It's time to revisit mobile learning and review the opportunities for improving the effectiveness of your overall learning strategy in 2016. With mobile learning currently sitting squarely in the "Trough of Disillusionment" part of the Hype Cycle for Educational technologies, I understand you might be a bit leery of doing just that.

The reality—despite things looking bleak for mobile learning because a few people perhaps stubbed their toes with misguided pilots or launched unsuccessful prototypes as part of an initial rollout of mobile to their workforce—is that there are so many great things already in place. The next time out is sure to be different. Let's investigate the five things we've learned in the past five years of mobile learning.

Peak mobility has arrived. It's safe to say that if you are reaching your workers with computer-based training materials and performance support, it's also valid to use smartphone-focused delivery. According to Pew Internet Research, 73 percent of American adults own a computer, the de facto tool used by knowledge workers. This is only a few points ahead of how many adults own a smartphone, which is 68 percent. Additionally, 92 percent of American adults have cellphones. In terms of sales, research from Gartner reveals that August 2015 saw smartphone growth slow to its lowest number since 2013.

Operating systems have stabilized. iOS and Android power more than nine out of every 10 devices. Compare that number with 2010, when Blackberry, Symbian, and Windows all had significant shares in the marketplace, forcing you to support a huge array of device operating systems and specs.

Now, the market is still a little splintered when it comes to operating system version numbers and device sizes, but that's a small consideration for compatibility, not a showstopper. With iOS (14 percent) and Android (83 percent) gripping 97 percent of the market share, that's a breakdown that a corporate IT spend can accommodate.

Platforms have solidified. Companies invest heavily in IT infrastructure to power their digital initiatives. IDC reports nearly $900 billion on technology spending in 2014.

In today's market, most enterprise content management systems and learning management systems support at least some mobile services or offer mobile-compatible features. If this was a blocked door for you in previous mobile endeavors, it's time to look again. If your supplier still hasn't gone mobile, it may be time to go shopping for one that has.

Workplace learning truly has changed. One only needs to look at the Association for Talent Development's prescient rebranding effort in 2014, and the birth of this new publication, CTDO, to see some big signs that the concept of "training" has shifted. We're much more than that, and previous mediums may not be up to the task to expand beyond basic learning delivery as we knew it. Mobile is how the business world gets things done today, and to not be present in this seismic shift with relevant content and tools for your talent development efforts is a massive opportunity lost.

Next-gen technology is powerful stuff. By 2020, augmented reality and virtual reality spending will hit $150 billion, Tim Merel writes on TechCrunch. What's the massive draw? Well, with it clearly having tremendous potential to change how we see the world around us, and allowing us to interact with our spaces overlaying data and content in real time, there hasn't been a bigger disruptor since the birth of the modern smartphone in 2007.

It's time to invest some time and energy into understanding how this will change how your talent gets things done. Make 2016 your year to learn about augmented reality and virtual reality and how your talent can benefit from this advanced technology.

With those things in mind, maybe now is the right time to move beyond the trough and into the slope of enlightenment. You'll be with good company.