O’Bilan interview: next generation skill assessment with VTS Editor

 Can you tell us about your offer, O’bilan?
Jérémie Oriac: O’bilan is a new generation skills assessment. For some time now, and especially since the beginning of covid, we have been considering, rethinking the skills assessment method, which is generally done in a classroom. O’bilan is a skills assessment company that combines e-learning activities and videos with a coach. We co-constructed it with two of them, Fanny Vandenbussche and Sabine Decroo. They brought us their expertise in assessing skills on top of their business experience, and we brought ours in e-learning. These two skills have enabled us to create a product that is adapted to the market and respects the ethics of coaches.

 What is your positioning in the coaching market?
J.O.: It’s interesting because the market is evolving very quickly. Until a few months ago, very few players were offering remote skills assessments. Today, the offers are multiplying and we are seeing that there is going to be a traditional market with in-room skills assessments, and another market for remote skills assessments. I’m talking about two different markets, because we realise that the typology of e-learning assessment participants is not the same: younger, and with greater “time constraints”.

 Why did you choose VTS Editor to develop your skills assessment offer?
J.O.: We surveyed the market before choosing VTS Editor. For us, the objective was simple: to create a link with the participants and make it as lively as possible. So, we created two virtual characters in VTS who present the different activities of the skills assessment. They ask them questions, react according to their answers, and the different scenarios adapt to the choice of the participants. Fun and engaging, VTS seduced us with its technicality, its quick learning curve, its commercial team and its very reactive support. We are not “just another client” with VTS Editor, it is a real partnership.

 How long did it take you to design and deploy your modules at O’bilan?
J.O.: I would say 2-3 months. We are moving forward with several versions. We subscribed to VTS Editor in September. By December, V1 of O’Bilan was ready and available to participants. V2 will be released in the next few days. And there will be a V3 very soon (in September) for the Full Web formula.

 What do you think are the keys to success to innovate in digital training?
J.O.: You have to put yourself in the customers’ shoes. We couldn’t have any commitment or positive feedback if we hadn’t put ourselves in the customers’ shoes. On the other hand, you have to know that not everyone is equipped in the same way: computer, tablet, internet connection that varies according to the region. We can definitely do something digital, but it must be very light and adapted to all. The digital transformation is very important for us, but it requires a very responsive human support, a sales team that takes the time to explain what a skills assessment is, without forgetting our coaches, with whom we created this skills assessment O’Bilan! Videoconferencing is an essential part for the assessment and our coaches are real HR professionals who manage to create a relationship with the participant even when they are on video.

 What feedbacks did you get from your clients today?
J.O.: Our clients and participants are delighted. The e-learning assessment formula is very popular. This is of course due to the assessment activities to be carried out on VTS Player, but also to the follow-up and advice provided by the coaches. A 20-hour assessment carries on 5 hours of videoconferencing and e-learning activities, which allow the learners to manage their time efficiently.

 Any other projects with VTS in the future?
J.O.: Taking our skills assessment on the Full Web part of VTS is the next step. From September onwards, our participants will be able to do their assessment on their phone, their computer, their tablet or by juggling between these different devices. This is not possible today and that will be a real step forward.