(draft text fodder from Jim, take any chuck or none; lots of repeat stuff, but it’s a start)
ASI employs a proven technical review process to ensure all courseware and supporting software is designed with the end-state in mind. All knowledge assessments, intellectual skills, symbolic data, formulas, presentation materials, and tertiary requirements to meet the success criteria are gathered and collated into succinct, meaningful modules for design outlining.
From this, ASI storyboards the course into phases and thematic groups to ensure the cognitive process of learning is paced reasonably, efficiently, and effectively – always referencing the client’s success criteria for course completion. For training to become learning, we begin courseware design from the students’ point of view:
- What am I going to get out of this class?
- Why is this important?
- What important steps must I be aware of (and why) in critical processes?
- How is the student best served the information for him or her to best retain it all longer and repeat it all (more predictably and safely on their own)?
These storyboards are moved to development phase were current and potential resources, media, software, hardware, and other needed materials or information is collected and gathered or requested from the OEM, customer, or supporting agencies.
Development begins with the storyboards being assigned to staff for development into actual courseware, practical exercises, self-paced quizzes, reviews, tests, and potted for later use as randomized final exams and/or wider deployment (as appropriate).
The lead Software Engineer (SE) works with the team to ensure formatting and coding remain aligned with delivery vehicle from the beginning to avoid integration errors later; this lowers risk during testing and final delivery as the product is essentially “tested” in final format the entire development process. This will ensure the product supports all functions of the clients’ delivery method of choice (iPad-type, laptop, various training devices, etc).
Program managers (PMs) will ensure full compliance with all program standards and specifications, all appropriate local, State, and Federal regulations, and ensure compliance with the clients’ protocols for delivery and documentation.
The PM will also provide oversight to the SE in his or her duties for interoperability and software development as well as have the oversight from above via ASI’s senior staff and SME consultants.
Constant contact, advisory calls, updates, and data are flowed to the clients” point of contact(s) or cadre throughout the process to make minor course corrections, or changes in preferred format and presentation material to ensure customer buy-in and stakeholder status from day one.
ASI operates with the philosophy that the partners and customers should have full access to the program and methodologies throughout the partnership. This lowers risk during final testing and delivery as well since the end-user has seen and, potentially, interacted with the courseware from day one (as appropriate to time and budget).