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.