Latest Contributions by Suzanne-Boden

This year, the Esri User Conference theme seems especially thought-provoking. We’ve been reflecting on it a lot. What’s next for us—Esri Training? In case you don’t know, Esri Training is a team of teams. We like to say we’re the people part of the platform. Did you know your ArcGIS license included people? Figuratively speaking of course. Our teams include top-notch instructors, education specialists, designers, systems support superheroes, dedicated training consultants, certification experts, and a host of smart, talented people. We all agree that helping other people knowledgeably apply ArcGIS capabilities is a pretty awesome way to earn a paycheck. After all, we play a role in enabling hundreds of thousands of ArcGIS users to make a difference in their organizations and the world…and earn a paycheck of their own. That’s rewarding. In August 2016, when we last released a major update of our website, we said "The new Esri Training site is dedicated to the idea that learning should be easy, timely, and fun. Over time, even more features will be added to motivate and engage learners." Fast-forward almost two years. Today we remain dedicated to easy, timely, fun learning. Our redesigned website, releasing in just a few days, has more features to motivate and engage learners. The new website also represents the future: it’s what’s next for us. Esri Academy—brought to you by the people of Esri Training—is the new digital destination to discover, explore, consume, plan, and continue your learning. It’s a destination designed to help you build geospatial skills, grow your ArcGIS expertise, and advance your professional and personal goals. You may be thinking, “Esri Academy? What’s this all about?” In geographic terms, Esri Academy is the intersection of training and learning. It’s where “how” meets “why.”   A lot of people connect “training” with mastering the series of clicks needed to accomplish specific tasks using specific software. A bit boring but useful and necessary. Of course we create courses that teach how to accomplish specific tasks using specific software. And we do so much more. Our teams create content that explains GIS concepts, the geographic approach to problem-solving, and the choices that must be made before the clicks—content that goes beyond teaching how to use features and functions. We address the “why” because we think it’s important that ArcGIS users understand the context in which they’re applying tools. We aim to help the community adopt best practices to produce accurate data, maps, and apps. We support the many users who are excited about GIS and the customer organizations that see the strategic value of a geospatially literate workforce. We want to make it easy for managers and education professionals to support geospatial learning. We also really do want learning to be fun. These are the “why’s” that have brought us to Esri Academy. Esri Academy is where you go to attend a class, watch a video, join a live seminar, take all kinds of e-Learning, interact with thousands of other learners around the world in a MOOC, and download white papers to stay up to date with the latest ArcGIS capabilities. When you’re at Esri Academy, you’re not alone. At any given moment, a large community of learners is right there with you. The experience is personal. You control what, when, and how you learn. Esri Academy is where you have tools to craft your own learning journey—because everyone has unique goals. We’re especially excited to bring you new tools to create, share, and assign learning plans. We believe individuals and organizations empowered to knowledgeably use ArcGIS software can accomplish great things and make a positive impact in the world. Starting June 26, Esri Academy is your new and improved location for lifelong learning. You will still find us at esri.com/training.   Want to know more about Esri Academy? Over the coming weeks, we’ll dive into new Esri Academy features you will definitely want to check out. Related post: Changes Coming to the Training Site ... View more

It's official: next month we're releasing a new version of (and some exciting enhancements to) the Training site. The new site features an updated design and new tools to strengthen learner engagement, support focused learning goals, and personalize the user experience. One thing that's not changing: our laser focus on providing easy access to authoritative learning resources that support individuals and organizations using the ArcGIS platform.   Here's a sneak preview of two features you can expect to see in late June.   Interactive Curriculum Map   The Training catalog houses hundreds of professionally curated resources created by Esri education specialists and subject matter experts. Resources are available in a variety of e-Learning and instructor-led formats.   Given the number of available resources, it can be challenging to determine which resources best meet your unique learning needs, how resources relate to one another, and how to sequence through them. Interactive functionality on the new site helps solve this challenge.   Users will be able to select high-level ArcGIS topics and drill down to see related, focused topics. As they go deeper, a progressively more targeted set of related resources displays. Site users will be able to quickly filter hundreds of learning resources to a very manageable level.   Learning Plan Enhancements   Esri-created learning plans were introduced two years ago to help ArcGIS users build knowledge and skills on specific topics. Each plan contains a set of resources that individuals complete at their own pace. They track their progress through a plan on their My Learning Plans page. On the new site, Esri-created learning plans will still be available.   But there's more! On the new Training site, after identifying resources that meet your needs, you will have the option to add those resources to a learning plan. Yes, you can create your own custom learning plans—from scratch or by making a copy of an Esri-created plan and then adding or removing items to reflect your personal learning goals and interests.   Just like on Pinterest, where you create your own boards and pin interesting items to them, as you explore the Training catalog, with a single click you will be able to add interesting items to your own learning plans.      You can create as many learning plans as you like and you can share them if you want—with specific individuals or publicly so they are available to all Training site users.    And there's more! Learning plan enhancements are directly based on customer feedback. Managers have told us they want a mechanism to leverage their unlimited e-Learning benefit, train new ArcGIS users, support professional development paths, and prepare team members for GIS projects. Educators have told us they want an easy way to assign Esri e-Learning to their students. On the new Training site, you will be able to assign learning plans (Esri-created or custom) and monitor individuals' progress through the plan. Learning plan reports will be available through the Training site.   Lifelong Learning Anytime, Anywhere   The Training site is designed around the idea that authoritative ArcGIS learning resources should be easy to access at any time, from anywhere. With the rapid pace of technology change, individuals and organizations that prioritize lifelong learning will be well positioned to take advantage of new opportunities to gain insight, add value, and advance their goals.   The Training site is where you go to find up-to-date ArcGIS learning resources. In late June, it will also be the place to set and achieve your own learning goals, on a timeline that works for you.   Related post: Introducing Our What's Next ... View more

Updated March 21, 2024 In a dynamic job market, discussions and expert opinions abound about which skills professionals must have to gain the attention of hiring managers. In a dynamic workplace environment, discussion (and complaint) often centers on how to manage new technologies and technology-enabled capabilities that seem to arrive at lightning speed. Suggestions are usually directed at individuals. But disruption and technology advances over the last few years have wrought major shifts in expectations, and the new expectations have had a huge impact on organizations and their leadership.  Many organizations are looking for ways to not just meet expectations, but create opportunities. Forward-thinking organizations are leveraging new technology capabilities to realize greater efficiencies, build resiliency into operations, and reach new customers. More and more, innovative organizations are using GIS technology to drive new opportunities and growth.  Grow People to Grow Impact Less talked about is the idea of developing employees as a key growth driver. Despite ubiquitous technology that permeates modern life, human ingenuity and creativity remain indispensable. Organizations that pay attention to motivating and retaining employees have leaders who understand that people are their most important asset—the collective engine behind efficient operations, highly engaged customers, and innovative ideas that move the business forward. Workforce development is a people-centric strategy that is directly aligned to strategic business goals. Like anything, to be done well, workforce development requires planning. Planning should encompass support for known projects and initiatives but, more importantly, help prepare individuals and teams to leverage new technologies as a lever to improve the current state and seize new opportunities that arise from the yet-to-be state.   The Planning Process Planning starts with strategic alignment. Managers need to effectively demonstrate how workforce development directly supports the organization's strategic business goals. If they can do that, they earn executive buy-in (and budget approval). Reviewing the organization's mission statement (typically found on the main website) and executive presentations and communications can help confirm or identify strategic business goals. A key activity is to document how the GIS program directly supports the strategic goals. From there, document the workforce roles involved in creating, managing, and using GIS infrastructure and applications. Ask: What are my organization's strategic business goals? How do our GIS applications support the strategic goals? Which workforce roles support the GIS applications that support the strategic goals? Next, analyze the knowledge and skills needed for each role. If there are gaps, start identifying workforce development resources and delivery methods to fill the gaps. Consider priorities, project timelines, and budget. Document your findings. This is the genesis of an actionable workforce development plan. Ask:  What knowledge and skills are required for each role? Based on current and future plans, what are our workforce development priorities? What resources are available to develop the required knowledge and skills? What's our budget? Once the plan is documented, take action and execute. It's important to periodically review progress and the plan itself. Be prepared to modify the plan if a key staff member retires or changes roles, a new role is created, or a new technology component is introduced. It's critical that a workforce development plan maintains its strategic alignment over time. If it doesn't, the plan becomes irrelevant. Ask: Is the plan being executed as intended? Does the plan need to be modified? Is the plan still relevant? Workforce Development Outcomes Explicit outcomes are people developing the right skills at the right time, with an approved budget in place. With the right knowledge and skills in place, day-to-day operations are more efficient and planned projects launch on time and deliver value to the organization. Just as important, managers are able to demonstrate how their team functions as a strategic asset and employees feel valued and excited about their contributions, which leads to higher productivity and retention. From a leadership point of view, the key outcome is a skilled workforce able to navigate the disruptions that technology and other changes may bring—and, more importantly, take advantage of the new opportunities that follow. ----------------------------------- If you'd like to talk with someone about developing your workforce, Esri training consultants offer complimentary planning services to help individuals, teams, and entire organizations get the most value from GIS. ... View more