IBM is using open badges to attract, engage, and develop talent. Badges provide skills validation and are shared on social media, differentiating IBM and increasing their talent pool. Badges benefit earners by providing instant skills recognition across their social profiles. Employers also benefit by accessing verified skills data on potential hires. IBM has issued over 100,000 badges globally, creating a database of skills and lead generation.

1. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Open Badges
IBM’s Initiative to Attract,
Engage and Progress Talent
DAVID LEASER
Senior Program Manager, IBM
david_leaser@us.ibm.com
@david_leaser

2. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Badging will generate thousands of IBM
brand instances dripping into LinkedIn,
Twitter and Facebook every day.
LinkedIn profiles with certifications/badges
receive 6X more views.
What is an Open Badge?
• Digital emblem which symbolizes skills and achievements
• Contains metadata with skills tags and accomplishments
• Easy to share in social media: LinkedIn, Twitter, FB, blogs
• Tethered to IBM to validate and verify achievement
• Based on Mozilla’s Open Badges standard
Three topline benefits:
• IBM: Differentiates IBM, increases our pool of talent, provides
continuous engagement and progression
• Earners: Instant recognition. Captures a complete skills profile,
from structured training to code building
• Employers: Provides IBM customers and BPs with verified
“nano-level” skills data on employees and potential hires.
An overview of Open Badges

3. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Explorer
Knowledge
Completes a quiz or
assessment
Advocate
Skills
Demonstrates a skill
or has applied the skill
Inventor
Capabilities
Designs and develops
new solutions
Certified
Authority
Has completed a solution,
certification or developed
a certification
Excellence
Eminence
Deep understanding of
highly complex subjects
IBM’s Open Badge Levels

4. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Big Data
University Case
Study:
14 Online
Courses

5. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Use cases
for badges
affect every
area of the
business at
IBM

6. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
The ROI of
Open Badges
is significant

7. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Open Badges are driving
the behavior we want:
"I find the badge program a great way of learning
and hope more badge options will be offered soon.”
**********
"In a recent interview, this badge gave me a chance
to elaborate about a learning activity that helped
improve my skills.“
**********
"More people are viewing my LinkedIn profile after
adding the IBM badge to my list of
accomplishments.”

8. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Social Media
Impact:
2.5 million
potential views
for every
10,000 badges

9. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
An Important
Benefit:
Digital badging
creates a
consolidated skills
registry capturing all
achievements across
IBM

10. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
IBM Open
Badges
have already been
issued to more than
100 countries, creating
a nanoskill registry and
a lead generation
database

11. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Dynamic Labor
Market Data
is built into every
badge we issue
through Acclaim.

12. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
IBM’s “Getting Started” Checklist
1. Identify your badgeable activities (who,
what, where, when, why and how many)
2. Determine how you will assess
completion, track and maintain attendees
3. Complete a badge program profile
4. Meet with badge team to review and
implement
5. Establish a landing page for the activity –
badge needs to point to an external page
6. Incorporate persuasive messaging into the
activity and notifications
7. Issue badges and notify badge earners
8. Survey and measure results

13. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
IBM’s Lessons Learned
1. Develop a solid communication plan.
2. Badge issuer must own the relationship
with the badge earner.
3. Build consent (privacy, info sharing) into
the activity.
4. Provide strong benefits statements
(marketing) into the intro letter to badge
earner.
5. Follow the template for badge landing
pages.
6. Add certification / skills paths into the
metadata for all badges.
7. Retro badges are less successful; limit time
period to 90 days.
8. Names are important: nobody wants a
“newbie” badge.

14. #OpenBadges @david_leaser Ibm.biz/badging
Thank You!
Web Page: ibm.biz/badging
David_Leaser@us.ibm.com
@david_leaser