An electronic information letter by BNH Expert Software.
Blended Approach Results in Millions of Dollars in Savings
by J. (Jay) Bahlis, Ph.D., Eng.
"If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it."
-Peter Drucker
Over
the past seven years, I have been preaching the four key elements that
should be examined when considering technology for the delivery of training,
namely: feasibility (would it meet our learning needs), cost (how does it
impact our budget and resources), risk (do we have the infrastructure in
place to support) as well as outcome (how does it impact organizational
goals). To illustrate these principles, several examples based on factual
cases will be presented and discussed. And of course, your comments and feedback would be greatly
appreciated.
Military College Dilemma
A military college provides a nine-month instructor-led command and
staff course to 88 officers per year. The
training program is divided approximately into 9 weeks of lectures
(including guest speakers), 9 weeks of problem solving exercises (including
practice on a simulator), as well as 39 weeks of research and self-study
activities. Recent studies
recommended extension of the program to 390 officers per year.
Maintaining a traditional instructor-led delivery option was
no longer viable. In addition
to millions of dollars in capital expenditures for a new training facility
and a residence to accommodate the drastic increase in the number of
trainees, the military could not spare the additional staff (at the L. Col.
rank) required to deliver, administer, coach and manage a training program
for 390 officers. The challenge
was to determine the most effective option that would meet the military’s
needs.
Solution
* First,
the status quo was examined to determine how the funds and resources were
being allocated and opportunities for optimizing existing resources.
Based on this analysis, it was determined that the school and
the residence could support up to 130 trainee officers with minimal
investment.
* Next,
the content of the training program was examined to determine the
feasibility of changing the sequence in which the training material was
delivered without compromising the outcome.
Since the majority of the problem solving activities involved group
exercises that were best delivered in an instructor-led mode, it was
critical to determine which lectures were an integral part of the problem
solving and simulator activities. Based on this analysis, it was determined
that approximately 13 weeks should be delivered in an instructor-led format
at the military college. But more importantly, the remaining 44 weeks could
be delivered at a distance without compromising the effectiveness of the
training program.
* Since
the new command and staff course would only require 3 months of
instructor-led training, it is now feasible to train 390 officers – 3
groups of 130 – within the existing facilities.
As a result, the military can save over $22 million dollars in
up-front investment for a new school and a residence.
* The
final phase of the analysis focused on the 44 weeks of lectures, research
and self-study activities to determine the most economical blend of delivery
options that will meet organizational, learning and learners needs. Both
synchronous as well as asynchronous traditional and technology based
delivery options were considered. Once
the needs of professional and reserve officers were taken into
consideration, asynchronous web based training option supported by mentors
was recommended, resulting in over $6 million savings in annual recurring
costs (primarily from travel and per diem costs) and a 30% reduction in the
number of additional staff – in comparison to a traditional instructor-led
approach.
Conclusion
The blended delivery option allowed the college to expand its course
offering by 440% to meet the needs of the military, while increasing annual
recurring costs by only 175%. The
improved course delivery model is contributing to the renewed success of the
program.
For information, comments and questions please contact (Jay) Bahlis at
(800) 747-4010 x 21 or
or visit the ADVISOR site at 
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About BNH
Established 1987, BNH helped hundreds of
organizations align learning strategies with business goals. We are result oriented. We offer
a wide range of products, services and workshops to assist HR, training and
business professionals in managing training budgets, measuring impact on the
bottom line as well as identifying ways of reducing costs and improving
productivity. Our
products include ADVISOR Enterprise – Manage and Optimize Training Budgets
and Resources, ADVISOR Online – Media Selection and Return on Investment
Tool, ADVISOR P.I. – Needs Assessment Tool to Improve Performance, and
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Last updated on April 06, 2007.
bahlis@bnhexpertsoft.com