No More Busy Work: How Programs Automate Personalized Cyber Readiness
Welcome back to our series, “Behind the Scenes of Immersive One”! The following is a conversation with MartinHewitt, Principal Product Manager for Immersive One, and RebeccaSchimmoeller, Lead Product Marketing Manager. “We’ve all seen the spreadsheet of doom. You assign a list of training labs to fifty people, and then you spend the next month chasing them down, manually checking completion statuses, and hoping the content you’ve assigned them is actually relevant—because if it’s not, your learners are just tuning out. It’s an operational nightmare, plain and simple.” Rebecca: Wow, yeah, we hear this constantly from the market, Martin. Leaders are drowning in admin work while trying to build resilience. It feels like we’ve been handing learners a stack of maps and hoping they figure out the route. Meanwhile, busy learners assume the content isn’t worth their time, so disengage. How does the new Programs capability change that dynamic? Martin: That map analogy is actually spot on. Until now, we’ve had Assignments and Collections—which are great, but they are static. Like you said, it’s handing someone a map. Programs is a fundamental shift … a GPS navigation system for learning. Instead of just handing a learner a stack of content and hoping for the best, a Program plots the optimal route based on their initial skill level. It re-routes them if necessary using logic, and it shows the manager if they fall behind schedule. We aren’t just looking at completion anymore; we are looking at flow. Rebecca: I love the "GPS" concept. But let’s make this real for our customers. What does one of these "routes" actually look like? Can you give us a concrete example of a path a team might take? Martin: Absolutely. Let’s look at the SOC Analyst Program. It doesn’t just start with a generic to-do list. It starts with an Adaptive Assessment. Based on those results, if the system sees a user is proficient and capable, it will route them into content that speaks to their level of knowledge and experience, rather than a one-size-fits-all (or, more often none) route. We see this for Cloud Security too. Engineers who know AWS inside-out don't need to waste time on S3 Buckets 101. The Program fast-tracks them to the advanced Cloud Defense scenarios. It’s about respecting their time Rebecca: That’s a perfect segue to the learner’s experience. We talk a lot about the manager’s benefit, but honestly, if I’m an analyst, why should I care? How does this make my day or professional life better? Martin: If you’re a learner, the biggest benefit is that you stop doing "busy work." Nothing kills morale faster than being a senior engineer forced to click through beginner labs just to get a completion checkmark. With Programs, the system recognizes your skill level immediately. You get to skip the stuff you already know and focus on the challenges that actually help you grow. Plus, because it’s a cohesive journey, you always know why you are doing a task. You aren’t just completing a random lab; you are moving through a cyber-narrative—from detection to analysis to remediation. It feels less like homework and more like a mission. Rebecca: So, we’re moving from "did you do it?" to "are you ready?" That sounds like it aligns perfectly with the CISO’s need to prove outcomes. But Martin, what about the manager’s visibility? You mentioned "flow" earlier—how is that different from just tracking who finished a lab? Martin: Right now, if you want to know who is struggling, you usually have to wait until the deadline passes and see who didn't finish. By then, it’s too late. With Programs, we focus on Pace. We capture a time commitment expectation—say, two hours a week—and the system calculates a "Burndown Rate." We can tell you in real-time if a user is Ahead, On Track, or Behind. It’s about finding what I call the "Bread and Valley Joes"—the people who are struggling silently. We want to surface those users to the manager before they fail, as well as highlighting the super-keen folk who really love stretching and testing their skills, we’re showing them as Ahead, making sure they’re spotted and give them the opportunity for recognition. Rebecca: That’s huge for "Management by Exception." You don't need to micromanage the high-performers, but you can quickly help those who are stuck. Martin: Exactly. And we’ve built the intervention right into the platform. You can filter for everyone who is "Behind" or stuck on a specific step—like Cloud Fundamentals—and bulk-message them right there. No more downloading CSVs and running mail merges just to nudge your team. Rebecca: Martin, this is a massive step forward. But knowing you and the engineering team, you’re already looking at what’s next. Can you give us a sneak peek at what’s coming for Programs? Martin: Don’t mind if I do! Right now, we have these amazing "Stock Programs" ready to go. In the New Year, we’re also handing the keys to customers … we’re going to introduce a custom builder. Managers will be able to build a completely bespoke journey tailored to their specific organization, drawing from right across our whole catalog. Things like being able to create your own "onboarding flow" to mirror your exact tech stack and security policies…. That’s when things will get even more exciting. Rebecca: I can't wait to see what customers build when that’s available, Martin. Thanks for walking us through the logic behind this milestone launch. This is major for customer outcomes. Martin: It is. We’re finally moving learners from just "completing tasks" to building real muscle memory. That’s the stuff that benefits their org now, and that they can carry it with them to their next professional opportunity. Final Thought Programs represent a shift that benefits the entire security function. For the organization, it replaces static assignments with an operational engine that measures true readiness against critical threats. For the learner, it transforms training from a checklist into a career-building journey, ensuring they develop skills that last far beyond their current role. Want to see how it works? Don’t miss this demo.Recommendations for Writing a Program Welcome Email
Key Objectives of the Email Generate Excitement: Make employees want to participate. Clearly State Benefits: What's in it for them? Provide Clear Next Steps: How do they get started? Assure Support: Who to ask for help? Reinforce Company Vision: Link individual growth to organizational success. Recommended Email Structure & Content 1. Compelling Subject Line Purpose: Grab attention, convey value immediately. Examples: "Unlock Your Potential: Introducing [Program Name]!" "Elevate Your Skills: Your Gateway to Growth is Here!" "Future-Proof Your Career: Announcing Our New Upskilling Initiative!" "Exciting News: Your Path to [Skill Area] Mastery Starts Now!" "Invest in Yourself: [Company Name]'s New Upskilling Program" 2. Warm & Enthusiastic Opening Purpose: Welcome, set a positive tone. Content: "Dear [Employee Name]," or "Hello Team," "We're thrilled to announce..." or "Get ready to elevate your career..." "At [Company Name], we believe in fostering continuous growth and development for every member of our team." 3. Program Overview (The "What") Purpose: Briefly explain what the program is. Content: Introduce the program name (e.g., "The [Program Name] Upskilling Initiative"). Briefly describe its scope (e.g., "a comprehensive program designed to enhance critical skills," "a tailored learning experience focusing on [key skill areas]"). Mention the format (e.g., "via interactive online modules," "expert-led workshops," "hands-on labs"). 4. Benefits to the Employee (The "Why Them") Purpose: This is the most crucial section – articulate the direct value to the individual. Content: "Why should you participate? This program is designed to help you:" Advance your career: "Unlock new opportunities for career growth within [Company Name]." Stay competitive: "Master the latest industry skills and technologies." Boost your confidence: "Deepen your expertise and take on new challenges." Enhance your impact: "Contribute even more effectively to your team's and [Company Name]'s success." Personal Growth: "Invest in your personal and professional development." (Optional but impactful): "Aligned with our commitment to [Company Value, e.g., Innovation, Excellence]." 5. How to Get Started (Clear Call to Action - CTA) Purpose: Make enrollment easy and intuitive. Content: "Getting started is simple! Here's how to begin your learning journey:" Provide a clear, clickable link: "Click here to explore the [Program Name] Hub." Brief instructions: "Log in with your [Company Credentials]," "Browse the course catalog," "Enroll in your first module." Mention any deadlines or enrollment periods if applicable. 6. Support & Resources: Purpose: Assure employees they won't be alone. Content: "We're committed to supporting you every step of the way." "For any questions, technical support, or guidance on choosing your learning path, please contact [L&D Team Email/Name, or specific Slack channel]." “Speak with your manager and map this to your own Professional Development Plan (PDP) for regular support and feedback” “We're so excited to celebrate your successes with you, and we're here to offer a helping hand as you grow!” Mention FAQs or a dedicated resource page if available. 7. Closing Purpose: Reinforce enthusiasm and look forward to their participation. Content: "We are incredibly excited about the potential this program holds for your individual growth and our collective success." Reinforce / remind positive impact to organisation “This program will make [Company Name] continue to be class leading / stay ahead of the competition / be the best place to work” "We look forward to seeing you thrive!" "Sincerely," / "Best regards," / "Warmly," [Your Name/Learning & Development Team/Leadership Team] General Recommendations for Effectiveness Personalization: Always use the recipient's name. Conciseness: Get to the point. Employees are busy. Visuals (Optional but Recommended): Consider including a compelling image or a short introductory video if available. Follow-Up Strategy: Plan reminder emails for those who haven't enrolled, and share success stories later. Manager Communication: Ensure managers are informed before the general team, so they can support and encourage participation. By following these recommendations, your upskilling program launch email can effectively motivate employees and kickstart a successful learning initiative.
