ONLINE LEARNING
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................. 2
1.
Problem Definition ......................................................................................................................................... 2
2.
Addressing Problem with CWU existing tools and products (i.e. PeopleSoft) ................................................. 2
3.
Organizational Impact .................................................................................................................................... 3
4.
Benefits .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
5.
Strategic Alignment ........................................................................................................................................ 4
6.
Cost ................................................................................................................................................................ 4
7.
Alternatives (add lines as necessary) .............................................................................................................. 5
8.
Timing / Schedule (add lines as necessary) ..................................................................................................... 6
9.
Technology Migration/Resource Identification .............................................................................................. 6
10. Product Life/Application Sunsetting or Decommissioning ............................................................................. 6
11. References .................................................................................................................................................... 6
12. Recommendation .......................................................................................................................................... 7
13. Approvals ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Sponsoring Department(s):
Human Resources, Professional Development and Training
Date of Business Case Preparation:
August 25, 2014
Contact Person Name/Phone: Gail Farmer 963-2206
New Product/Service
If there is a draft or sample contract, please provide a copy.
Renewal of Existing Product/Service – if checked, include background information.
If there is a site license agreement, existing contract or new contract draft, please provide a
copy.
1. Problem Definition
Professional development and training has been in a state of flux for the past several years.
The focus has been solely on compliance related training (Preventing Employment
Discrimination and Harassment; state mandated new supervisor enrichment). Results of a
needs assessment (N= 385) completed in spring 2014 confirm the need for further
development opportunities. Fifty-four percent (or 208) of all respondents cited their
workload as the primary reason they have not taken advantage of CWU training programs.
A majority of respondents indicated a need for specific types of training. Sixty percent (or
231) cited performance management, including coaching, leadership, and dealing with
difficult employees; forty percent of respondents (or 154) indicated a need for stress
management training; another twenty percent (77) cited a need for training in Canvas,
Adobe Products, and Enterprise System, while fourteen percent (or 54) desire training in
Microsoft Office Products. Given the switch to Outlook and Office 365 during fall quarter
2014, this need will likely grow exponentially.
2. Addressing Problem with CWU existing tools and products (i.e. PeopleSoft)
HR’s Professional Development and Training Office has been successful preparing limited
online compliance training (harassment, Title IX, etc.) for student employees. PDT has also
had some success with BLR, a third party vendor who provides a limited library of
compliance related topics as well as human resource type classes. The courses are not
particularly compelling, interactive or engaging. In addition BLR has a cumbersome learning
management system and limited enrollment under current contract provisions. A recent
report reveals that approximately 500 faculty and staff are due to take required compliance
courses during the 2014-15 academic years and the contract with BLR has less than 50 seats
remaining under our current contract. Skillsoft’s LMS would be replacing BLR and it’s LMS
and is much more user-friendly than BLR. It provides a robust reports and tracking system
that includes, but not limited to, printing certificates of completion, export and import of
transcripts, and impact value analysis reports.
Another existing tool is IT Microsoft Academy. It has not been marketed very well and
focuses on Microsoft products. Skillsoft has the same courses and allows for employees to
keep track of their Microsfot and other training within Skillsoft.
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3. Organizational Impact
PDT conducted research on other available vendors who specialize in on-line training and
professional development. Skillsoft was identified as the preeminent provider in this field.
In order to evaluate Skillsoft’s offering, PDT held an open meeting where the Skillsoft
product was demonstrated and explored. More than 30 staff representing several
departments were in attendance. Follow-up meetings with these individuals were
conducted. There was a consistent positive response to this product. For example, the IS
Department is interested in Microsoft SQL, Microsoft SharePoint, and Active Directory;
Continuing Education is interested in several lengthy certification courses as well as desktop
courses (i.e. Microsoft Office, Adobe, etc.) and various administrative assistants and
directors were interested in the leadership, supervision, communication, and conflict
resolution courses offered in the business module. Safety courses that are mandatory for
some staff in Dining Services and Facilities Management are being previewed by relevant
administrators and it is anticipated that the response will be positive here as well.
Staff and faculty will be the primary users of Skillsoft and the educational assets offered by
their learning management system will help us meet the needs determined in the spring
2014 training needs assessment.
The on-line learning site is hosted by Skillsoft and no changes are necessary to existing IS
systems. It is requested to utilize single sign-on through MyCWU. Supervisors will be able to
assign courses to staff that will enhance the professional development plans of their
employees. The Skillsoft learning management system will also enable them to monitor
completion. In addition, staff will be able to track their course completions and develop a
transcript of completed courses and certifications
Student Employment is excited about the possibility of providing on-line training
opportunities for student employees through Skillsoft. They intend to work with supervisors
to identify appropriate courses for student employees.
Skillsoft will systematize several manual processes that are currently done by the staff in
PDT. These processes include class enrollment, verification of completion, evaluation of
courses, and data collection. Supervisors and manages will also have the opportunity to
keep up-to-date on information pertaining to their particular employees.
All Stakeholders


Faculty, staff, student employees, PDT team.
RFP Requirements Contributors (add lines as necessary) – This section may or may not
be required
Department
Name
Human Resources (PDT)
Gail Farmer and Staci Sleigh-Layman
4. Benefits
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The availability of an on-line, just-in-time learning management system would certainly have
a positive impact on the cost of professional development. Our current accounting system
does not allow the university to calculate easily the cost of professional development. The
forthcoming change in “chart of accounts” will assist us in collecting this information. Tim
McGuire, Manager of Financial Management Systems, was able to determine that over
$108,000 was spent on travel associated with professional development during FY2014.
However, making online training available will not restrict faculty and staff from attending
conferences and other professional development opportunities. Skillsoft is to provide all
CWU employees a rich, on-demand learning environment to complement their professional
development plans and reduce the cost of travel.
In addition to the benefits articulated above, the “educational assets” (i.e. books, videos,
etc.) are up-to-date and created with the adult worker in mind. Skillsoft invests
approximately $50 million a year in research and development. Many of the videos, for
example, are created to be no more than 5-10 minutes in length so that employees can
learn what is needed and then go back to work. Skillsoft is also 508 compliant meaning that
it is accessible to employees with disabilities. It is anticipated that these factors will have a
positive effect on employee engagement and morale as they feel more equipped and
supported in doing their jobs well.
5. Strategic Alignment
The value statement of CWU includes the following:
… CWU is committed to the following shared values:
Student success: CWU believes that student success is best achieved by providing supportive
learning and living environments that encourage intellectual inquiry, exploration, and
application. CWU believes that learning is best achieved in small classroom or group settings
with ample opportunities for individualized instruction, mentoring, advising, and
programming.
All of the above stated value is applicable to Skillsoft and its provision of learning
opportunities of employees.
The following objectives from the CWU Strategic Plan are applicable to this proposal:
 Objective 5.1: Maximize the financial resources to the university, and assure the
efficient and effective operations of the University through financial stewardship.
 Outcome 5.1.2: Maximize strategies and practices that optimize resources availability
and
 Outcome 5.1.3: Provide effective use of university resources.
6. Cost

Source of Funding (Project ID) or Description of the Source of Funding.
By prioritizing staff and faculty professional development above a couple of other less
critical HR initiatives, HR’s budget will fund this entire purchase. No additional funding is
needed. The PID is 117700000.
Cost Breakdown
Below is a quote from Skillsoft that shows the enterprise cost and the cost per library if
each library was purchased individually. Setup fees are included in the cost. The
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Skillschoice Complete also includes features such as: a learning consultant, access to
and assistance with marketing, program reviews every 6-months, and impact value
analysis. As a result of negotiations, Skillsoft, Inc. has agreed to set the annual cost for
CWU at $33,000 per year for two years. An option of a 4-year contract is available to
set the cost. If it’s decided to do a year to year contract, it is expected to see a 5%
increase annually.
7. Alternatives (add lines as necessary)
Alternative
Reasons For Not Selecting Alternative
BLR
HR-PDT used this product for one year. The
program is cumbersome, not user friendly,
and make available a limited number of
“seats.” The company is not as responsive
as Skillsoft is anticipated to be based on
their track record at other institutions. Does
not have a higher education focus.
Training Today
Training Today is a product HR-PDT used for
several years to conduct CWU on-line
compliance courses. The focus of this
product was not on higher education. In
addition, it was difficult to use, data
collection was difficult, and the vendor
failed to keep its programs up-to-date.
IT Microsoft Academy
IT Microsoft Academy is free to all who
have a CWU email account. IT Academy
comes with the purchase of the Microsoft
suite at the institutional level. Currently,
training is available only on Microsoft
products which limits options for other
areas of professional development.
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8. Timing / Schedule (add lines as necessary)
Task
Target Date
Because this is a stand-alone, on-line program, it can be implemented
with limited lead time. It would take approximately one-month to
collaborate with Skillsoft to create the “CWU platform” and conduct
the marketing campaign.
November 1, 2014
9. Technology Migration/Resource Identification
No new technology is required
We evaluated several options with the Skillsoft/PeopleSoft connection. Absolutely
necessary is single-sign on for MyCWU users and this will be accomplished through the CWU
single sign-on provider Shibboleth. Skillsoft assures CWU that they do interface with this
provider at no additional fee. Washington State University has this setup.
All reports within Skillsoft are available for download in Excel. These are easily uploaded
into PeopleSoft Learning and Development Module. HR will work with IS to determine
frequency of updates and content.
We rejected the idea of full integration of Skillsoft with PeopleSoft as a cost of $10,000. We
feel this is unnecessary.
This request is to implement single sign-on within MyCWU and utilization of the batch
upload process. Single sign-on makes sense as we direct employees to MyCWU for many
administrative activities. The batch upload will provide information (both records and
assignments) within PeopleSoft for access by employees and their supervisors.
10. Product Life/Application Sunsetting or Decommissioning
Purchase of this product is on an annual basis. PDT will be able to provide data regarding
users and effectiveness.
11. References
Skillsoft has over 200 University partners across the country such as: University of Southern
California, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCSD, California State University (All 23
Campuses), University of Oregon, Washington State University, University of Phoenix,
University of Oklahoma, University of Texas, University of Iowa, Western Governors
University, and University of Colorado. Several universities were contacted; two were
available to provide feedback on Skillsoft.
University of Oregon’s Training and Development Director is very happy with Skillsoft. The
institution has been with the program for 5 years. She mentioned Skillsoft is intuitive, the
company provides excellent customer service, and provides a community site within Skillsoft
for employees to network. The response has been very positive from employees. They
enjoy the Business Skills and Desktop Libraries and appreciate the convenience of accessing
courses from anywhere. The implementation of the program was seamless with very little
setup time.
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Washington State University’s Director is also pleased with Skillsoft. The institution has
been using the program for nine years. Most employees prefer in-person training; however,
those who have used Skillsoft are positive about the program and are favorable of the
content and the single sign-on capability. He also recommends using the marketing tools
available to promote Skillsoft to employees. The templates are customizable and easy to
use.
Both the University of Oregon and Washington State University spoke highly of the program.
They recommend Skillsoft because it allows employees to access the courses, books, and
videos on-demand when in-person training is not available. They see it as the back-bone of
their training and professional development program.
12. Recommendation
Skillsoft will provide a stable, up-to-date, relevant learning platform for all CWU employees.
As mentioned earlier, Skillsoft invests approximately $50 million a year in research and
development. From all accounts, it will meet the needs as expressed in the spring 2014
training needs assessment.
13. Approvals
The following actions have been taken by the appropriate Sub-Council (ATAC or NonAcademic Sub-Council) and Enterprise Information System Committee (EISC):
Date
Action
By
9-9-14
Approved
Non-Academic Committee
9-15-14
Approved
EISC
Upon secured funding and approval by the Enterprise Information System Committee (EISC),
Enterprise Facilities Committee, or one of the two Sub-Councils (Academic or Non-Academic),
CWU procurement policies and procedures should be used to initiate a purchase. Please
contact the Purchasing office at x1001 with any questions regarding the procurement process.
If you have any questions, please contact Ginger McIntosh 963-1466, Sue Noce 963-2927 or
Tina Short 963-2910.
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