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Project Management and the SCORM: Proving It Can Be Done
04/13/2004
By: Megan Beyer
SCORM…one small acronym that sparks big concerns for Project Managers (PMs).
When hearing that a project needs to be SCORM conformant, a PM’s mind spins with
questions of how will this affect my project schedule, what extra resources will
I need and what is the added cost. Creating a SCORM conformant course can
and has been accomplished. One area of proof is in the U.S. Navy Oil Spill
Prevention Training Project, initiated by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).
Like many companies and organizations, the U.S. Navy has training needs. One
of their goals has been to create training for personnel operating critical oil-carrying
systems in order to reduce oil spills from Navy ships. This was recognized
as a valid training need, but one that presented a challenge given the extensive
amount of content to be created. Enter the SCORM…
Guided by an interest in reusability and interoperability, Concurrent Technologies
Corporation (contractor) and the U.S. Navy came together in 2001 to develop SCORM
conformant training. contractor proposed the concept of identifying oil-carrying
systems that were similar enough for some content to be shared across the 22 Navy
ship classes. Acting on this proposal, contractor created the framework for a
systems matrix to identify these similarities between systems. The Navy carried
out the analysis and populated the matrix. The result was an indication of training
content topics that could potentially be shared, or, in SCORM terms, be reusable.
contractor and Navy subject matter experts collaborated on the next step, creating
content for eight oil-carrying systems for each of the two Navy ship classes chosen
for this first phase. The Navy also had a specific need for interoperable content
– content that could be delivered both at sea and onshore. To meet this need,
contractor developed a duel deployment model consisting of CD-ROM training for
Navy ships and online, LMS-based training for sailors onshore. The success
of this implementation demonstrated the reusability and interoperability of the
training, and of the SCORM.
So, contractor and the Navy did it, but perhaps the greater question is how did
they do it? Yes, we know that they created a usability matrix, focused on
reusable content and developed for dual deployment, but they didn’t just dive right
in. All projects take a great deal of planning and budgeting, and a SCORM
project is no different. Inquiring PM minds want to know, "Just how do you
plan a SCORM project?"
Time: Fighting the battle against the clock.
PMs always seem to be fighting the clock. Analysis, design, development, implementation
and evaluation: the time it takes to complete each of these phases all tie into
the project’s timeline. So what phase is impacted the most during a SCORM
project? According to Keith Hazen, contractor Bremerton Instructional Technologist,
it’s the analysis and design phases that are most affected. Reusability is
a key factor in SCORM development, which eventually saves time and money, but requires
a great deal of planning up front. In order to be truly reusable, the content
must be context-neutral. This requires careful consideration and analysis
regarding any potential reuse. In the case of the Navy, considerable time
went into developing the reusability matrix, which determined how Shareable Content
Objects (SCOs) would be reused across the 22 ship classes. The contractor
Bremerton team also emphasized that extra time went into the development of an instructional
model that would support the entire matrix. This model was then used as a blueprint
for development. A final area to take note of, when facing the battle of deliverable
dates, is testing. Ample time for testing was considered a key factor by the
Oil Spill Team, especially since testing in multiple LMSs was necessary in this
project.
Resources: What it takes to get it done.
Planning a schedule is one thing, but resources…well that’s a whole other story.
The SCORM seems so technical; of course you’ll need extra technology and a large
team right? Wrong! contractor’s Team on the Oil Spill project consisted
of one PM, two Instructional Designers, one Programmer (who was also a graphic artist)
and half of the tasking time of a multimedia specialist. The contractor
Team also suggested that resource considerations be made for the issues of reuse
and a target LMS. Bill Bandrowski, contractor Bremerton PM, emphasized
that resources need to be allocated for reuse issues. It is essential to determine
how the client will ultimately use the training material in their organization,
and at what level of granularity the content is to be reused. Processes for cataloging
and storing the content (meta-data issues) must also be determined up front. Additional
resources are necessary to carefully select and thoroughly understand the target
LMS, since this will greatly impact development. Having that environment available
for testing is also essential. Since dual deployment of the Oil Spill Training
was critical to the Navy’s goal, project planning called for resources to develop
the interoperability of both CD-ROM and online delivery methods.
Budget: The ever-present bottom line.
So you’ve developed a project schedule and have your resources lined up, now comes
the big concern…how will this affect your budget? The bottom line is always
a concern for PMs. The cost savings from a SCORM conformant course don’t appear
overnight. All along you’ve planned and developed for reusability and it’s
when that reuse kicks in that the savings can be seen. The initial development
of a SCORM course can cost more; however, as time progresses and the training is
implemented, the budget will eventually balance and reuse will begin to occur.
Once reuse occurs, SCORM has paid off and cost savings are noted. Your instructional
designers and developer’s skills will increase over time, leading to even greater
time and cost efficiency. The contractor Team predicted that a cost savings
of 25 percent would be gained from the Oil Spill Prevention Training. This
figure was determined through the analysis of the usability matrix and will be better
identified through use of the training. The team noted dual deployment, analysis,
meta-data/granularity and target vs. multiple LMSs as key areas to consider when
planning a budget for a SCORM conformant course. Each of these factors can
add to a budget if not properly accounted for.
So there you have it, a SCORM conformant course planned and developed. Not
so impossible after all now is it? If anything, the Navy Oil Spill Training
proved that creating a SCORM conformant course can be done and that success is possible.
This article only presents a brief overview of the case study. Further information
on the U.S. Navy Oil Spill Prevention Training can be found by downloading the case study.
This article has been provided to ADLNet.gov by an ADL Community member and may
not reflect the views and policies of the U.S Government and the ADL Initiative.
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