Many companies are attempting to use portal technology to pull together applications they've created to train, develop and manage their distribution channel. These applications may include learning management systems, content libraries, Web 2.0 technologies, incentive/motivation programs and much more. While the intention is good-i.e. give the channel a single point of access to the various resources you provide to them, the inherent limitations of portal technology make this an ill-conceived approach.
The problem is that the portal's principle strength is its primary weakness: It pulls together legacy technologies purchased from various vendors into a single point of access for a target audience. It's often referred to as a "mash-up" in the IT vernacular-and for good reason-because that's what it looks like to the people who are trying to use it from within your distribution channel!
It's a bit like trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube after it's been spilled on the counter-it's a messy job and seldom successful. The problem is that most, if not all, of the applications that exist under the portal front end are aging legacy technologies developed by disparate vendors. And, as such, each employs its own unique conventions for the graphic user interface, navigation, information architecture, branding and much more. For the user, being effective within this environment is daunting. If the user is from a distribution channel where they are, at best, an occasional user, it's a deal breaker. You will quickly loose them and your channel's readiness to sell and support your product will suffer.
The same issues rear their ugly head on the administration side. Each of the portal's legacy technologies is managed by its own unique, and oftentimes complex, administrative interface, including the portal, itself. This makes it impossible for any one person to successfully administer and support these environments-which adds cost and fosters an undesirable "silo" culture.
We have found that there are two critical characteristics of providing an effective channel training, development and management solution for your channel partners. First, the solution must be easy-to-use, and this means it must be tightly integrated-all core technologies, including learning management, marketing communications, formal and informal training, motivation and measurement must share the same interface, taxonomy, information architecture and navigation conventions-both for the user and for the administrator(s). Second, it must be audience-smart. It must know who logged in, what role they play for which channel partner, what part of the world they are in, etc., then filter and tailor content specifically for that person and his/her role. And not just at the home page level, but right down to the application level well beneath the home page. The user needs to think he/she is in one application. These two attributes are key components of LogicBay's Performance Center.
A portal, by its very nature, cannot deliver on these important usability attributes.
Bottom line-it's usually better to buy a shiny new tube of toothpaste with everything you need already inside, then to try and get old toothpaste back in the tube.