The Difference is in the Design

Design & Development

 Q:  We want to develop an in-house training program. How long does it take to develop one hour of training? Is there a standard ratio we can use, such as 30:1?

A: Although ratios are quick and convenient to use, they can lead to inaccurate estimates because the variables behind the ratios may not be known. These variables are: 1) the developer’s experience and knowledge, 2) the content’s complexity and stability, and 3) the delivery method and media.

An experienced developer who knows the subject matter can develop a training program faster than someone who has little or no development experience or content knowledge. Even an experienced developer may need to rely on subject matter experts for the program’s content.

Also, allow time for revisions after the subject matter experts have reviewed the content for accuracy and completeness. If the content is likely to change, you might need to make further revisions during the development phase. Self-instructional and multimedia materials take longer to develop than for instructor-led materials, especially if video, computer-based training or multimedia is involved.

Here's an effective approach for estimating development time:
Identify the types of training materials to be developed (instructor guide, participant workbook, CBT module, video, etc.)
List the tasks required for the design and development and production of each type of training material.
Estimate the number of hours or days it will take to complete each task.
Add or subtract hours or days depending upon the variables described above.
Determine optimistic, realistic, and worse case estimates.

Keep track of the actual development time and use it as a basis for estimating the next project.

Q: We estimated that it will take 8 weeks to develop the training program, but management wants it to be ready sooner than that. How can we reduce development time and meet management’s expectations?

A: You can do this in several ways. First, reduce the scope of the training or implement the training in phases. Use previously developed materials or customize packaged materials, especially in the case of training media.  Minimizing the number of content changes and revisions can also reduce development time.

Q:  Our training program for new and existing sales associates uses role playing to teach and improve selling skills. The problem is that they hate to role play! They are reluctant to volunteer for role plays and don't take the roles seriously. How can I get them to like doing role plays?

A: When trainees dislike role plays, it is usually because they have had a bad experience or have observed others being criticized or embarrassed. The problem lies in the way that the role plays are designed and conducted. 

You can't change how employees feel about role plays, but you can change the role-playing experience. Here are some suggestions for improvement:

The whole idea behind role playing is to give trainees an opportunity to try out new behaviors in a non-threatening environment. Remove the threat by structuring role playing into small group activities. Most people feel safer in groups of three rather than being watched by the entire class.

Avoid using the term "role playing" since it has a negative meaning to your trainees. Call it "skill practice" because that is the purpose of the activity. Give trainees a chance to do the skill practice a second time after receiving constructive feedback. 

Give each trainee who is assuming a role enough information to practice the skill. Avoid giving all the information to one trainee and leaving the other to figure out what's going on. 

Allow sufficient time for skill practices. Scale back any skill practice that requires more time to perform than is realistically possible in real life.   

Get trainees involved in creating skill practices that are realistic and relevant to their needs.

Debrief every skill practice by discussing the results and identifying any issues that arose. Be willing to listen to and discuss alternative interpretations or solutions.  

Q:  Along with a group of other training developers and facilitators from around the U.S., I have been tasked with doing a five-minute training tip presentation for the entire group (about 25 people) during an all-hands training meeting.  I'm stuck as to what I can put together for a five-minute time span that will have any impact.  Any suggestions?

A: Follow the same guidelines for developing training tips as you would when developing any type of training material.

Focus on your company's strategic goals and objectives. Develop tips that address sales, customer service, productivity, etc.

Use a problem, solution and results format.  If one of your company's goals is to improve customer service, develop a tip that will address a customer service problem,  present a solution to that problem and describe the anticipated results.  

Reinforce the message by providing a job aid or other take-away. Consider publishing the tip on the company's web site and in the employee newsletter.

Get employees involved by asking them to submit relevant tips for future all-hands training meetings.

Q: How do I customize a packaged training program for my company's own use?

A: Trainers usually modify exercises and activities in packaged training programs purchased by their companies. However, they may not be aware that purchasing a packaged training program is not the same as ownership. Most packaged programs are copyrighted, so be sure that your company has received permission from the vendor to reproduce or modify the materials for internal use. Some vendors that license materials for this purpose may also provide files on diskette. This makes the job of customizing much faster and easier.

 

 

 

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Last modified: August 26, 2005