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Technological improvements in broadband and distributed computing are making it possible to distribute live media content cost‐effectively. Because of this, organizations are looking into cost‐effective approaches to implement e‐Learning initiatives. Indeed, computing resources are not enough by themselves to promote better e‐Learning experiences. Hence, our goal is to share preliminary results on testing a holistic evaluation method for e‐Learning environments. To this end, we have built an experience within class dynamics using an open source Learning Virtual Environment integrated with webcast and video archive features. Our proposed evaluation method capyures user feedback by classifying it according to motivation to e‐learn in groups, since we have found this approach simpler than using classic behavioural methods. This helped us to define practical design guidelines to yield faster and more efficient e‐Learning development processes. Our results show that consistent communication both online and offline, translates into efficiency. It also dampens negative perceptions during the transition from traditional to online learning environments. These results will contribute in designing intervention strategies to optimize organizational investments in e‐Learning across user groups and contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to measure and discuss the long‐term effects of an e‐learning tool aiming at improving the information security knowledge, awareness, and behaviour of employees.

The intervention study had two assessments of knowledge and attitudes among employees: one survey, one week before the intervention, and one survey eight months after the intervention. The population was divided into an intervention group and a control group, where the only separated the groups was participation in the intervention (i.e. the e‐learning tool).

The study documents that the effects of the intervention on security awareness and behavior partly remains more than half a year after the intervention, but that the detailed knowledge on information security issues diminished during the period. The study also discusses how such courseware can contribute to long‐term organizational learning compared with human interventions such as action research. Both human resource management and internal promotion are necessary input in the process to successfully educate and train employees in information security.

One weakness of concern is the low response rate of 37 in the final analysis.

The study can document that short‐time effects of software supported information security awareness on employees' knowledge, behaviour, and awareness diminish over time. It is thus important to maintain and continually perform information security awareness. More interventions studies, following the same principles as presented in this paper, of other user‐directed measures is needed, to test and document the effects of different measures.

The paper is innovative in the area of information security research as it shows how an information security intervention can be measured.