Interactive Web-Based Approach Saves Costs

Mar 1, 2004 12:00 PM

It's hard to judge from day to day how much an organization should invest in training. Benefits of training are improved productivity, morale and retention of employees, but training is expensive and can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year per employee. Adding to the costs are expenses for travel, meals and lodging. There is also a lost-opportunity cost — the cost of not being able to do business when a key employee is away for training

The answer lies in finding training processes that are inexpensive, require no travel, can be scheduled around a company's needs and employ a method that everyone can learn from. One such approach is called interactive Web-based training (IWBT).

IWBT is instructor-led training (interactive learning) conducted in a virtual classroom instead of a physical classroom. Most of the functions are performed in the virtual classroom, including whiteboards, presentations, videos, demonstrations, questions and answers, and group interaction. An accompanying support structure can aid in retaining and learning after the class is completed — through e-mail, recorded sessions, bulletin boards and chat rooms, all designed to help the students retain and continue the learning process.

Recorded sessions consist of a streaming video capture of what went on in the virtual classroom. All voice, text, presentations and video are captured and stored on a server so that a student can review the class.

IWBT also allows for better use of an instructor's time. Technical experts are expensive, costing thousands of dollars a day. IWBT does not limit the physical size of the classroom or the number of students. There is no travel cost for the instructor and no equipment overhead.

A company using the concept of interactive Web-based training is Compass Technologies Inc., Exton, Pa., an access control manufacturer marketing hardware and software, Compass 5E and SafeAxis. Compass has a large number of geographically dispersed business partners with a high turnover of employees using a fairly technical set of hardware and software that integrates with computer networks. Compass is using an IWBT solution from EDT Learning, Phoenix, called iLinc. Once iLinc is fully operational, it will allow business partners to choose training via instructor-led classroom training, instructor-led Web-based training, or Web-based training via a set of streaming videos. Courses being offered via IWBT include the standard classroom courses in installation and operations of both the SafeAxis and 5E products using the Windows operating system, the Linux operating system, and an advanced system design and troubleshooting course for the security architect.

IWBT is also being used to help train the business partners' clients. They will have streaming video segments of various features of the Compass products and how to use them. Video segments will be downloadable by the clients to provide better understanding of the features, to reduce the support and training requirements for the business partners, and to increase the value of selecting products for the customer.

For more information on the iLinc product contact Nick Johnston, EDT Learning at njohnston@edtlearning.com or Ray Laubert at Ray@RSLTraining.com. For information on Compass Technologies visit http://www.compasstec.com.

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

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