Demystifying Technical Training: Partnership, Strategy, and Execution

Demystifying Technical Training: Partnership, Strategy, and Execution

by Wendy L. Combsand, Bettina M. Davis
Released July 2009
Publisher(s): Pfeiffer
ISBN: 9780470420836

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Book description

Praise forDemystifying Technical Training

"Demystifying Technical Training is a must-read for CLOs, managers of training, instructors, and instructional designers. All who read it will gain critical insights into how to lower the cost and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of learning."

—Wm. Douglas Harward, CEO and founder of Training Industry, Inc.

"Individuals interested in and accountable for deriving significant value from technical training investments will gain great benefit from reading this book and applying its wisdom."

—Karen Kocher, CLO at Cigna Healthcare

"Demystifying Technical Training is an essential, complete guide for any learning organization. The overviews and concepts are clearly stated, while the case studies and sidebars provide practical examples you can apply in your situation."

—Jean Barbazette, president of The Training Clinic and author of Managing the Training Function for Bottom-Line Results

"Considering the cost of acquiring and developing talent, why wouldn't all CEO/COOs insist on investing in people to improve results and reduce risk? This book demystifies the process of developing technical experts to increase the return on investment in human capital. Bravo!"

—Martin J. Menard, former group CIO at Intel Corporation

"Technical training is a key to sustaining competitiveness in the new economy. Learn how to leverage and optimize its value in your organization through this wonderfully insightful and practical resource."

—Dr. Arthur L. Jue, director of global organization and talent development at Oracle and co-author of Social Media at Work: How Networking Tools Propel Organizational Performance

"Don't be misled by the title—this book—while focusing on the often segmented world of domain specific job skills—provides guidance valid for the full spectrum of workforce learning from soft-skills to 'technical' skills."

—Ruth Clark, principal and president of Clark Training & Consulting and author of e-Learning and the Science of Instruction

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About This Book
  3. About Pfeiffer
  4. FOREWORD
  5. PREFACE
  6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  7. INTRODUCTION
  8. What Is Technical Training?
    1. The Complete Training Suite for Technical Experts
    2. CASE STUDY: MOTIVATING ENGINEERS TO TAKE NON-TECHNICAL COURSES WITH ASME
    3. Technical Training and Related Acitivities
    4. Summary: The Power of a Common Language
  9. Challenges and Opportunities for Technical Training
    1. Environmental Factors
    2. Organizational Considerations
    3. Capability Aspects
    4. Summary: The Value Proposition for Technical Training
    5. CASE STUDY: MAKING TECHNICAL TRAINING A PRIORITY AT TRIQUINT SEMICONDUCTOR
  10. Differentiators of Technical Training
    1. What Are Differentiators?
    2. Analysis
    3. Design
    4. Development
    5. Implementation
    6. Waterfall Deployment
    7. Evaluation
    8. Overarching Differentiators
    9. CASE STUDY: DRIVING TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AT ELECTRONIC ARTS
    10. Summary: The Potential of Differentiators
  11. Stakeholders of Technical Training
    1. Technical Training Stakeholder Needs
    2. CASE STUDY: GETTING STAKEHOLDERS TO EMBRACE TECHNICAL TRAINING IN THE RAIL INDUSTRY
    3. Collaboration and Governance Structures
    4. Stakeholder Support and Buy-In
    5. Summary: The Requirements for Collaboration
  12. Technical Training Strategy
    1. Primer on Strategy
    2. Components of Strategy
    3. CASE STUDY: TECHNICAL TRAINING AT TOYOTA MOTOR SALES
    4. Capabilities to Execute the Strategy
    5. Summary: Setting the Stage for Execution
  13. Getting the Technical Training Agenda Funded
    1. Considerations in Advance of Funding
    2. Setting Up the Budget
    3. Managing the Budget
    4. CASE STUDY: A GLOBAL LEADER—LUFTHANSA TECHNICAL TRAINING
    5. Summary: The Art and Discipline of Budgeting
  14. Staffing the Technical Training Organization
    1. Structure of the Training Function
    2. Technical Training Skills
    3. Technical Training Recruiting
    4. CASE STUDY: TECHNICAL TRAINING TEAM FORMS A THREE-LEGGED STOOL AT VANGENT
    5. Managing the Technical Training Team
    6. Summary: Hiring and Development in a Nutshell
  15. Technical Training Analysis, Design, and Development
    1. Identifying Technical Training Needs
    2. CASE STUDY: TRAINING REQUIREMENTS GATHERING AT HITACHI DATA SYSTEMS
    3. Prioritizing Technical Training
    4. Designing the Technical Training Portfolio
    5. Summary: Stakeholders Participate Throughout the Training Life Cycle
  16. Marketing of Technical Training
    1. Why Market Technical Training?
    2. Hurdles to Marketing Technical Training
    3. Marketing Principles Applied to Technical Training
    4. Common Sense and Marketing Technical Training
    5. Summary: The Prospect of Marketing Technical Training
    6. CASE STUDY: NEW PLATFORM, TRAINING, AND MARKETING FOR MICROSOFT UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS
  17. Technical Training Delivery and Evaluation
    1. Preparation for Training Delivery
    2. Modes of Technical Training Delivery
    3. Evaluating Technical Training
    4. Summary: Learning from Technical Experts
    5. CASE STUDY: LEARNING TECHNOLOGY AT DREXEL UNIVERSITY
  18. GLOSSARY
  19. REFERENCES
  20. ABOUT THE AUTHORS
  21. INDEX

Product information

  • Title: Demystifying Technical Training: Partnership, Strategy, and Execution
  • Author(s): Wendy L. Combsand, Bettina M. Davis
  • Release date: July 2009
  • Publisher(s): Pfeiffer
  • ISBN: 9780470420836