Running Head: ASSIGNMENT 4 1

Assignment 4

Devin Bedgio

Florida State University

ASSIGNMENT 4 2

Table of Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................3

Goals and Purposes ..........................................................................................................................3

Current Training Process .................................................................................................................4

Problem Analysis ...........................................................................................................................5

Current Training Approach ..............................................................................................................5

Training Gap ....................................................................................................................................6

Recommendations ..........................................................................................................................7

Revised Model .................................................................................................................................7

Implications......................................................................................................................................9

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................10

References .....................................................................................................................................12

ASSIGNMENT 4 3

Introduction

University Creative Services (UCS) is a division of Florida State University under the

umbrella of University Communications. It houses two smaller divisions called Creative Services

and Digital Communications. Figure 1 below gives a visual description of this relationship.

The purpose of University Creative Services is to provide in-house solutions for

communications in the areas of web design, graphics, photography, news writing, social media,

and digital video production.

Goals and Purposes

The goals of University Creative Services are to provide design solutions that follow

university brand guidelines, relate to the Florida State community, and help express the

university’s story. Along those same lines, the Digital Communications division is further

dedicated to providing updated news about Florida State University including university

“achievements, events, programs, and recognitions” (University Creative Services, 2015).

University Communications

University Creative Services

Creative Services

Web Design Graphics Photography

Digital Communications

News Writing Social Media Digital Video

Figure 1. University Communications System

ASSIGNMENT 4 4

The main customers for this organization are the colleges and departments of Florida

State University. University Creative Services is meant to be an in-house option for departments

that do not want to hire, or cannot afford, an outside agency.

Current Training Process

University Creative Services has no focus on training in their organization. Therefore,

when new employees enter the office and need an introduction to the workflow, there is a

considerable lack of resources available for them. An informal training session may occur as the

new employee shadows his or her new coworkers, but there is no formal process for introducing

new hires to their new workplace.

The lack of training resources becomes even more apparent when one looks at the staff

structure of Creative Services, as depicted in Figure 2. While there are specialists in each area of

art and design, there is no specific office or position dedicated to training and instruction.

Creative Services Director

Web DesignerGraphics Designer

Photographer

Digital Media Director

News Writer VideographerSocial Media

Creator

Figure 2. Creative Services Staff Organization

ASSIGNMENT 4 5

Problem Analysis

Current Training Approach

University Creative Services currently has no training approach in place. There is no

office or position dedicated to this purpose. A few training materials exist, such as an orientation

PowerPoint and brand guidelines booklet. The PowerPoint presentation is given to new

employees and explains how to use the Asana planning software. This Asana software is used to

schedule tasks, deadlines, and manage projects. All employees in the office have access to this

software and can track their own projects, as well as view the progress of other employees’

projects. However, knowledge of this software does not give new employees the knowledge they

need to understand all of the aspects of the office workflow. For instance, this PowerPoint does

not discuss how to incorporate a client’s schedule for a project into the office workflow or have a

budget approved for a large project. Additionally, new hires are given a copy of the FSU brand

guidelines. These guidelines discuss appropriate fonts, images, logos, and email etiquette. While

useful for designing appropriate art for FSU, these guidelines do not explain how this

information is important to the office and its clients.

Furthermore, University Creative Services lacks the appropriate staff for training and

current staff members must train new hires. Since there is not one central figure for this topic,

current employees take turns teaching new hires different aspects of the office. This is a time

consuming and inefficient use of current employees’ skills. Rather than working on projects with

upcoming deadlines, they are distracted from their tasks to teach new skills.

ASSIGNMENT 4 6

Training Gap

The gap that is occurring in this situation is a lack of information between the new hires

and their new workplace. New employees need certain information that they are not receiving.

This gap between required knowledge and actual knowledge is shown below in Figure 3.

Topic Sub-topics Is it being taught?

Project Workflows

Asana Software Yes

Client Schedules No

Budget approval No

Office

Office locations No

Phone numbers No

Access card activation No

Computer Station Set Up

Software set up No

IT requests No

Email set up No

University Brand Brand Guidelines Yes

Figure 3 shows that only a couple of the units that new employees need to know are

actually being taught. Therefore, it is suggested that University Creative Services hires a training

specialist to design and implement a new instructional model in order to remedy this gap. A new

model is necessary, rather than a re-designed existing model, since there are very few existing

materials available to use as a starting point.

Figure 3. Knowledge Gap

ASSIGNMENT 4 7

Once this new model is approved and put into action, new performance objectives will be

developed. Performance objectives will be derived from a goal analysis, “a means of

transforming…vague desires into specific and measureable targets for learner accomplishment”

(Rothwell & Kazanas, 2008, p. 172). The performance objectives will then be measured by

giving employees an online survey at the end of their orientation period. The main purpose of the

survey will be to gauge participant learning (Rothwell & Kazanas, 2008). A secondary goal will

be a measurement of the participant’s reaction to the orientation materials, which can be used

later in a formative evaluation. These responses will be used to determine weak spots in the

orientation materials.

Recommendations

Revised Model

An ADDIE model is proposed since University Creative Services has no formal process

in place and requires a quick, efficient solution. They are in the process of hiring new employees

and would like to implement this strategy with their next wave of hires. This model will simplify

the process and guide the design, as there are few existing materials to modify.

With the ADDIE model, the following steps and sub-steps are proposed:

1. Analyze

a. Determine the “instructional requirements and define the target…course goals”

for new employee orientation (Gagne, Wager, Golas, & Keller, 2005, p. 5).

b. “Analyze the time available and how much might be accomplished in that period

of time” (Gagne et al., 2005, p. 5). In other words, how much time is available for

designing the instruction and how much time will be given for new employees to

undergo an orientation process?

ASSIGNMENT 4 8

c. Determine outlining factors for this project such as time, budget, and audience.

2. Design

a. Create performance objectives from the course goals.

b. Determine what units the content should be divided into.

c. Create content, “identifying the major objectives to be achieved during each unit”

(Gagne et al., 2005, p. 5).

d. Develop assessments and measurement tools.

3. Development

a. “Prepare draft materials and/or activities” (Gagne et al., 2005, p. 5).

b. Test out new materials.

c. Refine materials as needed.

4. Implementation

a. Present the new materials and process to the University Creative Services

Director for approval.

b. Set up a system for support.

5. Evaluation

a. Implement the plans designed to measure student success.

b. Implement the plans designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the new orientation

materials.

In between all of these steps, it is also recommended that the designer take time to

evaluate the work completed up to that point before continuing with the project. That will ensure

there is time to fix problems along the way, rather than having to make all necessary changes at

ASSIGNMENT 4 9

the end of the project. This evaluation and revision process is depicted in the ADDIE chart

shown below in Figure 4.

Implications

While this new model will be more effective, it will not be without implications. A new

training specialist will have to be hired, which will take time and a readjustment of the

University Creative Services’ budget. The analysis phase will also take time out of the director’s

day as well as other current employees, depending on what information is needed to design a

new foundation for training materials.

Since this is a small office, most of the materials designed will likely be for individual

use by new employees. However, if it is determined that group activities and workshops are

necessary to teach orientation information, this will take extra time, planning, and financing.

Figure 4. ADDIE model

ASSIGNMENT 4 10

Furthermore, these materials developed will predominantly be brand new. As such, they

will require future evaluation to make sure they are effective and achieving the desired results.

This may cause future implications, like the hiring of an evaluator or another training specialist.

Conclusion

The main reason for proposing a new instructional model is that there is no instructional

model presently in use. By implementing a formal model, new employees will have a specific

structure with real objectives to follow. This will help ensure that new employees become

acquainted with the office practices and prevent mishaps down the road, such as employees

missing deadlines because they do not understand a tool they should be using.

In the future, individualized tasks will have more emphasis, such as new employees

learning through a video or PowerPoint presentation. This will prevent current employees from

having to stray from their own duties to teach the new employees. Additionally, individualized

materials will allow for the new employees to work at their own pace. These materials could

even be saved and used later as a reference source.

However, obstacles in this development process are always a possibility. University

policies may change and make the materials designed in this time period irrelevant in the future.

Similarly, employees may be hired or dismissed, thus changing the positions represented in the

orientation materials. In order to make sure the materials stay up-to-date, it is important to have a

staff member dedicated to regularly checking these facts. That is why hiring a training specialist

(or another person with a strong instructional foundation) is highly recommended. Future

evaluation of these materials is also recommended, to be sure that performance objectives are

still being met.

ASSIGNMENT 4 11

Overall, enforcement of a new instructional model will be incredibly beneficial to the

University Creative Services office. New employees will be more knowledgeable and will be

able to perform their work better after orientation. In the current situation, new employees may

struggle to understand their duties and job applications. This can lead to incomplete work, poorly

executed projects, and even lower employee morale. When employees understand the structure

of where they work, they will feel a smoother transition to their new position. An increase in

employee knowledge may even result in more projects being completed, which will increase the

client-base for University Creative Services. This will ultimately lead to more revenue and more

skillful employees.

ASSIGNMENT 4 12

References

1) University Creative Services. (2015). University Communications. http://unicomm.fsu.edu/

2) Gagne, R.M., Wager, W.W., Golas, K.C., & Keller, J.M. (2005). Principles of Instructional

Design, 5th Ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning

3) Rothwell, W. J., & Kazanas, H.C. (2008). Mastering the Instructional Design Process: A

Systematic Approach, 4th edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons.