8 Digital Convergence

E-learning is increasingly converging with other management tools, providing managers with a unified view of all financial, customer and employee considerations. In this sense, we are moving one step closer to becoming more effective "learning organizations."
Consider a recent interview Bill Gates gave the media. When he was asked to comment on the future of technology, he indicated, "Computers will become passé." He noted that computers will be built into just about everything we use with applications that are so intuitive and advanced that people will not focus on the fact that a computer is even involved.
We see this already in many of the products we use. Computers "drive" our cars and "power" our major appliances. But when we purchase these items, we aren't focusing on the computer. Just recently a manufacturer touted a new coat it was producing with fibers that become warmer or cooler depending on the outdoor temperature. Is this manufacture selling computers? No, he's selling coats. Behind the scenes is the computer, the technology, driving the purchase, and use of the product.
This same type of trend appears to be happening with respect to e-learning. Beyond the next two years, computer-based training will become more and more embedded into and intermingled with business tasks, tools, processes and applications. Soon the computer won't be the focus. Ultimately the concentration will be on helping employees with the tasks they need to do, when they need to do them.