Transforming Training: a Guide to Creating a Flexible Learning Environment - the Rise of the Learning Architects

A round-up of the best book reviews recently published by Emerald.

Transforming Training: a Guide to Creating a Flexible Learning Environment – the Rise of the Learning Architects

David Mackey, Siân Livsey Kogan Page, 2006

Formerly a training director for Unisys in Europe and Africa, David Mackey is a trainer and coach and Siân Livsey is a management trainer and coach. They have written this highly practical book for those “seeking to harness the benefits of learning in today’s fast-moving world”, whether they be learning professionals or those less familiar with the worlds of training and human resource management.

The book aims to provide a toolbox of processes for identifying and managing the journey towards learning excellence. To cope with the accelerating rate of change faced by many organizations, it promotes a move from a reactive learning approach, introduces the concept of a learning architecture and identifies four types of learning architect: corporate, tactical, functional and individual.

Part 1 looks at the processes of creating a learning environment and considers organizations, learning and change, establishing the learning function, a journey to learning excellence, managing learning without a team and the business of learning. Part 2 looks at the rise of the learning architect and investigates the required skills and qualities, before going on to consider methods of delivering learning and current learning issues.

Each chapter is clearly introduced and summarised with relevant case studies set on a shaded background. Tables and figures are clearly presented and provide useful illustrations of the methods discussed.

Having set out to build an essentially practical book based on practical experience and research, there are few references to theory. Regrettably, the few mentioned do not give details of page numbers and some are not detailed in the list of references. References are, therefore, fairly limited –although supplemented by a list of further reading. Both include relevant and reasonably up-to-date titles, although there are other recent titles equally appropriate for further reading.

After the reader has potentially been inspired by the concept of a learning architecture and the developing role of learning architects given in the introduction, Part 1 may fail to meet his or her expectations, although the authors do warn that this section is designed primarily as a “dip-in”for learning and development specialists.

Part 2 offers useful examples of the skills and qualities required by the four types of learning architect, plus a context for these roles.

The book provides a valuable resource for those such as line managers, who have a limited learning and development background but responsibility for learning. It is bound to stimulate those with more experience to consider where their learning function is on the continuum and to reassess their role.

Reviewed by Ruth Whitfield, University of Bradford, England

A version of this review was originally published in Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 No. 6, 2006