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Earlier this month in Antwerp, Komensky brought together a group of senior learning leaders for a bold, open conversation that we called Life After the LXP.
Once hailed as the next big thing in workplace learning, LXPs promised personalized journeys, strategic skill development and greater learner engagement. Yet, the panel agreed that in reality, instead of becoming the transformative solution we hoped for, too often it was just another layer; loosely integrated and lacking the user-friendliness of tools we use every day.
Furthermore, the strategic insights that these platforms were meant to provide have simply not been forthcoming, and there is growing realization that learning within an organization is a complex beast that cannot be captured in a simple data model.
The answer lies beyond the tech.
As Yvo Verbeek, Head of Learning at Achmea succinctly put it- “Technology is not the solution- it’s the enabler."
A major theme that emerged from the panel was this: Technology doesn't drive change- people, culture and process do. An organization with a rigid culture, fragmented systems, or unclear goals will see even the most powerful platform fail. And if you don't really know your people or your strategy, no tool, whether LXP or AI, will deliver impact.
To make tech matter, it must align with how people actually work and learn- and it needs to consistently, reliably, be there at the point of need. Or as Alex Baggerman, Director of Talent Learning at Renewi, memorably put it: “become boringly predictable.” which might sound rather uninspiring on the face of it but it’s in fact really hard to do.
But it wasn’t all pessimism. The panel also pointed to bright spots, particularly when learning is approached through the lens of skills. Not abstract, top-down skills frameworks, but small, practical steps: like tying skills development to actual business problems, and starting with what’s real rather than what’s ideal.
Maureen Vermin, Talent and Learning Manager at PostNL highlighted a successful business-aligned pilot at PostNL, focusing on clearly defined skill gaps related to strategic goals, rather than attempting a comprehensive top-down skill mapping approach.
Similarly, Linda de Bruin from ABN AMRO recommended a pragmatic focus on "critical expertise" rather than comprehensive skill frameworks that fail to integrate seamlessly with strategic workforce planning."
Clearly AI will be a big part of the future; but the key is to proceed with caution. Al has the potential to embed learning in daily work more seamlessly than ever. It can answer "how do I do this?" questions in real time - a leap from traditional content libraries.
But as almost all the panelists reiterated, Al is not another silver bullet and it's important to beware of the hype so that we don't end up in the same trough of disappointment as we did with the LXP. It is only powerful when anchored to real needs, not shiny trends. So start with genuine problems that address primary or frontline business processes. Anchor it to genuine business needs, and prototype / validate before widespread adoption.
Another interesting aspect of AI is how it forces L&D towards even more alignment with IT, something that has historically been a weak link for a predominantly ‘non-technical’ learning function. As Jan Rijken pointed out- “IT is becoming intertwined everywhere, including within the L&D function. If a generative AI solution is a piece of technology, doesn't that mean L&D is gradually moving more towards the IT side.”
One of the most surprising takeaways from the discussion was a renewed appreciation for human connection. Buddies, communities, coaching - these informal structures often produce the most meaningful learning is where the magic happens. Instead of replacing these with platforms, organizations should use tech to amplify human connection, not eliminate it.
Deborah Martina-van den Aker, Learning Systems Manager at ASML spoke for many in L&D when she said “I think that sometimes in technology, we see something cool and think it's amazing. But then you actually forget the person who has to work with it”.
So to summarize- what should learning leaders take away?
In a post-LXP world, the future of workplace learning won't be driven by platforms alone. It will be shaped by how well we connect people, purpose, and process. It's the main reason why at Komensky we're so passionate about structured learning ecosystems- which we'll share more about in upcoming posts.
In the meantime, if any of the above resonates with you or you’d like some support with getting started on this journey, drop us a line at hello@komensky.nl and let’s chat. I promise we're a friendly bunch.
