Advance Your CAD and PLM Teams with Custom Learning Programs

Transcription

1 Advance Your CAD and PLM Teams with Custom Learning Programs Whether it s a fine-tuned version of a standard user manual or an entirely unique learning program, customized courseware from ASCENT can help users of Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, and PTC software learn more quickly and get back to work sooner.

2 Advance Your CAD and PLM Teams with Custom Learning Programs Whether it s a fine-tuned version of a standard user manual or an entirely unique learning program, customized courseware from ASCENT can help users of Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, and PTC software learn more quickly and get back to work sooner. From the editors of Sponsored by»» On the cover: istockphoto.com/sturti For firms that rely on their productivity with CAD, learning the software is an unavoidable necessity. Whether they re brandnew employees or veterans, everyone needs to ensure they re using the software most efficiently and in a manner that supports company goals and standards. And because the software landscape is continually changing as applications undergo annual updates and your company brings new solutions on board, it s an ongoing challenge. The Value of a Customized Approach Although it s necessary, the software learning process can be burdensome for CAD managers and overwhelming to users, especially when they are wading through irrelevant portions of manuals or struggling with instructions that don t match what they see on their screens. Off-the-shelf options work well for many scenarios, but these generic materials can waste time and increase frustration, simply because they re not designed to address the particulars of each situation. Organizations can also end up spending money on materials they don t need purchasing an entire guidebook, for example, when they only need three specific chapters. Although every project is different, the customization process can be completed in a surprisingly short amount of time. In contrast, tailoring materials to the exact needs of your company s software users can streamline the learning process and get everyone back to work faster which is good news for CAD managers, trainers, the users themselves, and the bottom line. A custom program may even enable employees to stay in the office, instead of traveling to receive training. Although every project is different, the customization process can be completed in a surprisingly short amount of time less than a week, in some cases. Costs, too, are often less than customers expect and can be recouped quickly thanks to the productivity gained

3 Advance Your CAD and PLM Teams with Custom Learning Programs 3 via the customized training. In addition, customers can save money by not buying what they don t need. Many people think customization is not affordable, but if you think of the time wasted using training materials that are not applicable to your work projects, the savings using a customized or even partially customized book can really add up, said Paul Burden, ASCENT s Director of Product Development. At the end of the day, you re saving money because you re not buying or teaching anything you don t need. That way, you can get your people back to work faster. How ASCENT Can Hone Your Learning Tools ASCENT Center for Technical Knowledge, a division of Rand Worldwide, offers customization of its learning materials for any company seeking to save time and money by focusing their learning efforts. Solutions for all sizes. Ronda Wiley, Business Development Manager for ASCENT, said, We work with all types of customers, large or small: commercial, educational, government, etc. Customized courseware provides benefits to businesses and institutions of all»» ASCENT helps clients determine their custom learning requirements based on these five levels of customization.

4 Advance Your CAD and PLM Teams with Custom Learning Programs 4 Customization in Action: Developing a Custom elearning Curriculum For one Fortune Global 500 engineering company which develops products for the automotive industry, customized courseware was the solution to a complicated situation. The company was upgrading its Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system by implementing ENOVIA V6 2013x and CATIA V6 2013x, and sought to take full advantage of the software s expanded capabilities for including CAD and project management integration in PLM. That meant training more than 2,000 geographically dispersed employees of various roles including information consumers, authors of database content, and CATIA users on the software upgrade. ASCENT addressed this challenge in three phases: 1. Analyzing the user types and what each would need to know about the new software, depending on their tasks. 2. Developing an elearning curriculum, including hands-on exercises and quizzes. 3. Delivering a modular training pathway based on 14 user roles. As a result of the custom training program, the company experienced a reduction in administrative waste, downtime, and rework, and improved efficiency as users learned how to accomplish tasks with fewer clicks. Rather than having existing courseware adjusted to meet their needs, customers can opt to have a learning program built from scratch. sizes, types, and budgets all of which have their own reasons for turning to these solutions. For example, a small company with a tight budget might use customized materials to conduct in-house training or set up in-house learning programs, thereby saving on travel costs. A large company with widely dispersed branches may benefit from materials that establish consistent procedures across all its locations. A business that provides learning services can reinforce its brand by adding a logo or the company name to materials. A full range of tools and formats. ASCENT provides customization services for its entire family of learning materials, whether they re printed, digital, video-enhanced, or online format. In addition to student-focused guides, tutorials, quizzes, animations, and ebooks, ASCENT also customizes instructor tools such as PowerPoint presentations to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Technical writing services. In addition to courseware developers, engineers, and instructional designers, ASCENT boasts a full-time, in-house technical writing team. As a result, the company can provide every level of customization, from making minor adjustments to existing materials to creating new programs from the ground up. We ve completed technical writing projects for customers who wanted their internal documentation updated and organized for their entity s own use, said Wiley. For other customers, we have created documentation from scratch. ASCENT writers are experienced with Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, and PTC software products, and can create product manuals or specification documents as well as online learning materials.

5 Advance Your CAD and PLM Teams with Custom Learning Programs 5 Choosing the Appropriate Customization Solution Some companies that initiate custom projects are new to the world of professionally produced learning materials; others have used generic products in the past, explained Wiley. Current customers may come to us with a special project, or a new customer may be intrigued about setting up training based on customized curriculum, she explained. Sometimes they are used to teaching a particular curriculum and perhaps they no longer have time to write it themselves, or maybe they were using content from another publisher that is no longer in print, Wiley continued. Often it is project driven, and they need to fill a specialized training need such as limited class length, or there may be a need to focus just on certain topics.»» In this video, Paul Burden, Director of Product Development, explains ASCENT S five levels of courseware customization. ASCENT offers five levels of courseware customization: 1. Narrowing the curriculum to focus on particular topics. Selecting only the desired topics or sections from standard courseware to create a tailored, streamlined package. 2. Incorporating customer software configurations. Integrating screen captures of special menus, ribbons, and other aspects of the customer s own software environment and standards, so what users see in their materials matches what they see on their screens at work. 3. Highlighting customer data management processes. Learning materials include best practices for the company s data management systems, such as Autodesk Vault. 4. Basing learning exercises on customer models. Using familiar, real-life models helps users directly apply the lessons to their daily work. 5. Creating a unique, original curriculum. Rather than having existing courseware products adjusted to meet their needs, customers can opt to have a learning program built from scratch.

6 Advance Your CAD and PLM Teams with Custom Learning Programs 6 Partners in the Creation Process When companies approach ASCENT with a customization request, the ASCENT team begins the creation process, which includes the following steps: 1. Proposal. ASCENT works with the customer to determine objectives, the intended audience, and thereby the scope and nature of the materials to be created. From this information a cost proposal is created and presented. istockphoto.com/szepy We work very closely with customers to define the project and related costs, and communicate with them throughout the process to ensure we are meeting their expectations. 2. Planning. In this stage, the ASCENT team outlines the content to be included, collects existing company content, standards, and best practices (when applicable); determines a schedule; and establishes a communication plan. 3. Development. ASCENT creates a draft of the materials, ensuring that it accurately represents the customer s custom processes, if relevant. 4. Review. The customer reviews the learning materials and, in some cases, tests it with a sample learning session. 5. Production. ASCENT incorporates any feedback and produces the final version of the customized piece. Once it is complete, the customized content can be delivered in any of the formats offered by ASCENT. Hard-copy books or ebooks can be purchased on demand privately through ASCENT s estore. No minimum purchase is required. We work very closely with customers to define the project and related costs, said Wiley, and communicate with them throughout the process to ensure we are meeting their expectations for the deliverable. From the editors of Cadalyst, the leading publication covering computer-aided design and related software and hardware technologies for the AEC, civil engineering, and manufacturing markets Longitude Media, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission of the publisher.