Training Solutions for Software Applications
The custom development of training for software applications requires
a specialized approach.
Such training can be delivered as an e-learning solution, as
instructor-led, in a virtual classroom, or via some blend of all
these approaches. A blended approach often works best, and many
clients choose this route.
Instructor-led
If instructor-led is the alternative you think is best based on
the number and distribution of the participants and other decision
factors, we will design and create the course materials, including
the presentation, instructor guide and the participant guide, based
on the individual software application and the ultimate work product/activity
needed. Envision will also provide an instructor as needed to teach
the software application or provide a “Train the Trainer” session
to enable your current training staff to deliver the materials.
E-learning
If e-learning is the way you choose, the possibilities get very
interesting. Envision will create online modules and job aids to
train the participants on the software application. There are a
few ways to go about it, based on the importance of the software
to the organization, its complexity, and your willingness to invest
in interactivity.
Consider the following increasing levels of interactivity as
the basis for the e-learning development:
- The course would utilize explanatory text, application screenshots
and field definitions, much like an online manual.
- The course is an automated presentation, showing a run-through
of how the application works.
- The course presents automated simulations of the use of the
application, showing actual screen captures of mouse movement
and the steps needed to complete activities.
- The course does all of the above and also allows the participant
to actually practice using the application in simulation mode
by being guided through the clicks and activities necessary to
learn the software.
Virtual Classroom
When considering training for software applications, a virtual
classroom approach is often the best way to go because it provides
the best of both worlds. It allows you to exploit the full potential
of the interactivity enabled by e-learning while gaining the benefits
of having the learning session led by an instructor. A virtual
instructor provides presence and a guide through the material and
gives the participants someone with whom to interact, both during
the presentation and after. We have found that phone call symposiums
after a virtual classroom session provide a great way to follow
up, so participants can ask questions and apply the knowledge they
have gained to their particular situations.
And of course, if you really want a blended solution, nothing
stops you from running a true instructor-led class with all the
participants in the same room going through the same e-learning
course at the same time. The combinations are endless and we are
happy to work with you to find the right blend of technologies
to get the job done within your allotted budget.
Price Drivers
As with any custom training, defining the best solution involves
consciously making tradeoffs between the nature and scope of the
training and the costs involved. In addition to the normal price
drivers for custom training solutions, the following factors
specific to software application training will play an important
part in this calculation:
- The amount of domain or business knowledge on which the participants
must be trained (e.g., a debit is ... a credit is ...)
- The degree of complexity inherent in the software application
- The size of the software application
- The stability of the software application
- The level of user ability
- The desired level of interactivity
- How Software Training is Built
Software training solution developments follow our standard
development process with a few tweaks:
- We make sure that we understand the domain or business knowledge
that also must be communicated in the training.
- We locate and leverage any existing training materials or
technical documentation on the application.
- We make sure we know the skills that are necessary to run
the application, the skill gap level of the potential audience,
the receptivity to various learning strategies, and any location
or department customization needs.
- We sit with the application itself and with your technical
liaisons and subject matter experts to ensure that we understand
and can use the application the way it was intended.
- We construct useful job aids.
- We rely on your technical liaisons and subject matter experts
at each key decision point in the Rigorous Project Management
process to validate the technical accuracy of the material and
pay particular attention to testing any interactive simulations.
The learning solution is then controlled using our Rigorous
Project Management process from definition through rollout
and release to give you the learning solution that makes your
software application users as effective as they can be.
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