DPG (Developing People Globally) Case Study

About DPG

Developing People Globally (DPG) are an international organisation who’ve delivered high quality HR, L&D and management courses to 20,000 people across the world, including in organisations like Nationwide, British Gas, ASDA and the NHS. Their approach takes key theories and skills and applies them to real life challenges using case studies, helping learners apply what they’ve discovered to a practical situation while developing workplace-ready skills.

The Challenge

DPG received over 100 monthly enquiries for an online Human Resources Management program, prompting them to transform their CIPD Level 5 course from blended to fully online. They partnered with Virtual College, known for innovative e-learning solutions and long-term strategic collaborations.

Key Objectives:

• Expand Market Reach: Grow DPG’s CIPD portfolio, attract more learners, and provide international access to accredited courses.
• Stay Competitive: Compete with industry rivals offering online-only training while maintaining DPG’s reputation for high-quality HR education.
• Increase Profitability: Reduce the costs of blended learning and improve margins with a scalable online model.
• Maintain Quality: Ensure the online experience remains practical, engaging, and transferable, reflecting the effectiveness of their blended approach.

This project was a strategic move to future-proof DPG’s training offerings while delivering accessible, high-impact learning.

/n/n## The Idea

Virtual College and DPG collaborated to enhance DPG’s trusted case study approach using Kolb’s experiential learning theory, creating an innovative virtual business district. Learners were ‘employed’ by an HR consultancy, where they engaged with diverse businesses, each presenting unique HR challenges.

This immersive concept allowed learners to apply their knowledge in authentic scenarios, reinforcing their understanding through real-world application. To ensure the content met CIPD Level 5 standards, Virtual College worked closely with DPG’s subject matter experts, aligning the material with professional and academic requirements.

The Learning Solution

DPG and Virtual College partnered to take DPG’s Level 5 CIPD-accredited Human Resources Management course fully online, expanding market share while maintaining high-quality training.

Key Highlights:

• Immersive Learning: A virtual business district allows learners to apply HR knowledge to real-world challenges across industries like retail and manufacturing.
• Success Metrics: Since launching in October 2016, the course has 500+ learners, a 2% withdrawal rate (compared to 23% for the blended option), and 97% recommendation from participants.
• Hands-On Approach: Learners are ‘employed’ by a virtual HR consultancy, solving unique challenges for businesses, developing transferable skills, and gaining practical experience even outside their current industry.

This innovative approach delivers engaging, applicable, and high-impact HR training with proven success.

The Technical Solution

To meet DPG’s needs while reducing costs, an online-only solution was developed to deliver a high-quality learning experience comparable to blended learning.

Key Features:

• Engaging Characters: A diverse set of professional characters guide learners through the content, presenting real-world business challenges.
• Interactive Modules: Each Level 5 module is linked to a different business, using activities like drag-and-drop and scenario-based assessments to reinforce learning.
• Flexible Learning: Bite-sized content allows learners to explore additional resources or focus on core material.
• Webinar Support: Monthly evening webinars—recorded for flexibility—help learners with assessments and assignments, with access to sessions from different cohorts.
• Community & Expert Support: Learners engage with over 6,000 professionals in the DPG Community and receive direct support from facilitator Gary Norris via multiple channels.

This approach ensures an immersive, interactive, and accessible learning experience.

The Implementation

Virtual College took a trusted partnership approach, working closely with DPG to understand their business, learner, and project management needs. A structured plan with clear KPIs ensured the project stayed on track, with tasks divided into manageable phases. Collaboration with DPG’s subject matter experts ensured the content met the required academic standards.

Promotional Activities:

• Created a promotional video shared on YouTube.
• Hosted joint webinars at Learning Technologies 2017 on formative assessments and converting classroom courses to e-learning.
• Launched social media campaigns, including a Twitter account for the virtual HR consultancy owner.

A key challenge was securing CIPD approval for the online course before launch. Virtual College supported DPG by developing a detailed learning strategy, helping CIPD understand and approve the course’s structure and outcomes.

The Results

The overall learning strategy was effective in achieving DPG’s objectives and had a widespread positive impact on individual learners and DPG as a whole.

The increased flexibility afforded by an online-only option has several benefits to learners:

• The blended course requires six days of leave, while the online course requires none as it can be completed to fit around a learner’s schedule
• Mobile learning wasn’t available through the blended option; the online-only course allows for this and syncs with the system so progress is stored on whatever device you use
• Submission dates and completion speed for online-only are flexible, helping learners work at their own pace (from a few months up to two years)