NovoEd

NovoEd runs group programmes and AI practice, and is sold to sit beside an LMS

You choose which AI runs, and learners get proof of finishing

It suits skill programmes and training for people outside your company

NovoEd is not an LMS, and several terms need negotiating

What a quote should cover, and what you pay for outside it

NovoEd links better pricing to scaling to more employees. No figure is given. Ask for a quote based on your own headcount and programme count. Design, strategy and facilitation services are optional add-ons, so ask for the licence and the services as two lines.

NovoEd deploys in days. Onboarding covers admin training, integrations and technical implementation, and programme governance. Technical support carries no extra charge. The file route from an HR system must first be enabled by NovoEd Support. NovoEd asks you to allow up to 5 business days.

The Credly badge link needs your own active issuing subscription with Credly. Ask Credly what it costs.

Roleplay conversations and feedback are kept for the length of your active contract. Archive APIs let you download user-generated content from courses as JSON, a standard data file. Ask what else comes out when the contract ends.

Nine questions before you sign

1. What will NovoEd cost for our headcount, and which services does the quote include? Good answer: A written quote that separates the licence from design, strategy and facilitation work.
2. Which system holds our completion record, and what does NovoEd send to it? Good answer: One named system of record and a written list of the fields sent back.
3. Does the licence on user content cover our learners’ posts and roleplay recordings? Will you narrow it? Good answer: A narrower licence written into our order form.
4. Which AI features are on at launch, and who on our side can switch each one off? Good answer: Every AI feature off until our admin switches it on, with each change logged.
5. When our scenario does not cover a point, what does the roleplay character do? Good answer: A written answer and a way to test it in the demo.
6. Which support hours apply to our contract, in our time zone? Good answer: The hours written into the contract.
7. Where is our data stored, and can it stay in our region? Good answer: A named country for each system and a written answer on region.
8. What does the 14% beside Cemex measure, over which group and period? Good answer: A named group, period and measure, and a customer we can call.
9. How do we take our programmes and learner content out when the contract ends? Good answer: A named file format and time window written into the contract.

Alternatives to NovoEd

NovoEd is not an LMS. 360Learning and Docebo are LMSs that also run AI roleplay. Degreed is a route if you already run it.

360Learning organises cohorts through path sessions, each with an instructor. Its authors upload documentation and publish AI Roleplay scenarios to learning paths. The Team plan costs $8 per user per month for up to 100 users.

Docebo Roleplay is a paid add-on inside the Docebo LMS. Learners get scores for clarity, confidence, energy and non-verbal cues. Managers see team members’ roleplay submissions assigned to them for review. Docebo’s Roleplay FAQ puts roleplay on voice or chat today, with video avatars soon. A Docebo help article puts the interaction mode default at Video. Ask Docebo which applies to your account.

Degreed Academies run cohort programmes with due dates, prerequisites, projects, discussions and live or virtual training. Maestro Studio creates custom AI coaches and roleplays. Maestro costs $5 per user per month on Degreed’s Azure Marketplace plan. Only existing Degreed clients can buy Maestro or Academies. NovoEd already sends completion attributes into Degreed.

Managers who only need to practise hard conversations can use Risely’s AI coach, Merlin. In roleplay, Merlin plays the other person, such as a defensive direct report or a sceptical VP. The manager practises their approach before the real conversation. Merlin also works through scenarios with the manager, such as a team member saying they are thinking about quitting. Merlin is a practice partner for managers. It is not a course system.