Computer and other types of training become time and resource-prohibitive.  Classroom-based training is difficult for the busy attorneys and other staffers to attend, and knowledge retention can be low.  Printed reference materials, seldom read, often wind up in the recycle bin. 

 

But fortunately, there’s a better way.  High-speed networks and easy-to-use software tools now make it a snap to bring just-in-time, full motion, multimedia training directly to the computer desktop. 

 

Don’t Just Tell—Show and Tell

Educational subjects once had to be described with a long narrative and simple screen shots.  No more.  Screen capture software enables real-time, animated demos of application features and how to accomplish particular tasks. 

 

Earlier generations of these demos were lengthy movies that needed to be scripted and then recorded—and if a mistake was made, the entire movie had to be re-recorded.  But today’s screen- capture software takes screen snapshots and then generates the cursor path automatically between the positions of the cursor on each snapshot.  Once the snapshots are created, the author can add text captions, annotations, sound and even multiple choice or true/false questions.  Additional content can be inserted when needed, and it can be re-purposed in other presentations.  Once all the content is assembled, it’s compiled into a compact, easily distributed format such as Macromedia Shockwave and Flash.  Although actually a series of screenshots, the final product appears to be a real-time movie of the application.  At MoFo, we use Qarbon’s ViewletBuilder to create the animated demonstrations.  We try to keep them short (under five minutes), and we always start by informing the viewer how long the presentation will last and what they can expect to learn.

 

Many firms may have built a library of videotaped presentations, PowerPoint slides and handouts; but viewing these presentations can be a chore.  Tapes and associated materials must be requested and delivered.  The viewer needs either to find a conference room with a VCR or take the materials home.  And of course, VCR equipment can be a hassle.

 

Easier Accessibility for Video

New services and software now make it easy to repurpose this content and move it to your intranet.  Third-party services can convert your video tapes to MPEG files and return them to you on CD-ROM.  You can then use the latest software to easily synchronize the video and the slides, so that the slides advance on queue with the video.  You can also create and add a table of contents that allows the viewer to easily move around in the presentation. 

 

Many applications are available to help you create a webpage that includes the audio, video, PowerPoint slides and other handouts; and Windows Media Services, built into the Windows Server product line, provides an easy and cost-effective way to deploy streaming media on your intranet.  Once published to the server, these presentations can be viewed on demand by your attorneys and staff. 

 

At our firm, a library of over 100 presentations is currently available to our attorneys and staff, and new ones are being added each week.  The training covers both technology and professional development topics for which attorneys can earn continuing education credits.

 

Training-In-a-Module

Another category of desktop-delivered training is commercially developed Web-based training modules.  These modules generally consist of several hours of content, which includes narrative, demonstration, practice and assessment.  A pre-assessment saves the viewer from having to view the entire module by allowing him/her to concentrate on specific aspects of the application on which they need to focus.  And a post-assessment provides feedback to help learners identify how much of the material they absorbed.  The training tracks the progress of the learner through the materials.  Not only does this provide a way to report the amount of training an individual has completed, it allows the learner to resume the course at the right spot. 

 

Web-based training can be a cost-effective way to provide training on popular applications.  Some vendors offer content that can be licensed and installed on your own intranet server; others host their content and make it available on a per-person basis (though this can be costly to customize for your environment).  Look for opportunities to obtain free Web-based training from your application vendors.  A new benefit of the Microsoft Software Assurance program is the availability of the Microsoft eLearning Library (MELL).  This comprehensive Web-based training covers the use of Windows and the MS Office suite.

 

By delivering training in virtual space, you can offer training when and where people want it.  New tools make it easy for you to produce and deliver content that is compelling and informative.  The cost of entry is low, the return on investment high.  So go ahead, explore the new world of desktop training.  For convenience and innovation, it definitely gets an “A Plus!”

 

About our author . . .

 

Edward Jorczyk, User Services Manager for Morrison & Foerster LLP, is responsible for desktop hardware and software, training and help desk services for the firm’s 2,400 attorneys and staff in 19 offices around the world.  Ed serves as the Chair of ILTA’s Microsoft Special Interest Group.  He can be reached at ejorczyk@mofo.com or 858.720.5115.