1. What is your role within Alcatel-Lucent?
I am responsible for learning methodology and tools. I listen to my internal and external customers to see if we can improve our learning services by using new or different learning methods. This includes of course e-learning, and so we have designed several e-learning solutions, implemented them and my team is also operating them daily.
2. What has been the most satisfying and/or successful aspect of the Alcatel-Lucent's internal corporate podcast?
We live in a world which is very much focused on 'visual' and 'interactive', compared to that, a podcast seems to be a rather old-fashioned passive audio-only experience. The most satisfying experience is that because of these limitations', the contents seemed to be much stronger and yield much more effect. It is like performing a song with just one acoustic instrument, rather than using a full orchestra...
3. What do you believe are the major roadblocks for corporate podcasting both internally to Alcatel-Lucent and externally in the market place?
My biggest roadblock is to find people contributing contents. Everyone is willing to listen, but only very few realise that everyone has to tell a story. To design a podcast program is a one time effort and is quite fun to do. To collect the contents is a returning effort. We need to find some solutions for that.
4. How are you measuring the impact and effectiveness of your podcast campaign?
We measure this both in quantity and quality:
1. We closely monitor the number of downloads, listeners and subscribers, to learn which is the most convenient way to bring the podcast to our listeners, which is the best time to post a new edition and other trends.
2. For quality, we encourage people to give us feedback about what they liked (and what not). This way we are building up experience about which topics people need and what level of detail and overall style we should offer.
5. What one piece of advice would you give to a company or organisation that is beginning a podcast campaign with a blank sheet of paper?
I would advise to follow a similar process as we did for the design, and to assign a minimum of dedicated people for collecting the contents once you are 'on air'
Pascal Roobrouck is a 40 year old imagineer. He works for Alcatel-Lucent University, the corporate training centre of Alcatel-Lucent. He is responsible for technology-supported learning. In this position he has built learning solutions using all kinds of media and technology. This way he and his team realise over 40000 learner-hours per year, reaching an audience of thousands of employees. In 2006 Pascal developed and implemented a corporate 'learning' podCast called 'radar'.
Pascal Roobrouck will address "Podcasting for employee training and communication"
You can register to attend at www.podcast-
The early bird discount will expire 2 February 2007.
