Version 1.0
11 November, 2007
System
Engineering, Inc. (SEI) is a provider of competency- and behavior-based
solutions and learning systems that are delivered to a wide spectrum of
military and commercial audiences. SEI creates online courseware that provides
an effective mix of content, technology, learning style, and implementation
planning to ensure quality ³anytime, anyplace² training.
SEI is a member of the National Industrial Security Program. Our facility meets security clearance requirements, and our employees and contractors have achieved personnel security clearance status.
We are a qualified
disabled veteran-owned business.
We understand that the TRN mission is to lead, coordinate, and institutionalize police and civilian training to increase preparation and readiness, and also to provide a high-quality, easily accessible portal of training resources.
We understand that your challenges include:
SEI has:
The application of SEI strengths to TRN needs can:
The SEI Learning Solutions Group is an advanced group of computer-based training practitioners established to create state-of-the-art web- and computer-based training to enhance the professional development, readiness, and education of a variety of users. That audience consists primarily of professional military and civilian personnel.
SEI currently creates the highest-quality interactive multimedia instruction (IMI) for the National Guard, United States Army, and other businesses and learning institutions.
SEI uses a systematic approach to instructional design and courseware development that has been developed over years of experience and through the study and application of industry best practices. This process enables swift, consistent creation of IMI at various interactivity and learning levels.
SEI
is successful because of our rapid courseware production process and because of
our instructional expertise. Our courses gain strength and integrity from
instructional designers, who are the driving force behind the development of
the courseware at all stages.
We
follow the instructional design model known as ISD/SAT, or Instructional
Systems Design/System Approach to Training. The phases in this model are
Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE), which
are detailed in this document.
SEI
incorporates both internal and external evaluations into the process to ensure
quality at every stage of development. We evaluate and ensure the instructional
quality of the courseware and the accuracy of the content.
The
advantage of the SEI learning development process is that it is not dependent
on specific authoring or learning management system tool sets, which allows us
to efficiently and effectively build to any specifications required by our
clients in less time than our competitors.
The keys to the successful execution and recognition of any production model include the business acumen to effectively administer an agreement with clients and customers; an organization that is structured to support that model; and the ability to track, collect, and deliver data in agreed-upon industry-standard metrics that withstand third-party review and challenge. SEI is organized to effectively execute these three keys to success.
Since October 2000, SEI has built hundreds of hours of courseware, most of which are military in nature. The company has also constantly refined its mission, project management, and organization to reflect successes and best practices achieved as part of the development and delivery of those courses. The following sections detail the organizational and project best practices and standards that provide the foundation for the SEI courseware development model.
SEI actively pursues clients and work. The function of changing a prospect to a client requires business and organizational mechanisms to be in place to proceed with the agreed-upon project. Within the realm of military, federal, and state agencies, established practices are in place that SEI can rely on to gauge the capability of its potential customers to provide the necessary information for the courseware developers to commence work. Those standard practices also provide an agreed-upon vernacular under which the contractual obligations are signed, and the project definitions such as scope and schedule are determined.
Military, and, to a lesser extent, commercial courses, must meet a varied set of requirements including revision dates, task selection boards, and course management plans. These documents define the course content. SEI will work with any client to determine the scope and task lists that define the courseware that is to be built.. Agreeing on all items that will be identified as client or government furnished information (GFI) sets the foundation for understanding and positive communication moving forward.
As the first step in working with a client, SEI will
undertake a thorough review of the furnished information, or extant data, to
determine which tasks are most applicable to advanced distributive learning and
which would best remain as resident/classroom training.
Once SEI and the client have agreed on the course and the relevant extant data, and undertaken a comprehensive course review, we have enough information to establish scope, schedule, and cost. We will continue to work with the client to establish project points of contact and delivery requirements.
The scope is the sum of products and services to be provided under the project¹s contract. A successful project requires that we work closely with our clients to progressively elaborate the work of the project in a written scope statement that details project deliverables and objectives. The scope statement provides a documented basis for making future project decisions and for confirming a common understanding of project scope among stakeholders. Throughout the life of the project, the scope statement may need to be revised to reflect approved changes to the scope of the project. The scope statement should define the work that must be done to deliver a product with the specified features and functions.
Risk factors that may affect scope include client staff changes, task selection committees that result in changes to the program of instruction, and changes in doctrine.
The determination of a basic project schedule is essential in order to gain agreement on the planned dates for performing activities and meeting milestones. Due to the fact that we plan projects so that they will be completed in a nine- to twelve-month time frame, we aggressively pursue agreements on schedules with our clients previous to the commencement of all projects.
Risk factors that may affect the schedule include late deliverables (i.e. extant data) from the client, slow turnaround on SME reviews, and client-mandated scope changes late in the project.
Historically, SEI has charged its clients significantly less than documented industrial average prices for the level of work performed. We maintain that we offer the best courseware production quality for the price, and we are determined to continue that promise.
By establishing any financial agreements previous to the commencement of production via a Memorandum of Agreement or Understanding, SOW or signed contract, we guarantee that the price will remain fixed during the life cycle of the project. Thus, if our costs increase during a project (and are not due to an increase in project scope), we will not pass that increase on to our clients.
Project points of contact, which often differ from stakeholders, are those individuals within the client organization who will be answering the phone or email when we have questions or issues during the building of the WBT or CBT courseware. They are the people who will be approving designs, reviewing content, and testing the features and functionality of the program during its development and upon its completion.
Risk factors that may affect the list of contacts include workload, staff turnover, reassignment, and travel/vacations.
SEI employs a variety of technical, network, and programming analysts who understand the current guidance and guidelines for technical delivery of online instruction. When we commence on a project, we will work with the client to gain a thorough understanding of the tools, networks, and infrastructure currently in place so that we build a course commensurate with their requirements.
Additionally, all of our courses are SCORM 1.3 and AICC conformant, and all military courses will be further tested at identified branch technical centers for validation. Finally, our courses are constantly tested internally to perform on a variety of learning management systems to ensure that they will perform not only today but well into the future, thus saving our clients the expense of having to update an obsolete course two years down the road.
Stakeholders are any individuals or organizations that are actively involved in the project, or whose interests may be positively or negatively affected as a result of project execution or completion. They may also exert influence over the project and its results.
SEI recognizes that many organizations are multi-tiered with a variety of stakeholders and decision-gates on many levels. We strive to identify who those stakeholders are, and to work with them through the life cycle of the courseware development.
Interactivity can mean the difference between your personnel receiving exposure to mission-critical information and actually implanting it. Following are descriptions of how we define levels of interactivity for electronic delivery of training.
SEI - Learning Solutions has the business experience and infrastructure that can support TRN through a variety of solutions that include consulting, assessment, and training development, and with a delivery schedule that will meet your needs.