Selecting the Best Application Training Methods for Your AM/FM/GIS Project

Selecting the Best Application Training Methods for Your AM/FM/GIS Project

Francis C. L. Wong, P.Eng.
Manager, Education Services
Enghouse Systems Limited
80 Tiverton Court, Suite 800
Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R OG4

Training is one of the most critical and most often overlooked elements of an automated mapping and facilities management, geographic information systems (AM/FM/GIS) implementation project. The introduction of AM/FM/GIS into a business or organization brings change. At an operational level, it changes the way people work. At a management level, it changes the way decisions are made. Changes in business processes lead to changes in organizational structure, but they are not always accompanied by sustained changes in the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviors of the people charged with implementing the change itself. Hence, the organization faces a number of staff-related problems. Furthermore, the training and education needs of every organization are different. With a program that is suited to both the individual and the organization, training programs for AM/FM/GIS address the range of problems triggered by the changes.

In the business world, companies are cautiously exploring the margins of successful ventures and attempting to gain a competitive edge. While AM/FM/GIS technology offers the potential to achieve a strategic advantage over the competition, the implementation of AM/FM/GIS projects involves major shifts in working practices. A major misconception is often that the majority of these shifts are similar to those associated with the adoption of Information Technology (IT) practices. The impact of integrating AM/FM/GIS hardware and software into an organization is comparable to the integration of database management software, as both these software tools have been developed in response to the need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of well-defined manual tasks. AM/FM/GIS is also, in part, a responsive technology — the role of AM/FM/GIS is to encourage new spatial approaches to problem solving and providing information. This reactive role differs substantially from the roles associated with other IT strategies. Therefore, it is important to take into account the existing GIS skills of staff when designing the training programs for an AM/FM/GIS project.

Any organization planning to implement an AM/FM/GIS project will face the following issues:

Confidence in the effectiveness of GIS by staff at all levels. When GIS is untried and may mean change to their job description, staff may question the benefits and improvements that it will bring both to the organization and the employees. They may also doubt the ease with which they will be able to make use of the technology to enhance and improve both the quantity and quality of their productivity.
Motivation to implement GIS and to persist in learning how to use, apply, improve and develop it. Motivation itself is usually driven by conviction, particularly when a clear indication can be seen of the benefits that are likely to accrue to the individual and the organization. If the perceived long and short term benefits are not made apparent, motivation will be low.
Skills necessary for computing, designing and constructing maps, translating jobs into GIS functionality, interrogating and interpreting spatial information, and decision making that is based on new types of information.
Knowledge of spatial systems and their behavior; geographical characteristics associated with social, economic, and environmental information and their interaction, and an understanding of the errors intrinsic to spatial data and how these errors influence its use.
Experience in thinking problems through in a spatial context; with using the “new tools” associated with an AM/FM/GIS system, and with the problems which may be encountered as a result of adopting these new practices.

Managers in large organizations need to recognize how crucial these issues are in determining the success of a venture and how deficiencies in one area may limit the overall effectiveness of the project. For example, motivation rests on confidence, and it may be undermined by a lack of experience, training, or communication. To overcome this problem, manager must govern the complex relationships between these parameters. It is only through the effective education of the work force that the integration of new technologies and new methods will be accepted by individuals who make up the organization.

The two main options for organizations when they wish to train AM/FM/GIS application users are instructor-led training programs and independent study programs. The instructor-led training method includes formal and informal training. Formal training is conducted in a classroom environment with all the required AM/FM/GIS applications installed onto the training workstations. This method allows the instructor to deliver lectures interactively and enables the students to have hands-on practice with the AM/FM/GIS application software. Informal training can be conducted in a conference room or a traditional classroom. This type of training includes presentations, workshop/demonstration, or interactive distance learning (or video conferencing).

The major difference between formal and informal training is that the informal training does not generally include hands-on experience with the AM/FM/GIS application software. The independent study program may include computer-based training (CBT), correspondence, video training, and web-based training (using the Intemet or Intranet resources). The types of training methods available are summarized as follows:

Instructor-led
1. Formal training (e.g., classroom)
2. Informal training (e.g., presentations, workshop/demonstration, interactive distance learning)
Independent Study
1. Computer-based training (e.g., multi-media, virtual reality, traditional CBT)
2. Correspondence (e.g., paper-based self-paced study)
3. Video training (e.g., combination of video and paper-based training materials)
4. Web-based training (e.g., students download training materials through the Intemet or Intranet)

Both instructor-led and independent study have advantages and disadvantages. Successfully implementing an AM/FM/GIS project requires the use of an appropriate training methodology. The advantages and disadvantages of each training method are outlined below to assist organizations to develop a practical training strategy for their AM/FM/GIS project.

Formal instructor-led training is probably the most effective method to train staff to use AM/FM/GIS applications. If funding and time are available, it is ideal to use the formal instructor-led training program to provide training for the first-time user of AM/FM/GIS applications. Learning is a social activity and can best be facilitated in the context of a group situation where the trainer adopts various roles — presenter, instructor, facilitator, coach, monitor, and, sometimes, invisible person. The momentum in the group environment motivates the students. Each student is able to learn from both the instructor and from fellow students. Also, the materials covered and the pace of the course can be adjusted easily to coincide with the students’ learning. Unfortunately, the formal instructor-led training program can be a very expensive option for organizations with large numbers of people to train. With the current competition-induced climate of cost reduction and downsizing of business, managers are reluctant or unable to send large groups of people on training programs. The up-front costs of the course tuition, the traveling expenses, and the downtime costs during staff absence are sometimes too high to gain approval. Also, it may be difficult logistically to cover the daily operations with fewer people at work. Moreover, training a large group of people by the instructor-led programs requires a longer training period. Formal instructor-led is possible if the AM/FM/GIS project is implemented in phases. This type of implementation requires communications to coordinate each organization and person impacted by the AM/FM/GIS project. For situations where large groups of people need to be trained, the project must be implemented in phases. One of the alternatives, which is very popular, to reduce training cost is to develop a local trainer; thus, the training can take place in an in-house classroom using in-house trainers. This can reduce the traveling cost and training tuition significantly.

Informal instructor-led training is a less effective training program when it is compared to the formal training program. The informal instructor-led training program can include more students in a shorter time period. Even though the trainer is able to deliver the information interactively, this program’s short-coming is lack of hands-on experience. Therefore, this is not a suitable method to train first-time users of AM/FM/GIS applications. However, this is probably the most suitable method to deliver the deltahpdate information to experienced AM/FM/GIS application users. For example, an interactive distance learning session can train hundreds of people on the new functions of a new version of AM/FM/GIS application software in a short period of time. The cost of this type of training is normally lower than the formal instructor-led type training due to the lower cost of training per participant and reduced training period. However, this method does not have a formal procedure to evaluate the performance of the students.

The independent study concept has been around for many years. Depending on the students’ learning style, this can bean effective training method for people who are self starters and who prefer independent learning. It is also a cost-effective method of training large, dissipated groups in the lower levels of management or as a less time-consuming way to acquire new skills. However, there is problem of designing effective independent study training due to the fact that not everyone participating in a course will have the same needs, ability, motivation or skills. Participants of independent study programs have identified the problems as follows where some of the problems can be resolved by having an on-call “coach” or tutor:

Insufficient motivation: An independent study is based on students studying materials individually, as opposed to engaging in a range of learning activities. In reality, it is difficult to motivate ourselves without substantial support; therefore, the momentum for progress is not high.
Distraction from regular work: One aspect of the independent study is the student’s option to complete the training lessons whenever time is available. This is an advantage for people who cannot afford to leave their job to attend instructor-led training; however, due to the distraction of day-to-day work, the student rarely finds the time to finish the independent study program.
Extra studv materials: One tendency of independent study courses is an attempt to cover as much information as possible to ensure that all the required information is addressed. Since the independent training materials are being developed and delivered non-interactively, there is always a tendency to impose extra study materials. This can be discouraging for the students, especially since they have no time or little appetite for extra work.
Steep learning curve: Independent study training programs tend to impose an over-complicated and time-consuming set of tasks on the students. This represents a very steep learning curve that results in most participants not getting the most out of the training programs.

In general, there has been a tendency for organizations to make provision for information technology (IT) training in only the required technical skills, rather than in some of the more general GIS skills when implementing AM/FM/GIS projects. Equal attention should be paid to ensuring that the staff at all levels within an organization are aware, to some degree, as to why an AM/FM/GIS approach is required and what role pursuing this strategy is expected to play in their position. It is important to realize that an AM/FM/GIS is an approach to tasks, as well as a software technology and that there are implications at all levels of an organization while deploying AM/FM/GIS applications.

If your organization is implementing an AM/FM/GIS project with only a limited number of participants, it is recommended that participants be sent to the application vendor for training. If the AM/FM/GIS project involves a large number of participants, the following approaches are suggested to model your AM/FM/GIS application training program:

Conduct a target audience analysis to define the skills required for each group of participants in order to implement the AM/FM/GIS projects.
Provide structured, program-derived learning materials based on the following factors: the study from the target audience analysis, implementation time frames, and training budgets.
Conduct pilot formal instructor-led training programs for a selected critical group of participants before the actual implementation of the AM/FM/GIS project. Make necessary changes to the course based on the feedback from the participants.
Establish a learning partnership network so that an internal or local resource (subcontractors) can maintain and supply the training programs. For example, train an in-house instructor to conduct the training programs.
Educate all the AM/FM/GIS project participants as to why the AM/FM/GIS application is necessary and how it can benefit each of them.
Implement the training programs.
Conduct on-going process reviews of the training programs with assistance from the AM/FM/GIS application vendor to evaluate effectiveness.

The benefits of the above approach accrue to both the AM/FM/GIS application vendor and users. This approach is a response to the common need of organizations to reduce investment costs. Designing an effective training program to implement an AM/FM/GIS project can be a very complicated task and may require excessive study of the organization itself. Identifying the different training requirements for groups within an organization — such as those involved with operations, applications, system design, research and development, or decision making — is a crucial step in the success of the AM/FM/GIS project. The above approach can be used as a model to develop an AM/FM/GIS application training program. With proper training strategies in place, a smoother project implementation is ensured and, in turn, the return on investment can be maximized.

References

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