FINDING A SUPPLIER !

In order to thrive in today’s competitive world, many organizations are seeking cost-effective, successful solutions to problems that effect quality and productivity. An effective training program is no longer a luxury — it is rapidly becoming a necessity!

If you are searching for a training vendor to support you with your training initiatives, here are a few things you should look for.

Most importantly, you should be searching for a vendor that focuses on customer-driven program development. And, just what does that mean?

You should be looking for a vendor that begins the development process by listening to its customers. Ask the vendor the following questions:

• How many users of your courseware do you have?
• How many of those users did you survey before beginning program development?
• How many of those users actually reviewed your finished product?

In other words, are the programs you are considering research-driven or customer-need driven? If a vendor confined their program development to internal research of the topic, there is a very good chance that the finished product will not be applicable to your workforce.

Secondly, does the vendor you are considering offer a variety of successful strategies for training employees in a timely, economical manner — using the latest in training technology? And, are these strategies built around multi-sensory learning (full motion video and optional word-for-word audio)?

You won’t effectively reach nearly half of your workforce if multi-sensory techniques are not being used. You are looking for a complete training system that allows employees to train more efficiently. Trainees should be able to interact with the lesson, making the program more interesting while increasing comprehension and retention, as well as reducing traditional training time requirements. And, all of that is a province of multi-sensory design.

In addition, the courseware you are considering should have been developed in conjunction with industry experts and was produced in authentic job environments — which will make the student’s transition from the training to the actual job much easier.

And, finally, the administrative system that accompanies the courseware should be robust and easily integrated into your own LMS.

By applying these criteria, you will more likely make a winning choice — both for your organization and for your trainees.