Training Center Performs Skills Assessment, Saves ...



Overview

Country or Region: United States

Industry: Professional Services

Customer Profile

New Horizons Computer Learning Centers of Minnesota offers training for Microsoft® certifications to customers in a wide range of professions.

Business Situation

A healthcare provider wanted role-based training for its staff that would maximize information and minimize cost and bring it up to speed for a new operating system deployment.

Solution

The healthcare provider worked with New Horizons to create a customized training program for help-desk personnel, which included Microsoft technical certification. Pearson VUE provided the testing.

Benefits

■ Trained healthcare provider staff appropriately for specific job roles

■ Provided convenient assessment and training, allowing participants more time for their jobs

■ Saved time and expense of unnecessary training

| | |“The organizational assessment tool provides a solid indication of how well someone will do on MCDST certification.”

Peter O’Keefe, Director of Education, New Horizons of Minnesota

| |

| | | |In preparation for a large-scale desktop migration to the Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional |

| | | |operating system, a large healthcare provider wanted to ensure that its help-desk personnel had the |

| | | |knowledge necessary to resolve potential user questions and provide superior support to its staff. |

| | | |Not sure where to start, it turned to New Horizons Computer Learning Centers of Minnesota for |

| | | |evaluation of staff using an organizational skills assessment. New Horizons was able to evaluate the |

| | | |skills of the healthcare provider’s help-desk personnel and developed a customized, blended learning |

| | | |solution that included technical certification mapping back to specific job roles within the |

| | | |organization. As a result, the healthcare provider certified 28 technical support personnel as |

| | | |Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technicians (MCDST) and saved more than U.S.$75,000 in training |

| | | |costs. |

| | | | |

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Situation

New Horizons Computer Learning Centers of Minnesota is a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner for Learning Solutions offering training and certification in technology, software, and business skills. The company, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, employs 17 instructors who work with businesses and individuals in a wide variety of fields. Their most popular classes are those tied to Microsoft Certification, preparing individuals to take certification exams in areas such as desktop support, systems analysis, systems engineering, and solution development, among others.

The certification training program has proven to drive business value for the clients of New Horizon. As an example, a large healthcare provider’s information technology (IT) personnel planned to migrate 30,000 computers to the Microsoft Windows® XP Professional operating system. In order to better support its staff, the healthcare provider needed a cost-effective way to assess the existing skills of its help-desk personnel and train them on the new software. In addition, management wanted to certify staff members to validate their newly acquired skills, justify the investment the company made in its staff, and provide career growth opportunities for employees.

Having previously used the Microsoft Windows NT® version 4.0 operating system and Microsoft Office 97, many of the healthcare provider’s employees were already familiar with tools and features of Microsoft technologies. However, management anticipated users would have additional questions resulting from the increased functionality of Windows XP and new features of Microsoft Office applications, specifically those of the Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 messaging and collaboration client. The healthcare provider decided to further train its IT staff.

Solution

Working with the healthcare provider, New Horizons identified a pilot team to assess existing employee skill levels, develop a customized learning plan, and then deliver specific, role-based training that addressed identified skill gaps. “We’ve had a great relationship with this client for more than a decade,” says Peter O’Keefe, Director of Education for New Horizons of Minnesota. “From the onset, we’ve worked more like partners than simply training their team, and understand the unique needs of their organization and provide solutions that help them realize their goals.”

Members from the healthcare provider’s staff and New Horizons collaborated to identify key areas in which IT staff members needed assistance—in this case, issues related to support for desktop software programs. Using an organizational skills assessment—an online portal and a process that integrates skills inventory, evaluation, and planning functions—to evaluate its staff, the healthcare provider was able to determine exactly what training was necessary for each participant and execute a plan accordingly.

The Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations measures individual baseline skills, performs a gap analysis, offers an organizational view of this information, and provides a suggested training program. The organizational assessment process involves four stages: Definition, Validation, Assessment, and Solution.

Definition of Training Needs

In conjunction with New Horizons and a Microsoft Learning consultant, the healthcare provider determined the training should focus on Microsoft Office XP and Windows XP in preparation for the company’s planned software upgrade. The team then created a skills matrix of proficiency levels needed for specific job roles within the organization.

Validation of Specific Skills

During the Validation stage, the healthcare provider’s IT managers had the opportunity to review, amend, and validate the skills matrixes outlined in the Definition phase. The managers found that the skills aligned directly with the desired outcomes for two specific job roles at the healthcare provider: help-desk and software installation technicians.

New Horizons also used employee skill data in making its recommendation for training. “Our initial discussions with the healthcare provider’s IT managers led us to believe that the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) credential would help them achieve their goals,” says O’Keefe.

Available since January 2004, the MCDST credential provides validation of skills necessary to successfully troubleshoot desktop environments running on the Microsoft Windows operating system. “We saw the new certification as an opportunity for help-desk professionals to earmark their résumés and provide for career growth by demonstrating that they have all the skills necessary to successfully support users of the Microsoft Windows [operating] system,” says O’Keefe.

Assessment of Existing Skill Levels

After determining that the MCDST credential would best meet the needs of support personnel, IT managers had 100 support technicians from one location rate their skills against areas frequently tested on MCDST examinations and then answer questions related to those skills. The Assessment phase encompassed four components.

■ Web-based Assessment Test: Training participants received an e-mail message with login instructions for the Web-based assessment tool. Every employee had the opportunity to view the skills assigned to them during the Definition phase and rate their own proficiency. Participants were able to take the assessment test at their individual workstations at a time that was convenient for them. “One of the advantages of the tool is that students can log in and start the assessment at any time and from anywhere,” says O’Keefe. “If any interruption occurs, they can stop the test and continue it later.”

■ Progress Monitoring: After the introductory e-mail message was sent, IT managers could monitor who within their groups had completed the assessment and send reminders when necessary. When all participants had completed the test, the managers rated the skills of those in their groups and modified assessment results as needed.

■ Collaborative Analysis: IT managers and representatives from both Microsoft Learning and New Horizons of Minnesota reviewed the results. The data revealed both the level of understanding and wide range of experience of the healthcare provider’s IT support personnel. “In the beginning, we assumed that everyone on their staff needed to be an expert in all categories of the MCDST,” says O’ Keefe. “But given the specialist nature of their support technicians, they needed more training in specific areas.”

■ Result Verification: For the most part, the Web-based assessment reinforced conclusions the team had made early on. However, it also revealed new information.

“One Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on staff was supporting Windows XP and Office XP quite well. Because he has passed several certification exams and was able to transfer many of his skills, I expected him to score very high on the assessment. But he tested poorly on content related to one of the MCDST courses,” says O’Keefe.

Given the areas of surprise, the healthcare provider IT managers had several technicians take actual MCDST certification exams to ensure that the assessment appropriately measured employee skill levels. These exams proved the accuracy of the initial assessment. “The organizational assessment tool provides a solid indication of how well someone will do on MCDST certification,” says O’Keefe.

Solution Creation and Delivery

The collaborative team conducted a skills gap analysis—a comparison of existing technician skill levels and desired skill outcomes. The healthcare provider’s IT managers could access this data easily, view results by team or for the whole organization, and export information to Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet software for offline manipulation. The convenient access to information helped IT managers set target dates for training and completion.

In late February 2004, New Horizons of Minnesota delivered a prescriptive learning plan to the healthcare provider’s IT managers. The plan recommended a two-phased training program that included an online and classroom component, which would prepare participants for the MCDST certification. Two Microsoft Official Courses formed the basis for the training:

■ Course 2261: Supporting Users Running the Microsoft Windows XP Operating System—This introductory course provides individuals who are new to Windows XP with the knowledge and skills necessary to troubleshoot basic problems they will face while running Windows XP Professional in an Active Directory® service network environment.

■ Course 2262: Supporting Users Running Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System—Designed to complement Course 2261, this course covers how to troubleshoot basic problems related to configuring and maintaining applications such as Microsoft Office programs, Microsoft Outlook Express, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and other applications that run on the Windows XP operating system.

Because the assessment revealed that not all participants needed to take both classes, the prescriptive learning plan proposed separating training participants into two groups based on their job roles. According to the plan, installation and help-desk personnel would take the two classes in alternate order and format.

New Horizons partnered with Pearson VUE, the electronic testing business of Pearson Education, to complete the process. The two groups collaborated on a testing plan customized for the healthcare provider. Pearson VUE ran the testing, visiting the healthcare provider’s location and establishing a mobile testing center. In December of 2004, 28 employees achieved the MCDST certification, 15 of whom intend to go on to a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator certification.

Benefits

The partnership between the healthcare provider’s IT managers, New Horizons of Minnesota, Microsoft Learning, and Pearson VUE has proven successful for all parties. The collaborative process for analysis, planning, and evaluation resulted in a training solution that met existing needs of the IT managers and can be adapted if necessary. The healthcare provider expects the training and certification will give help-desk personnel the skills necessary to support employees in the upcoming migration to Windows XP and will lead to an overall increase in efficiency.

Appropriate Training for the Audience

The healthcare provider was able to accurately assess skills of IT personnel and create role-based training that mapped back to the organization’s needs. For example, assessment results indicated that many of the training participants needed a refresher course on Microsoft Windows before taking either Course 2261 or Course 2262. “We discovered there was at least a day’s worth of prerequisite knowledge that staff members needed before they would be ready for MCDST certification material,” says O’Keefe. As a result, New Horizons provided a one-day refresher course on Windows NT version 4.0. “The refresher course proved to be well worth the time,” say O’Keefe. “It brought students up to a level that would allow them to get the most out of the more advanced Windows XP training.”

In addition, compared to previous training engagements, the topics covered in

MCDST-related courses were much more relevant to the organization’s needs. “The detailed assessment process and collaborative efforts of all those involved helped shape the training so that it was relevant for specific job roles. The training solidified the technical skills of help-desk personnel and provided an opportunity for staff members to study specific aspects of networking, troubleshooting, and account permissions in greater detail,” says O’Keefe.

Ease and Convenience of Web-based Assessment

The use of a new Web-based assessment tool resulted in increased efficiency for IT managers and support personnel. Providing employees with online assessment meant that support personnel could take the test at their own desks in-between support calls—or even at home. As a result, 99 percent of all participants completed the assessment within 48 hours.

Substantial Cost Savings

Students who scored at or above a certain level on the assessment test could opt out of the correlating class, saving the healthcare provider U.S.$75,000. In total, 20 employees needed to take only a portion of the training offered. “Because so many organizations have limited budgets for training, it was important that we offer the correct training for the support staff,” says O’Keefe. “The organizational assessment process offered the healthcare provider the means for cutting costs while simultaneously giving employees training that suited their needs.”

Flexibility Resulting from Collaborative Effort

The healthcare provider was able to change the direction of the training when it proved necessary. “After the initial training session, we realized that they did not need technicians to become expert in all areas, but rather wanted more in-depth training for certain applications,” says O’Keefe. “Because the healthcare provider’s staff used Outlook 97 for so many years, they anticipated a lot of questions about the added functionality of Outlook 2003,” says O’Keefe. “There was a lot of give-and-take in shaping the content. Microsoft Learning and New Horizons were open and willing to work with them to address their concerns. As a result, we were able to align the focus of the course with their most significant user needs.”

Blended Learning: Effective Mix of Classroom and Online Learning

Because the prescriptive learning plan includes an e-learning component, healthcare provider management expects to realize additional efficiencies in latter stages of the training. “I think both call-center staff and managers will find the e-learning component incredibly valuable, because it is so hard to schedule meetings and give people time away from their jobs,” says O’Keefe. “Being able to effectively transfer knowledge online will have a positive impact on employee productivity.”

Increased Confidence of Staff and Interest in Personal Development

As a result of the personal satisfaction employees gained during the training, 15 participants plan to pursue additional technical certifications in the near future. “Heightened interest in certification among staff members and those in management has led the healthcare provider to re-examine how technical certification fits in with the structure of the organization,” says O’Keefe.

Expected Improved Efficiency Resulting from MCDST Certification

In the months following certification, the healthcare provider expects to see the number of support calls resolved on initial contact increase and for user questions to be answered more efficiently than ever before.

The IT Managers believe that such an increase in productivity will in time benefit more than the support personnel—it will help the entire organization.

Microsoft Learning

Microsoft Learning builds innovative learning products that enable both individuals and organizations to make the most of their investment in Microsoft technology. Offerings from Microsoft Learning—include skills assessments, books, certification programs, classroom and lab-format curriculum, e-learning, and other online reference materials. Our goal? To make you a more efficient user of Microsoft technology. Learn more about Microsoft Learning:



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| |Software and Services

■ Product Solution Items

− Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations

− Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) certification

Related Software

■ Microsoft Windows XP Professional

■ Microsoft Office System

− Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003

− Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

■ Microsoft Office XP

■ Microsoft Windows Server SystemTM

− Microsoft Windows ServerTM 2003

− Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

Microsoft Official Courses

■ 2261: Supporting Users Running the Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

■ 2262: Supporting Users Running Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

|Microsoft Certification Exams

■ Exam 70–271: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

■ Exam 70–272: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

Microsoft Press Publications

■ MCDST Self-Paced Training Kit: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System (Exam 70-271)

■ MCDST Self-Paced Training Kit: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System (Exam 70-272)

Technologies

■ Microsoft Active Directory

■ Microsoft Internet Explorer

Partners

■ Pearson VUE | |

© 2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Microsoft, Active Directory, Excel, Microsoft Press, Outlook, Windows, Windows NT, Windows Server, and Windows Server System are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Document published June 2005 | | |

For More Information

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For more information about Pearson VUE products and services, call 952-681-3000 or visit the Web site at:

For more information about New Horizons of Minnesota products and services, call 952-896-6800 or visit the Web site at:

“One of the advantages of the tool is that students can log in and start the assessment at any time and from anywhere.”

Peter O’Keefe, Director of Education, New Horizons of Minnesota

| |

“The organizational assessment process offered the healthcare provider the means for cutting costs while simultaneously giving employees training that suited their needs.”

Peter O’Keefe, Director of Education, New Horizons of Minnesota

| |

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