This is part of our series on ‘Steps to Successful Simulation Training in the Workplace’. The series breaks down trouble spots many businesses face, with tips from companies that have successfully deployed 3D simulation training.
Deploying 3D simulation training for the first time involves lots of moving parts. We asked our customers who have successfully implemented these trainings for some tips to help others inform their processes. The first of which, and most important, is deciding where to start, and PG&E has some exceptional insight to share on that topic!
You’re stacking the odds against 3D simulation training being a success if you attempt to deploy it for every single critical task or procedure at once. For one, the upfront CAPEX would certainly be prohibitive, and even if budget isn’t a concern and you’re staffed beyond reason to accommodate a rapid influx of training, making the same mistake simultaneously on some part of your process is enough to ruin an otherwise positive and often energizing experience.
Instead, businesses are using a combination of the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, combined with key business metrics to determine the best initial training course candidates for their investment. And that involves exploring a series of questions that take employees, priorities and goals into consideration. How does that look, specifically? Our customer PG&E uses the following key questions to narrow things down to a shortlist:
- What is the urgent or important business need that will be met by this training?
- What is the current level of performance of your audience compared to the standard?
- How often or frequent is this an issue?
- Who is the identified target audience for this training?
- What is the expected rollout or implementation date for this training?
- Please list all compliance requirements that must be met with this training.
- What are the identified gaps in knowledge, skills or abilities that are creating a need for training?
- Please define the gaps in performance that you are trying to address with this training.
- Are there new or changed processes, regulations, laws, technology, organization structures, metrics, procedures, standards, employees, line of progression, role, compliance, regulations, or expectations that are driving the performance gap?
- Have new tools or equipment been introduced?
- Which guidance documents will need to be a part of this solution?
- Which Operator Qualifications (OQs) will be impacted by this solution?
- Are there any additional factors are contributing to this performance gap?
- Please explain how this training will impact employee performance.
- Are there any other functional areas or lines-of-business impacted by this performance gap?
- Do you consider this an improvement or an enhancement to doing this task or work?
- If this problem is solved for you, will it be solved for others?
- What other metrics that will be used to measure the successfulness of this training? Training time reduction? Errors reduced? Proficiency after six months?
After creating a shortlist, the next step is easier: approving which training will be developed, with a solid business case around why.
So now you know what you’ll develop a training for and you have funding, but how do you decide on a vendor? We have a Q&A vendor template to run through with each to be sure of your choice, and we hope you consider adding us to that vetting list!
Questions around virtual training simulations? reach out here today!
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