|
You know the training will be developed
on schedule when ABILITY's managing the effort. You'll know
how it's going each step of the way with statuses for each
document and deliverable. And it will be on budget, guaranteed,
whether it's a team of two or a team of ten.
Part of managing to a schedule and budget
is making sure you assess the project accurately.
Marilyn Freedberg, the project manager of
each and every project, knows from experience you need to
take the time up front and get a realistic scope and detailed
work estimate. It's important everyone agrees on the project
goals, timing, and costs.
Marilyn doesn't just plug things into MS
Project and cross her fingers. She uses a variety of project
management tools as well as a heads-up, common-sense approach
to make sure the work's on track.
See References
to see what clients have said about how their project was
managed.
Good up-front design is key to any training
development, large or small. The true test of the design comes
after passing tests or great class evaluations: can trainees
really do the job when training is over? And does the business
truly benefit?
ABILITY courses consistently ensure they
can and you will. At the GAP, new hires exceeded every performance
standard (that had been set by the Gap) for every department
ABILITY trained.
We achieve these kind of results using established
techniques like ISD (Instructional Systems Design) and PBET
(Performance Based Equipment Training). We use our years of
experience to gather the right requirements data and plan
the course.
The PBET-compliant courses we developed
for an Intel vendor were - according to Intel - "far
better" than any other vendor training they'd received.
In addition to trainee performance on the
job (level 3 evaluation), we look at - and can measure, according
to client needs - business impact and ROI data (levels 4 and
5).
Part of good design is deciding how the
training should be created and delivered. We can develop for
any platform that fits the audience and client needs: instructor-led,
web-based, self-study, CBT.
We use many of the major programs: Dreamweaver/CourseBuilder,
Lectora, expert Word and PowerPoint, Authorware, etc.
You need effective, professional materials
for students and instructors or all your good planning and
design will be served up on a burlap bag, so to speak.
We create professional, well-designed templates
that look as good as they work. We have an in-house library
of proven designs. We use proven writing techniques and plenty
of visual aids.
Interactivity is built into ABILITY so
even non-training trainers can deliver them effectively, and
learners stay involved and awake (!). Marilyn personally QAs
everything to make sure ABILITY's high standards are met.
We use structured writing techniques
with all written material. The basic idea is that adults take
in data most easily when it is organized into discrete pieces
of 5-7 and presented in a way that visually represents this
logical breakdown.
This translates into, for example, a
big use of tables and a 'scan column' next to each paragraph
that tells what's in it.
We always help deliver the pilot and we
generally conduct train-the-trainer classes for the instructor-led
(and synchronous web-based) courses we develop. We can also
deliver the courses themselves, on your schedule and at your
location(s).
Knowing how to deliver and being familiar
with what comes up in the classroom is essential to designing
courses that work for real people, real human instructors
and students in the room.
All ABILITY developers have an extensive
background in course delivery as well.
Learners need well-designed reference materials
and job aids to succeed on the job; training alone won't do
it.
We provide documentation design and management
services as well as trained writers, and ensure that the training
and documentation work together as a complete package.
Job aids developed for an Intel vendor's
technical-equipment training gave learners a map for assessing
and solving equipment problems. They were so effective the
manufacturing and field engineering groups requested them
for their departments.
We utilize proven writing techniques like
structured writing and can provide consulting expertise to
in-house staff.
Successful training doesn't stop with the
training.
For learners to succeed on the job, they
must get good support once the new system or procedures are
implemented. This can include:
- Help desk design and staffing
- Post-training support plans
- Post-training analysis and updates
- ROI calculations
|
