The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) recognizes that operational doctrine is changing in response to the emerging realities of international and domestic Defence requirements. This has profound consequences for any learning system. The MoD is also discovering that the benefits posed from delivering new learning themes, that focus on the optimisation of human factors, are difficult to quantify using traditional metrics. The challenge is to deliver the most cost-effective and human-centered approaches to what can often be a diverse and changing set of requirements.

This research initially explored relevant education and training literature. Eight interviews and a stakeholder workshop were conducted with key training and learning specialists and current students in UK Front Line Commands (FLCs) (Joint/MoD Head Office, Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Navy (RN), and the British Army) to analyse the current Defence Learning Ecosystem and understand change requirements. Findings indicated that learning analysis, design and assurance must become more agile and braver in future, to deliver maximum impact and increased value. The following key themes were raised: data, scope, barriers, optimisation, and motivation.

Research showed that the hierarchical nature of the current Defence organisation acts as a blocker to innovative instructional approaches within the current Learning Ecosystem. Changes are needed to improve the current Defence Learning Ecosystem into a coherent and adaptable process. Recommendations for UK Defence highlight focus on ‘Primary Concept Realignments’ which outline a dynamic and intuitive interaction between seven core anchors (people, culture, strategy, content, technology, governance and communication). Following implications include benefits for learning strategy development and governance in UK MoD future training. This will be developed further to describe a phased roadmap for optimising resources and managing change, framed around the core anchors and their connective tissue.