The new Prewise Gimlet product family meets the needs of business
For more than eighteen months Prewise has been involved in a product development project subsidized by the National Technology Agency (TEKES). The project will be completed in the spring, when Prewise will introduce two completely new software programmes onto the markets: the Prewise Gimlet LMS e-learning environment and the Prewise Gimlet CMS publishing system.
Was the product development project the result of the thoroughly Finnish mentality of ”I refuse to use something developed by others”, or was it something else that prompted Prewise to develop its own learning environment? After all, there are already several other learning environments in the field, and product development does not come cheap.
- We based our decision fundamentally on the needs of the business world and on the need to provide solid support for the administrated learning process. The systems that are currently available on the markets are generally based on frameworks that apply to schools or universities, where the problematics of learning and study are different, says Timo Raaska, Managing Director of Prewise Finland.
- We have tried several different platform solutions in our own operation and have a perspective and experience of the systems on the market, both from the view of the end-user and the content producer. We didn’t think they sufficiently well met the needs of the business world, says Mr Raaska.
- Information marketing in a digital operating environment requires effective tools. Prewise Gimlet acts as the technical platform for the core products and services incorporated in Prewise’s information marketing. We are convinced that Gimlet contains unbeatable features facilitating the implementation of a managed learning process and producing a report. We want to give our customers the benefits of these features in as diverse a way as possible, says Timo Raaska.
Prewise Gimlet brings methods used in marketing and communication to the theoretical reference framework of e-learning. This combination ensures that the student absorbs information that supports the company’s identity and strong brand - all in a format that motivates the student and captures his or her imagination.
We set our sights high
- The product development process was challenging, but rewarding. Our extensive experience of publishing systems and working with several existing learning platforms meant that we could set our sights high. Right from the start, we decided to aim for the best in everything. The work was carried out in both Finland and Lithuania. As a result, the specifications and communication tended to get quite complicated, at times, says Ilkka Oksanen, Gimlet’s Technical Product Manager.
- We never lost faith in what we were doing. All necessary charting and analyses had already been carried out for the decision process, and we have not needed to question the justification of the development work along the way.
- We are happy with the end product. The pilot projects have been successful and the customer feedback positive. We have great faith in the product and our expectations are high, Timo Raaska summarizes the general consensus.
Text: Jaana Raaska