Frequently Asked Questions What is Learning Mobile Author (LMA)? LMA is an easy to use development tool that allows you to generate mobile content with no programming experience for multiple handhelds and mobile phones.
Why did you create this tool?
In 1999 Hot Lava Software began creating Just-In-Time Learning modules to aid students studying for rigorous certification exams such as MCSE, CCNP and CCNA. By deploying the study guides to handheld devices, it enabled students to study when they had extra time but did not have their books handy. The first two years we created modules manually, using programmers, content developers and instructional designers. As the library of mobile content grew, we realized that it would be cumbersome and expensive to keep the short learning modules up to date using the customary programming cycle. With our experience in developing mobile content, we created this automated tool to keep our own library up to date and change it as often needed.
How cost effective is this solution?
Maintaining a library of mobile content would be costly using traditional programming methods. This tool will pay for itself, not only because you remove the internal or external cost of the programming, but you also get the training content to your audience on time without programming delays and bottlenecks.
What is unique about this? Unlike traditional mobile content development, this tool allows students, trainers, content developers and just about anybody to rapidly create and deploy mobile content. It empowers the organization to deploy mobile content in multiple formats removing the programming component which is lengthy and expensive. LMA allows you to create once and deploy to any handheld or mobile phone.
Why would I need to create mobile content?
Many companies are automating critical functions with mobile workflow management applications and including mobile electronic performance support in these applications (MEPSS). Today's workforce is increasingly mobile and spending time away from the office at customer sites, job sites or traveling the globe. Mobile workflow applications, in conjunction with mobile learning job aides and checklists, will improve efficiency, productivity and ultimately drive the competitiveness of the organization.
What is the design behind the tool?
The builder is intuitive and basic so that almost anybody can use this tool and create on demand mobile learning. Unlike elearning, mobile learning is targeted for shorter, JIT learning that can be embedded into a workflow application on a device. Because of the rapidly changing nature of mobile information, we created an application that is easy to use so that you won't need to spend a great deal of time and budget to create it only to find that it is quickly out of date.
What is the programming language used?
LMA is an XML Creator (Authoring Tool) and an XML editor that allows a non-XML programmer to generate XML Code for multiple devices, cell phones and web. Using XML allows our content to work in an open-source environment so that your organization won't get locked into any kind of proprietary applications that won't afford interoperability.
How can I get the results back to my LMS or HR System?
The LMA system tracks six SCORM elements and the data is captured by our LMS and sent to your LMS, HR system or database. Because we run in an SQL database, we can send your data and results back to any HR system.
How long has the LMA product been around?
The original product was launched over three years ago and has been through a number of releases. Prior to that, Hot Lava Software spent two years gathering input from students who were using our mobile content in order to optimize the format for the mobile content.
What kind of files are created as output from this system?
The files created are .exe for Pocket PC, PRC for Palm, Java, WAP 2.0 for cell phone delivery and HTML for website or desktop. The design of the editing tool allows rapid updating and redeploying of content as it changes by the trainers, students or content expert. Again, this eliminates costly changes to learning content by programmers.
Why would I use this instead of eLearning? Mobile Learning complements other forms of learning and is ideal for shorter applications. It is ideal for context-based learning that takes place in the context where work will actually be performed, away from the desk or the classroom. It is ideal for performance support at the exact location the work is being performed, the manufacturing floor, the shipyard, the platform or the doctor's office. Mobile content supports context-based learning.
What vertical markets are using mobile learning and why?
Pharmaceutical, medical, universities, defense, construction and retail. Mobile learning is filling a gap providing JIT learning that is cost-effective and on demand. What is the API needed to receive results from the Hot Lava Software mobile tracking system? The servers wishing to receive result notification callbacks should expose SOAP interface conforming to the following WSDL: http://hlswap.com/_server/ResultNotification?wsdl | 
