Modularity

Overview

OfficeMax is a leading multinational distributor of office and technology products, office furniture, and paper. OfficeMax sells products directly to corporations, government offices and small to medium-sized businesses. More than 200,000 end-users conduct business with OfficeMax over the Internet. Through direct marketing channels, OfficeMax offers over 12,000 items. The company continues to purchase other office supply and furniture companies, thereby increasing its product offerings. To keep its sales force updated on improvements to the distribution process and new products, OfficeMax needed a training program for customer service representatives and warehouse employees.

Business Challenge

OfficeMax’s goal was to educate employees about product knowledge, cross-product selling, catalog selling, and Internet sales. For most learners, scheduling time for training was a problem. OfficeMax partnered with Design Access to create a timely and cost-effective method of educating employees on a multitude of new products and additional OfficeMax services, within limited training windows.

Solution

Design Access created a web-based program called the Interactive Catalog Explorer (ICE). Learners could see digital video of key product managers as they discuss important aspects of the catalog and why improvements were being made. ICE was designed to be used along with OfficeMax’s various product catalogs. Since the catalogs play such an important role in their sales efforts, it is critical for sales and customer service representatives to quickly become proficient in locating products. The program helped them learn what types of products are included in each catalog, how to find them quickly, and how to accurately place orders. The program also emphasized upselling and cross-selling opportunities. Warehouse associates, a secondary audience of the program, learned how to quickly and accurately fill orders. At the end of the course, employees received a printable certificate of completion.

ICE was designed to be used in short time segments. It includes detailed tracking of participant progress so that if the learner must leave the program, it bookmarks their place. Each topic was separate and allowed training sessions to be as long or short as needed.

Results

OfficeMax has found this training to be very effective. The learners completed segments of the training during their downtime, resulting in very effective use of their time. Employees have felt empowered to upsell and cross-sell with their newfound knowledge. The program was originally developed for CD-ROM use. Design Access has since updated it for Internet use and annually updates the content to match the most current catalogs.

Design Access’ e-learning solution saved OfficeMax the time and cost of instructor-led training, resulting in a higher return on investment. This program won the Gold National CINDY Award for Sales Training.

One solution is to use a modular approach. In a modular approach, information is organized into small, logical units that can be viewed independently of one another.

Linear – One Size Fits All

Some courses are linear; they have a beginning, middle, and end. When each learner must see every part of the training from beginning to end in a specific order, as with government-mandated safety training, linear training works well. Every videotape ever produced works this way; it is a valid and proven format.

With web-based e-learning, however, a course or communications piece can go beyond this inflexible linear model, and introduce the modularity that will help make courses that better fit our learners.

Modular – Tailored to the User

Adult learners can become distracted, or even alienated when the training tells them what they already know. To avoid this, we recommend first testing the learner to find out what they know, and then teaching them what they lack. This approach not only makes the training more efficient, but also, by making the learner aware of what they do not know, it awakens the learner from complacency. Their failure on certain pretest items makes them receptive to note on those items.

Personalized & Relevant

Allowing your learner to “place out” of material shows respect for your learner, and in return, you will get theirs. Since irrelevant information is skipped, your course will become more interesting and efficient. We have seen a great deal of enthusiastic learner feedback to support this approach.

When combined with proper design and interaction, a modular approach will transform a boring, condescending, “next button” course, into a vital, attention-grabbing personal training session.

Just-In-Time

One interesting variation of the “just-in-time teaching” approach comes from our simulation games. These courses put the learner in a test environment, and their actions are observed. When the learner fails, a learning module is presented. This approach is analogous to a mentor who watches an apprentice, and gently corrects their mistakes. This model of simulation-backed-by-modular-lessons is one of our favorite approaches to training.

Not Just for Training

The modular approach can apply to other communications. A marketing communications CD we created for Mercury Marine was easily customized by each dealer who received it. Mercury makes a plethora of engine models, and no one dealer sells them all. So we put the superset of marketing materials on the CD, and let each dealer filter it, using a simple checkbox interface. One size fits all.

So for your next project, consider using a modular approach. Give your learners the option to place out of information they already know, to review the course at their leisure, and to personalize the course to fit their needs. If it’s your first modular course, you will probably find that the response from your learners will be astounding. (You do ask for feedback, don’t you?)

Design Access creates custom solutions that teach, inform, and inspire. We combine business expertise, design creativity, and technical mastery to develop innovative solutions to our customers’ business problems. We have partnered with over 60 Fortune 500 companies to help them achieve their communication goals. Let us put our experience, talent, and energy to work for you. Give us a call!