Please read the following and post your responses to the questions on the discussion board.

Philip Epler has been hired as a consultant by a large university to design and deliver training for the University's new Integrated Systems Project.

The University is preparing for the 21st century with this multi-year project to replace virtually all financial, human resource and student information systems with a modern, integrated set of software applications (an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system) offered by Oracle. Today, in the distributed age of computing, enterprise systems extend far beyond the database. By definition, enterprise systems are heterogeneous collections of interrelated systems that span buildings, or span the globe. This is the largest administrative project EVER conducted by the University!

Philip used to work for Performance Training Solutions. As an instructional designer for the firm, he developed Internet, computer and paper-based instructional materials. In addition, he developed a variety of instructor-led workshops aimed at end-users of integrated enterprise systems.

Approximately 5,000 end-users will be affected by this project. These users have a variety of learning needs--some are still becoming familiar with a mouse, while others are experienced systems engineers.

The University has already invested a significant amount of resources into the existing training department, CTI. CTI has been designing and developing various forms of training for University departments over the last four years. University officials are confident CTI can produce whatever training is needed for the new system; they want Philip to work with CTI to design the training for the systems application, preferably Web-based, but would consider using an outside vendor if Philip determines CTI does not have the capability to offer an effective solution.

Philip has met with the training team at CTI. Elaine Molebash, the training manager, has expressed some concern with the magnitude of this training initiative, fearful it will spread the training department too thin, keeping CTI from being able to meet the University's current needs.

James Picard, CTI's sole instructional designer, seemed ambivalent at the meeting, offering no opinions or suggestions about the project. On the other hand, Bubbles Sanderson, one of the full-time technical trainers on staff said, “I can’t wait to jump in and start training the users on this new application. It has great potential to be an exciting workshop because it will be a nice change of pace from the Microsoft Office application classes we’ve been doing.” Michelle Lee, the other technical trainer on staff, thought CTI should first focus on creating a user manual that can be distributed on-line and via hard copy.

Lynn Wiss, the team graphic designer, a talented full-time graduate student at the Art School, said she would be thrilled to help develop Computer-based or Web-based materials, but can only devote thirty hours or less to the project each week. The two programmers on staff, Dave Bull and Glen Lewis, have extensive experience developing multimedia-based training, but have little experience developing for the Web. However, they are both extremely confident they can learn to develop for this environment without any problem.

Philip must first decide how training will be offered for the new system. He has performed a thorough needs assessment, taking into account the needs of all stakeholders. For example, Martie Kay Kinzie, the University’s CIO upped the stakes when she quipped, “Epler, this training is going to make or break the success of this project. How are you going to assure that all users, from payroll to admissions, are going to be able to adapt to the new user-interface?” Kinzie also mentioned that she personally established CTI for just this type of project, making Philip wonder if using an outside training vendor is really a possible solution.

Philip also recalled from the needs assessment that some of the more novice users were concerned because it took them years to learn the old system and they don’t want to have to “reinvent the wheel.” There were also a number of “techies” who felt that they could pick up the new system overnight. Clearly, it will be difficult to meet the needs of everyone along the continuum with just one training solution.