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Learning as it was meant to be
Justify customized training with an immediate return on investment.
by Scott Steinberg
Let's face it—knowledge is meant to be shared. But there are different ways that sharing can take place. The traditional classroom format is proven to be efficient and effective. But
some benefit more from
a greater level of detail. That's where Teradata Customer Education comes in, with customized, performance-based training for end users.
This method is the easiest and most reliable way
to teach key features of a Teradata Warehouse, including
how to generate reports, handle data and interpret results in ways that enable better decision making. Drawing on extensive expertise and a proven methodology, Teradata's certified professionals can have a work force operating at peak efficiency in as little as eight weeks. And with on- or off-site learning opportunities available, solutions are both flexible and cost-effective.
"Transferring information across multiple departments or even entire companies is easily accomplished through such (educational) setups," says Carol Dunn, a consultant with Teradata Customer Education. "After all, pupils are more apt to learn when they're in a comfortable environment. Namely, their own."
Hence the reason courses are crafted around data culled from a firm's everyday activities. By couching information in a context that's both immediate and relevant, users can instantly see the benefit of their newfound know-how. The bottom line: Employees quickly become empowered, and overall organizational productivity improves through direct association.
In other words, the process offers an immediate return on investment.
"Students are constantly learning about topics and subjects that specifically impact their job," says Mark Jauss, a Teradata education consultant. "Every minute, every hour, every day spent with us is measurably useful. ... Not one second is wasted."
Rich in instructional system design (ISD) and business intelligence (BI) tool experience, Teradata Customer Education can help a company benefit from a customized training program.
"There's no one standardized solution that addresses the unique needs of every organization," says Brian Bachman, a senior consultant with the Teradata Data Mining Lab. "But there is something every project has in common: We put a structure in place that best suits your workplace and objectives."
Lessons are plotted accordingly, covering topics ranging anywhere from basic SQL functionality (e.g., windowing, ranking, and advanced aggregation) to database management. Experienced Teradata personnel supervise all sessions, leveraging their expertise to deliver training in ways workers can identify with immediately. Facilitative instruction, independent practice exercises, question and answer sessions—all are incorporated benefits.
Participants evaluate the course and objectives. The process results in training that keeps on giving.
All intellectual property tied to instructional efforts and online materials are owned by your company and reside on your servers. Through Teradata's "Train the Trainer" program, internal resources can be prepared for future sessions.
"Companies of any size can benefit from customized training," says Dunn. "We educate users and get them excited about their new skills. And clients ultimately control rights to the methodology, meaning the cost goes down with every employee."
All the while, benefits increase exponentially. Consider the example of a 30,000-member company keen on bolstering revenue by selling special services. There was one problem: When its data warehouse received a long-overdue upgrade, workers discovered all the table names they'd become acquainted with over the years had suddenly changed.
A successful partnership with Teradata resulted in instructor-led training programs, which segued into a turnkey, online solution capable of re-educating staffers.
Workers in multiple divisions (retail, operations and finance) found their familiarity with the enterprise environment growing by leaps and bounds, and gross sales figures increased soon after. In addition, a permanent system was put in place whereby thousands more associates could be trained just as effectively at minimal additional expenditure.
Take the case of another corporation intent on creating a standardized code of operating procedures. With Teradata's assistance, the firm made identifying its most commonly used data part of the custom training engagement. The rewards were clear: Concepts clicked in employees' heads, and the difference in the learning curve before and after the program's implementation was obvious.
"What we offer is an all-inclusive package," says Bachman. "Everybody's on the same page. Workers gain greater understanding of their operating environment, management becomes more confident and company heads see visible improvements on a daily basis."
The sum total is a solution your organization simply can't afford to be without.
Whether viewed from a fiscal or a functional standpoint, the math makes good sense, says Bachman.
"By educating users on the data they see day in and day out, we're able to help them head straight for their desk and hit the ground running." T
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Steps in Teradata customized, performance-based training for end users
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THE EXPERTS at Teradata Customer Education employ a proven methodology to create customized training programs and educate your work force. The process consists of six individual steps, each designed to teach employees new skills and maximize exposure to crucial data.
Step 1 Conduct training questionnaire assessment: Consultants work with internal representatives to develop a questionnaire tailored to your data warehouse environment. Actual organizational performance in terms of employee skills, knowledge and ability is compared with existing standards. This core analysis helps identify the need for instruction, and forms the basis for all subsequent strategic educational recommendations.
Step 2 Group end users by skill level: Consultants categorize tasks to be performed, so as to codify training requirements and draft a training strategy. End users' levels of competency at performing these tasks are determined. Students are divided into skill levels ranging from basic to advanced and then are grouped with individuals of similar talents to pace the learning process appropriately.
Step 3 Develop training design document: A manuscript outlining course curriculum and learning objectives required for each skill level is created. The document includes skill level descriptions, course descriptions, course module descriptions, and learning objectives. It also features descriptions of how Teradata will meet learning objectives and approach the delivery methodology. The document serves as the foundation upon which the course curriculum is designed.
Step 4 Develop course curriculum: Qualified personnel with instructional system design backgrounds create the custom training process. All courses are developed to meet learning objectives and highlight SQL queries, commonly accessed tables and canned reports as identified with the help of subject matter experts. Students face actual issues they'd encounter in their own data warehouse environment.
Step 5 Deliver customized training courses: Instructor-led and/or Web-based training courses are implemented. Tutorials utilize the following delivery methods: facilitative instruction, supervised exercises, independent exercises and Q&A sessions. Workers enjoy firsthand the experience of performing everyday business tasks using their company's data and are constantly invited to make decisions and ask questions along the way. Knowledge is gained through
practice, reinforcement
and ongoing review. Each module has an end-of-module test and hands-on practical exam so that both students and instructor can gauge the effectiveness of the training.
Step 6 Evaluate course effectiveness: Course evaluation forms are provided to verify that training objectives have been met. Teradata Customer Education reviews the finished forms to identify problem areas and takes action to remedy issues in future classes.
Suggestion:
Add the client's management team and the course instructors to the list of reviewers.
Review by these individuals can be immediately incorporated into subsequent sessions to help bolster the relevance and effectiveness of the training.
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Benefits of customized education
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MANY END USERS VIEW TRAINING as a waste of time. That's an idea that couldn't be further from the truth—if the training is carefully crafted.
Teradata's performance-based custom training programs offer employees hands-on education using information that crosses their desks every day. Here are some of the many benefits to be recognized through these initiatives, according to Brian Bachman, a senior consultant in the Teradata Data Mining Lab:
- Increased productivity: "You'd be surprised how compartmentalized knowledge is within companies. Custom training engagements effectively communicate this isolated information to a sizable group. Once done, employees can immediately begin applying what they've learned to regular tasks—and results are nothing short of incredible. Sometimes even firms we assume are well-oiled machines could use a little maintenance."
- Maximum ROI: "Customized education has clearly proven to be the most effective way to train staffers. Once they've completed the process, these individuals can retrieve data faster and more reliably. All of which means corporate leaders can make more efficient use of personnel and resources. And in the end, that translates into greater profitability."
- Employee independence: "Too often, management finds itself having to monitor or otherwise waiting too long for results delivered by improperly trained associates. Personalized instructional programs cut back on these inefficiencies by giving end users the knowledge needed to effectively exploit information from the data warehouse. For executives, that means no more having to look over anyone's shoulder. These programs foster greater trust in employees."
- Speedier system implementation: "Teradata consultants possess an incredible amount of experience. We're able to sit down with clients and create a series of workshops and courses detailing every aspect of the data warehouse.
By doing so, it considerably lessens the initial learning curve."
- Creating a common vision: "With a custom training engagement, it doesn't matter where you are in the organization: Everyone understands what you're trying to achieve. Because we seek feedback from everyone—the everyday associate, the boardroom and everyone in between—there's no disconnect in terms of data relevancy. Whatever we're teaching, you understand why … and how it affects you directly."
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Scott Steinberg's articles have appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Rolling Stone.
© Teradata Magazine-September 2005
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