Meat and Livestock Australia's (MLA) ultimate objective was to position online learning as a central component of the MSA accreditation strategy, thereby increasing awareness and adoption of the program. This required a revamped online registration process and an easy, cost-effective gateway to the accreditation program across Australia. A seamless user experience was an important factor, while the platform needed to be adaptable to meet MLA’s evolving needs.
An online model was chosen to easily incorporate learning and assessment into the end-to-end process of accreditation, reducing costs and ensuring a wider reach across rural Australia. The technology considerations were important to ensure the collection and integration of information within existing databases, and to allow learners to easily and effectively access the program.
MLA and HowToo Xpert worked collaboratively to create a robust integration for a clean and simplified learner experience. Learning modules and assessments were developed using custom-coded front-end technologies, and the administration and recording of results was managed through a custom MLA managed back-end system. Through an iterative design and development process, with multiple opportunities for review and reflection, each party was clear on how to achieve a great end result.
The incorporation of learning and assessment into the accreditation process has created a natural gateway to accreditation, rather than a separate and unwieldy process. The integration of the program into MLA’s existing websites and databases allows for the tracking of users and self-managed training within a business. The specific technologies used assisted in the seamless delivery of the program, providing learning environments accessible from desktop computers or mobile devices.
MLA and HowToo Xpert (formerly Savv-e) were awarded an Honourable Mention International E-Learning Award, Silver Brandon Hall for Creating an Extended Enterprise Learning Program and LearnX Gold for Best eLearning Online for the Meat Standards Australia program.