How the Development Bank of Wales improved learning efficiency with Kallidus and IRIS Cascade 

The Development Bank of Wales selected Kallidus following a competitive tender process and integrated it with IRIS Cascade to automate learning administration. The integration automatically manages starters, leavers and role changes, saving around 30 minutes of admin per colleague change, while supporting quicker compliance training completion and more efficient follow-up processes. The combined solution gives managers greater visibility of colleague learning, streamlines reporting, and supports both regulatory compliance and colleague development across the organisation. 

The Development Bank of Wales is a government-owned financial institution dedicated to helping businesses across Wales start, grow and succeed. Supporting Welsh businesses with loans and equity funding, the organisation plays an important role in driving economic growth and creating opportunities throughout the country. With a strong commitment to developing its people and maintaining the highest standards of regulatory compliance, the Development Bank continually invests in technology that helps its teams work more efficiently and effectively. 

Building on established HR system to improve efficiency 

When Emma Scanlan, People and Development Executive at the Development Bank of Wales, joined the business, the organisation was already using IRIS Cascade for People and Development and payroll processes. The team was very happy with Cascade and saw an opportunity to build on that strong foundation by introducing a learning management system that could integrate more closely with it. 

The team wanted to reduce manual administration across the employee lifecycle, including joiners, leavers and internal role changes, while making reporting easier and giving managers better visibility of learning activity. As the contract approached renewal, the Development Bank of Wales procurement process provided the right opportunity to review the wider market and identify a solution that could support these goals. 

They made the decision to look for a solution that would simplify administration and strengthen compliance training management. Following a competitive tender process, the Development Bank of Wales selected Kallidus, supported by its integration with IRIS Cascade. 

"We wanted something that could integrate with Cascade and free up some of our time," explained Emma. "We knew there was an opportunity to work more efficiently if our People and Development and LMS were integrated, and Kallidus seemed like a good solution." 

"We really liked that Kallidus already worked with Cascade," said Emma. "As well as that integration, it also had everything we needed, including the ability to support our FCA regulatory training requirements. It really had everything we wanted in one platform, and out of the 30+ systems we looked at, it came out on top." 

A structured implementation with strong collaboration 

The implementation process was managed through weekly meetings, clear project plans, and close collaboration between the Development Bank of Wales, Kallidus, and Cascade teams. 

Training records were migrated from the previous system, data feeds were established, and a pilot group was created to test the platform before launch. 

"We always knew where we were in the implementation process and what needed to be done," Emma explained. "If we had questions, they were answered very quickly. The pilot generated overwhelmingly positive feedback. People found it easy to use, easy to find courses, and easy to explore optional learning opportunities." 

Managers were particularly enthusiastic about having greater visibility of learning activity for their direct reports, supporting more informed conversations about development and compliance. 

Driving engagement from day one 

To ensure a successful launch, the Development Bank of Wales rolled out a comprehensive communication programme. The team used company-wide newsletters, targeted emails, senior leadership sponsorship, and support from the marketing team to keep colleagues informed throughout the rollout. By the time the platform went live, colleagues understood what was changing and why. 

"The feedback was very positive. Colleagues were excited about Kallidus coming on board and the benefits of Cascade and Kallidus working together.”  

Automating learning administration with Cascade integration 

One of the biggest benefits has been the automated data flow between IRIS Cascade and Kallidus. Colleague information is transferred daily, ensuring user records remain accurate without manual intervention. 

New starters are automatically created in Kallidus, leavers are removed, and learning assignments can be triggered automatically based on an employee's role. 

"It probably saves me around half an hour every time we have a new starter or leaver," said Emma. “Perhaps even more importantly than the time savings, if I'm on leave, the processes continue to run consistently. The automation gives us confidence that key tasks are being completed.” 

Faster compliance completion and improved accountability 

Compliance and health and safety training are critical requirements within the Development Bank of Wales. Since implementing Kallidus, the organisation has seen colleagues complete mandatory learning more quickly and with less intervention from administrators. 

"Our Facilities team fed back very quickly that completion rates were quicker and that the process was becoming more efficient," Emma tells us.  

Automated reminders and manager notifications have helped improve accountability across the business. If colleagues miss deadlines, line managers receive notifications that enable timely and appropriate follow-up. 

"It's put more ownership on colleagues, which means it’s far more likely to be completed. Managers are really happy with the progress we’ve seen in the last nine months.”  

Better visibility and more flexible reporting 

The Development Bank is also benefiting from improved reporting capabilities. Kallidus provides accessible reporting that enables the team to monitor compliance, attendance, cancellations, and learning progress more effectively. 

"The reports are user-friendly, and because of the integrations with Cascade, we can do a lot more with the data. We’ve only really scratched the surface on what we can do with reporting so far, but we’re quite excited to delve into that more in the year ahead." 

Supporting development beyond compliance 

Beyond mandatory training, the Development Bank of Wales is using Cascade and Kallidus to support wider colleague development initiatives. 

Learning catalogues tailored to different roles help colleagues explore development opportunities, while aspiring managers can access learning pathways designed to support career progression. The platform is also being used for instructor-led training, document-based learning, and future development pathways for specialist roles.  

Almost one year after implementation, the Development Bank of Wales is already seeing significant benefits from integrating Kallidus with IRIS Cascade. 

By automating administrative tasks, improving visibility, and increasing training engagement, the organisation has created a more efficient learning environment while freeing the People and Development team to focus on higher-value activities.