Benefits of Open Source

We believe that, where a great solution exists for end-users, open source technology choices are in the best interests of the buyer.

• Open source platforms benefit from a worldwide community of passionate developers, not just the changeable talent that works for one commercial organization.
• The ability to tailor the platform to meet your precise needs means that open source platforms are flexible and scalable. Learning requirements are never static, which means neither is your LMS.
• You’re not tied in to any one provider. When your customer experience starts to go downhill, it’s easy to change providers.
• An open source LMS usually works out more cost-effective because there are no per-user licence fees. If your workforce is growing, imagine the significant savings.

Overview of our Guide

Below are some of the key factors to consider when choosing between an open source or proprietary LMS solution:

Security / Stability – Vulnerability to attack is a commonly spread myth by people selling a proprietary solution. A widely used platform may be a target for hackers, but with an open source learning platform, there is an army of developers upgrading the system and providing regular upgrades, plugins and patches.

Surveys of open source LMS users don’t seem to support the myth. When Kineo, co-creators of Totara Learn LMS, conducted a survey of its users, this was not cited as a problem, and one user stated:

“Open source is not as buggy and issues were resolved quickly. We were confident in the capabilities of the open source solution since it is used so broadly.”

If an issue or potential issue with a platform crops up, then wouldn’t you want the combined talents of thousands of developers worldwide working to support a quick solution?

Vendor lock-in – This is a key consideration when looking to make a future-proof LMS choice. An open source LMS like Totara, which has been around for over a decade and offers hundreds of accredited providers in addition to the many other professionals to support it, gives you the comfort of knowing that if you wanted a different provider to support you, other options exist.

A proprietary LMS solution means that you are locked-in to the provider, as well as the solution. If you want to switch, it could mean a complex migration process, rather than simply allowing a new LMS services provider to pick up and manage your existing platform.

Our quick PDF guide covers many of the other typical differences when assessing an open source vs proprietary LMS solution. Some proprietary platforms may provide several of the advantages of open source – some may offer both in-house and cloud hosting, for example.

The table shows the differences in most cases, and many are true across all the platforms, including the ability to download and work with code – enabled by GPL licence – and the power of community-driven product improvement.

Webanywhere are official Totara Platinum partners. If you would like a copy of our handy PDF guide, feel free to request this via our contact form. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Open Source software is licensed through an open source agreement (such as GPL) that allows organisations to develop and tailor the software to suit local needs, for example, Totara LMS is licensed through GPL. The licence obliges organisations to make any changed source code available to the community to ensure the product remains open and beneficial for all. As a result this reduces the total cost of ownership in a sharing model.

Is Open Source safe?

The increasing adoption of open source solutions has resulted in a growing network of user and developer communities who continually review, troubleshoot and improve software code. The open source partner has a responsibility to support each hospital within their Service Level Agreement (SLA).

What support can I expect?

Support is available either from the communities involved in the development and usage of the software or from the original developer organisation, for example, these could be other hospitals. The SLA agreement will also give you, as a hospital, a support agreement where you can call a partner who can fix bugs for you and walk you through new functionality.

Are we locked into a particular partner of open source?

No, given the open source element, you have the flexibility to move from one vendor to another. This gives you control if you are unhappy with the service provided.

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The secret code

EasyJet’s Secret Code was developed for this purpose specifically, with special signals including:

• bacon baguette
• get the champagne
• baby’s bottle needs warming

Source: easyjet.com | Secret code of cabin crew

Source: easyjet.com  | easyjet cabin member requests a bacon baguette

Although this is a funny example of how EasyJet have approached training their cabin crew on how to communicate, it works.

EasyJet: Training Programme

EasyJet have also opted an onboarding training programme prior to starting in the role. This model is common in corporate learning departments and provides the employee the opportunity to learn about the company culture and some of the skills they will need from day one.

EasyJet specifically on:

• Safety and Equipment
• First Aid
• Aviation Security and Dangerous Goods; and
• Customer Service and Cabin Service.

This method of flipped learning online means new employees can use the face-to-face onboarding training as more of a collaboration for questions and discussion with their peers.

Demand for pilots

According to Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, 558,000 commercial pilots will be needed by 2034 to meet an increase in demand for air travel.  This equates to 28,000 extra jobs per year.  The significant increase in demand means higher pressure on the learning and development teams to deliver.

Sherry Carbary, VP at Boeing commented:

“Aircraft manufacturers, airlines, training equipment manufacturers, training delivery organizations, regulatory agencies and educational institutions are all stepping up to meet the increasing need to train and certify pilots and technicians.”

The RyanAir approach

With increased demands on air travel, airlines are looking to use learning and development as their model to ensure they remain competitive.  RyanAir have invested in their ‘labs’ project which includes IT recruitment in Poland and Spain.
Their European expansion included opening a training centre in London in 2016. The training centre is located near to Stansted Airport and was part of a £1.24bn investment in Britain.

Source: Ryanair.com | Ryanair – classroom

The apprenticeship levy

With the new UK apprenticeship levy now in play, many airlines are using this model to support the growing demand for talent to grow their skilled workforce.  Accordingly, British Airways’ Apprentice and Graduate Manager Karen Hewitt states:

“Apprenticeships are an excellent way to introduce talent to the workplace. You can learn new skills and gain vital on-the-job experience, all while earning a wage.  We are particularly proud of the retention rate of our apprentices – the majority of whom gain employment with the airline after their programme ends.’

As part of the new apprenticeship levy, airlines in the UK will now have to contribute 0.5% of their payroll to the apprenticeship programme. They will be able to use these funds to spend with specific approved government suppliers.

Heathrow Academy are training over 1,000 unemployed people, most of whom find a job at the end of the programme.  They are also providing levels 2 – 4 apprenticeships and have pledged to deliver over 500 this year.

Paula Stannett, Chief People Officer at Heathrow comments:

“There is a place for everyone at the airport – whatever your career ambition, we’ll help you get there.”

For more information about an airline’s successful training programme, read about JetBlue’s experience here.

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