Buying in Expertise

1
Buying in Expertise

• UN System Induction CD-ROM
• Project Production Experience
• Laurie Newell

2
Project Purpose / Objective

• To introduce new staff members to the UN system
  as a whole and how it works together
• To help create a common understanding of UN
  system structure, mandate and values among all
  its new staff.

3
By...

• Being realistic about the challenges involved in
  working in the UN and still aim to inspire new
  staff toward spending their careers committed to
  and working for UN values and goals.
• Address learners at both cognitive and affective
  levels.

4
Target Audience

• All new UN staff members
• All agencies
• All levels
• All duty stations
• (Where English is used!)

5
Focus of Learning

• YES!
• Attitudes
• Knowledge
• Aspirations

• NO...
• Skills (not feasible)

6
Levels of Learning - Knowl.

• No
• Comprehension
• Application
• Analysis
• Synthesis
• Critique
• (Not feasible/desirable)

• YES!
• Recall

7
Guiding Principles

• Simple
• Relevant
• Compelling
• Personal

8
Project Stages

• Concept / Proposal / Needs Assessment
• Client buy-in and funding
• Bidding and Selection of Producer
• Production (many sub-stages)
• Distribution
• Evaluation and Follow-up

9
Why buy in?

• Lack of in-house capacity
• Knowledge and Expertise
• Time
• Working with a company that is up-to-date and
  innovating in the field

10
LearnStream Actors

• Marketing/Sales
• 1 Project Manager (budget /timing issues)
• 2 Instructional Designers (main contacts)
• 1 Technical/Authoring expert
• 1 Sound producer (all the audio)
• 2 narrators
• 1 3-D animation specialist
• Quality Assurance

11
Stages - Concept /Proposal

• Request made by UN system Learning Managers
• 2 proposals written, requesting comments, content
  approval and funding (Feb. and May 2000)
• Writing detailed TOR (see handout)

12
Stages - Client Buy-in and Funding

• Responding to questions on the proposal
• Refining content list and TOR
• Long conversations leading eventually to
  sufficient funding to move ahead

13
Stages - Bidding / Selection

• International bidding process
• 3 months
• 30 invitations
• 14 bidders
• 650 pages of proposals, 40 sample CDs
• Telephone interviews with 3 final companies
• Selection (see handout for criteria)

14
Stages - Production

• Needs Assessment and Planning (Nov. 00)
• Research on content (Aug. - Dec. 00)
• Scripting (mid-Dec. 00 - end-Feb. 01)
• Authoring (3 - 4 weeks - March 01)
• Alpha Test (beginning April 01)
• Beta Test (end April 01 and end May 01)
• Reproduction (3 weeks - June 01)

15
Production - Planning TNA

• 7 days of meetings
• 5 with LearnStream
• 2 with LearnStream and Subject Matter Experts
  (SMEs) and end users in NY
• Understand the purpose
• Agree general course outline
• Build working relationships

16
Production - Research

• Specifying exactly which bit of content will meet
  each learning objective
• Finding and clarifying sources (documents, web,
  live people!)
• Requesting content from 35 agencies

17
Production - Scripting

• Starts with overall course plan
• Writing (see sample script handout)
• Reviews by client (UNSC) and SMEs (throughout the
  system)
• Corrections by producer
• We did scripting twice because of length,
  complexity of content and process and need for
  sponsor buy-in.

18
Production - Authoring

• Using chosen authoring tool (eg. Macromedia
  Director) production company turns scripts into
  the e-course!

19
Production - Alpha Test

• First review of all material on CD-ROM
• Done with 15 sample end users (new staff of many
  backgrounds) in Geneva
• Mainly a test for user-friendliness, clarity
  and any technical problems
• Client review for accuracy
• Revisions!

20
Production - Beta Test

• Review by client and SMEs
• Ensure Alpha changes have been done
• Final review for accuracy
• Revisions!

21
Production - Reproduction

• Duplication of final product
• CD-ROM - with label
• Cover / Booklet / Insert
• In chosen packaging (jewel case, clamshell
  case, cardboard)

22
Stages - Distribution

• Asking agencies to name focal points
• Establishing and getting agreement on pricing
  scheme
• Setting up internal systems for distribution

23
Stages -Evaluation and Updating

• Evaluation of use (and impact??) in 2 years time
• If agreed, and funded, updating of material
• Possible translation into French and / or Spanish

24
Design Issues - many!!

• Purpose - information tool (for searching) versus
  learning tool
• Scope of content vs. seat time
• Level of computer literacy of users
• Lowest common standard of equipment of users
• Intended delivery platform - CD, internet,
  intranet, etc.

25
Design Issues - Contd

• Free navigation versus guided
• Look and feel - informal/personal
• Ordering of content
• Political considerations about where and how
  various UN bodies were presented
• Using positive and inclusive language
• Cultural diversity of narrators and those
  represented
• Etc!