How Are Custom Training Solutions Created?
Because of its complexity and the many tradeoffs involved, the
creation of a custom training solution is best accomplished with
a transparent process. In this way, during each step, you validate
progress by reviewing and approving documents, designs, prototypes
and other intermediate deliverables. These steps also provide cost
checkpoints to insure the project stays within its projected budget.
The deliverables you review and approve will vary depending on
the complexity of the learning solution, but will look something
like the following and each are explained below. Each deliverable
can be as long or short as necessary but all are necessary, all
support the final learning solution, and all help to ensure that
work gets done in a controlled and timely fashion to avoid costly
rework down the road.
The phases are:
See below for a description of each phase and an idea of the types
of deliverables we'll be creating and you'll be reviewing and approving
at each phase.
Roll your mouse over each of the deliverables below for additional
information.
Needs Assessment
The first step is the obvious one - determine the needs that suggested
a training solution in the first place. The needs assessment can
be as extensive or simple as necessary, and can involve interviews,
surveys, focus groups, observation, or document review.
After conversation with you, we will prepare a short Needs Assessment Plan that describes what
we will do in order to clarify the training needs with the least
disruption to your staff.
We will then perform the assessment and document our findings
in a Learning Solutions Proposal that summarizes
the Needs and the Recommendations and proposes a solution. If warranted
by the size and complexity of the project, we will also produce
a formal Findings and Recommendations report for presentation to project stakeholders
and senior management.
Whether the approach is more analytical or more straightforward,
the due diligence of a good Needs Assessment is the most important
step you can take to ensure that the investment you make in a learning
solution provides the return you expect.
Project Scoping, Definition and Planning
Next, we work with you and with all relevant stakeholders, subject
matter experts and end-users to define the precise nature, scope,
cost and timeline of the training solution that best fits the defined
needs given the budget available.
And if the training solution is an e-learning solution that is
particularly complex or hard to visualize, we would suggest the
rapid development of an E-learning Prototype in a few structured
brainstorming sessions to best picture what the training will be
like, how it will look, and how sample interactions might work.
The intent is not to prototype the entire course but just some
key portions, to agree upon and guide the design of the full course.
We then layout the details of the course outline and contents
in the Project Design. This document becomes
the foundation for the rest of the project.
The final output of this phase is the Project Management Plan. This represents
the official "organized start" to the project, breaks the project
into stages that make sense, provides key decision points to validate
that all deliverables have been completed as defined, and provides
a means to address and resolve issues as they arise.
Now the stage is set, the project defined, planned and budgeted,
and the fun can begin. Next up, the design and development of the
training solution itself.
Design and Development
If some or all of the training solution involves e-learning, the
first step is to design the Storyboards, so we know what every screen
in the system will look like and how it will behave. (It can be
very time consuming to construct an e-learning solution, so detailing
and approving each screen and script before it is built and the
voice-overs recorded eliminates a lot of expensive reworking after
the fact.)
Then we begin development and produce the e-learning system, the
necessary assessments and the materials for the instructor-led
class as needed. These learning solution files and materials are "the
guts" of the learning solution, either for E-learning Systems or Instructor-led Presentations, and are what
you own at the end of the project.
Testing and Review
As the modules are completed, testing and review can begin. Testing
depends on the nature of the solution and the method of delivery.
Our developers, third party testers and suggested users will test
the modules to ensure the training runs and tracks properly.
Initial Rollout
Once testing is complete, we pilot the modules with a sample of
end-users. We also test the modules with your Learning Management
System as necessary to insure it properly tracks user progress
and assessment scores.
Final Release
Finally! The learning solution is ready for prime time. The Rollout Plan identifies any marketing required
and all the activities necessary to implement the training.
Once the training is finalized and live, we turn over all updated
source material to you in the Final Product Delivery.
Evaluation
Through Rigorous Project Management, we execute ongoing evaluations
of the development when they are most needed, during each of the
phases, to make sure each phase produces what it needs to produce
and to ensure the development stays on track.
And at the end, we perform a final summary evaluation of the learning
solution as a whole, looking at how it did what it was designed
to do. Above and beyond assessing the learning of individual participants,
the summary evaluation answers the basic question of how well the
training solution teaches what it was supposed to teach. Finally,
we take a look at the entire process itself to see how it could
be improved.
And last but not least ...
... we cap off the entire process with the final and most enjoyable
component -- the Cut Party!
So that's how a training solution is created. Now let's look at
the process we use to make sure
it all rolls out as planned.
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