The backbone of essential learning for
our ADSA members
THE COMPANY
THE CHALLENGE
Maximising the reach, benefits and cost savings of their new Totara LMS platform
ADSA (Automatic Door Suppliers Association) had been a Cortexa customer operating a custom solution for over 7 years prior to upgrading to Totara in the summer of 2024.
Whilst they had used their custom solution to deliver online training, they had continued to run their examinations through a third-party platform and manage their classroom training largely offline. This meant final assessments had to be delivered on ADSA premises via a supplied, locked down iPad. This same course test could be provided via remote access although this did require the downloading of an app. Overall the system worked but was considered quite expensive and did not report to the LMS.
Administration of a dispersed training offering was also becoming unsustainable. For example, the certification renewal process of critical industry credentials was a convoluted workflow which relied on manually recorded classroom attendance, unautomated email reminders and recertification windows, and manual re-enrolment to online recertification courses. Initial custom workarounds and compromises stunted ADSA’s ability to offer more to their learners and capitalise on their high learner engagement.
ADSA had created a hugely successful and busy network of active learners by delivering industry leading training. ADSA now needed a contemporary and flexible platform to enable the expansion of their training offering with streamlined admin processes.
THE SOLUTION
The starting point was an initial demonstration in which we used Totara’s question bank facility to provide a blended exam which could serve the required mix of mandatory content alongside randomised content from a variety of other question banks covering alternative topics. Due to Totara flexibility within this feature, we could have an exam comprising of five sections of which only section one has mandatory questions which everyone must take and in the same order. Then section 2 draws 10 questions from a bank of 30 about sliding doors and then section 3 does 10 from 30 about swing doors and then control systems. The exam system was also required to be time sensitive and therefore a one-hour timer began from the moment the first question was answered, and users were restricted to a single attempt. Once the required functionality was achieved the overall exam interface styling was enhanced to match ADSA’s requirements and the new system was launched.
The strongest testimony to the success and benefits of this new solution is that ADSA have recently replicated the same system for their BS EN 17352 training which is specific to power operated pedestrian entrance control equipment such as turnstiles and swing lanes.
THE RESULT
As Totara already provided the central core of ADSA’s online training the opportunity to expand its reach and save both time and costs was perfect. With thousands of installers completing essential BS EN training annually the isolated and restrictive nature of the original solution was far from ideal. It also created a secondary silo of user data which complicated administration and its remote access functionality required additional steps relating to installing an app. Reporting of all online courses and associated test results can now be achieved solely from within the Totara platform which saves time and alleviates the need for cross training. One of the greatest gains however comes from the automated process which follows the initial face to face training assessment, ensuring that a retraining, assessment and accreditation process continues in perpetuity.
Since its launch all trainees have entirely used the new system, and the old contract was terminated saving around £8,000 per annum. The unexpected benefit of this transition was to highlight and then accommodate those who struggling with common disability profiles from vision impairments to dyslexia and beyond. Ensuring that the drive to access and demonstrate knowledge remains to the widest possible audience.
In the 8 months since their new Totara Academy went live, some 910 installers have completed close to 1,900 accredited courses including 600 who have either newly qualified or renewed their BSEN 16005 accreditation, and more than 250 CSCS cards have been issued.
In summary the new Totara process and functionality has:
- Improved presentation of learning content,
- Accommodated learners requiring reasonable adjustments to improve their learning experience,
- Provided the ability to run technical examinations online,
- Produced a modern and more interactive platform that encourages engagement.
- Engaged a fully automated training and re-certification processes.
“We have had the pleasure of working with Cortexa for a number of years now. They have been the sole provider of our learning academy which forms the backbone of essential learning for our members in the Powered Pedestrian Door industry. Moving up to Totara for our online accreditations has taken our membership service offering to even greater levels.
All of these improvements have gone down a storm with our members and are saving us time and money in the process.”
BMF
Viessmann
Scottish Prison Service