Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime

12.7. IDENTIFY SOURCES OF SUPPORT

For each component in your entire learning system, identify a source of support. Who can answer questions about it? Who can help solve problems caused by the component? In most projects, support comes from a mixture of four sources: training staff, Information Technology department, tool vendors, and learners themselves.

12.7.1. Training staff

Training professionals are caring, sympathetic, and technically knowledgeable. They would seem to be the ideal candidates to provide technical support. Learners know how to contact their instructors and administrators. And training organizations want to offer complete training solutions.

Unfortunately, many training organizations underestimate how much support learners will require and are then swamped with requests. It is not unusual for instructors to spend the majority of their time handling technical problems rather than doing anything that advances learning.

The training staff may want to serve as the initial contact for learners with technical problems but quickly refer them to other resources that can more effectively solve the problem. You may want to set up a Help desk which learners can access by chat, discussion group, or telephone. Have the Help desk identify problems and direct learners to other resources that provide solutions.

12.7.2. Information Technology department

Most large companies and universities have a department in charge of ordering, installing, setting up, and maintaining computers ...