“Learning needs to be joyful experience. Not something you have to get through with gritted teeth. It should never be something that you have to ‘put up with’. That joy starts when you put people first and processes in a worthy, but very definitely secondary, place. You’ll never be able to achieve your learning goals by forcing people to learn. You first have to create the culture and environment that make people want to learn not feel they have to learn.”
So states Elliot Gowans, general manager of Access Learning. He believes that this joyful process of learning starts with having the right tools to enable that excitement and engagement to happen naturally and easily.
Access’s head of product, Idan Sol, adds: “As consumers we live in a personalised world. We’re used to having technologies that tailor themselves to our interests and enthusiasms. The media we use has content which is definitely based on what we’ve previously expressed an interest in knowing more about. So the technology we use in business needs to be able to deliver a similar and seamless experience, not least when it comes to how we learn new skills and absorb new ideas and techniques.”
Turning the joy of learning into a reality
To turn this ideal into a reality, Access has created – and is now launching – a new learning tool: Access LMS Evo. Says Idan: “Everything about Evo is built around the concept of igniting the joy for learning. To do that, it brings together a range of tools and features which enable the creation of homepages, belts and spotlights which are all focused on fully engaging the learner. It’s designed to help them quickly access the content they are interested in. In short, it turns the LMS into a place they really want to come back to. It makes even the most mandatory learning tasks a joy, not a slog.”
Elliot adds: “Not only have we focused on building an intuitive, friendly design, but one which cuts learning time and puts the most vital tasks front and centre. For example, the My Learning feature provides a dedicated place where the learner can manage and curate their very own learning experiences. But importantly, it gives those in charge of learning and development (L&D), as well as the learner, the tools to tailor the learning experience and boost overall organisational engagement while developing their skills and knowledge.”
No learning without joy
“We’ve worked hard to create a platform that opens up enjoyable learning for everyone,” says Elliot. “But we’ve never lost sight of the fact that it’s not just about creating a powerful learning experience. It’s also critical to ensure that the learning process is managed and guided. Learning, be it the achievement of new skills or ensuring compliance with key business objectives, has to be managed and measured. That also has to go hand in hand with the learning experience. One matches the other. The joy of learning also needs to be backed up by the ability to direct that learning in a way that’s no less joyful, painless and effective. Only when you can link the two will you have an LMS that truly delivers for the learner and the wider business.”
With cost reduction and productivity improvement remaining top priorities for organisations, companies must equip their teams with the right tools to align talent strategies with business objectives, drive key performance outcomes, and adapt to evolving market demands. Achieving this requires fostering engagement, motivation and a genuine desire to learn. These are all factors that lead to more effective skill development, better learning outcomes, and sustained productivity.
To find out just how your organisation can ignite a joy for learning using Access LMS Evo, sign up now for our expert panel session, or to explore the product in more detail visit the Access Learning website at here, and discover the joy of learning for yourself.
Idan Sol, head of product for Access Learning (part of The Access Group), joined Access a year ago and has been heading the learning portfolio products ever since. Idan brings more than 20 years of experience in workplace training, learning and development, and product management. His experience varies from building learning products from the ground up to shaping the future of existing products.
Elliot Gowans joined The Access Group in 2024 as general manager for Access Learning. Prior to joining Access, Elliot spent nine years at the Canadian EdTech company D2L. Elliot is passionate about formal and informal education, life-long learning and technology.
