Claims learning and development is undergoing a quiet revolution. The exponentially growing wealth of information available to the modern claims associate is mirrored by the development of new tools to facilitate access and use of this information. Just-in-time knowledge management, as it were, in the nick of time.

Our industry is moving, albeit more slowly than most, from traditional, event-based training to online, 24/7, synchronous and asynchronous e-learning and performance support in both formal and informal settings. Blogs, wikis, podcasts, expert forums, interactive modules, virtual classrooms and electronic performance support systems (EPSS) have become vital elements of modern instructional design and delivery.

We all seem to agree that it’s frivolous to incur additional costs to transport, house and feed students when we have a plethora of tools that not only circumvent this expense, but do it better, cheaper and at a place where the students live. But better and cheaper are not enough; certification must translate into results in the field. Performance improvement is the new metric for measuring training effectiveness. New learning and, by extension, certification must improve claim performance, which then improves the bottom line. Event-based training is cumbersome, slow and hard to measure. Rarely has it reached an entire enterprise, and if it did, it was a colossal expenditure. But have the wide array of claims designations and certifications kept up with the quiet revolution in technology? Are claims designations associated with being progressive, accessible, vital and technical?

Practical is a word that best applies to the previous question. Dictionary.com’s definition of “practical” includes: “Of, pertaining to, or concerned with ordinary activities, business or work: practical affairs.” The ordinary activities of claims consist of the day-to-day interactions of adjusters, claims processors, insurance service providers, insureds, claimants and claims management. Communications often reflect technical claim issues that have real meaning and real connotations for the present and the immediate future. Practical learning and knowledge are vital to this process, as a lack of practical skills and knowledge in a knowledge-based industry is tantamount to disaster.

How much did a lack of claims knowledge contribute to the industry response to Katrina? How well do the present certifications prepare claims associates to handle future catastrophes? Are we integrating modern methods and curriculum into our designation offerings? Are we making these tools readily available to the technology-savvy Millennials entering the workforce in greater numbers?

At present, most of the industry’s outlook is reactive. To improve training and performance, we must shift to a proactive perspective. New learning programs should anticipate business needs before they occur. In these hard economic times, training dollars cannot be invested in non-productive or nebulous programs that do not stand the test of performance measurement.