The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/21494
has less impact than scenario-based training, which shows a realistic application and benefit of the functionality. Once a specific learning profile is determined, and the flow of the work day is understood, this information can be used to develop or tailor the curriculum for classes, handouts and online learning that is relevant and delivered through real-life scenarios for that profile. The curriculum is goal- driven, not feature-driven. Lessons are concise and may incorporate training on features and options from more than one application or process. The result is a blended, relevant learning environment that accomplishes practical goals rather than explaining a list of features. Goal-based training ensures that each user gets exactly the training he/she needs to perform particular tasks. As a result, the amount of time it takes to train users is reduced and the time spent in training is much more effective. Communicate and Implement a Training Strategy When implementing a training strategy, it is vital to communicate the importance and benefits of the training and to establish processes that will help build a bridge between the training team and management. Supervisors and managers must partner with the training team to communicate expectations, provide ongoing support, and develop strategies to enforce and reinforce training. This will ensure that training is translated into productivity and support is provided while “on the job.” Reinforce and Refine Training Since most learning occurs on the job (studies show that 70 percent of learning takes place at the workplace), it is crucial to provide the right learning tools and coaching to support desired outcomes. Training strategies must include easily accessible support or coaching, a process for reinforcement and ongoing feedback from users, as well as a method to show that pre-determined goals have been achieved. Delivering Goal-Based training In all firms there are numerous learning profiles and differing business goals. Previously, this made it difficult to deliver targeted, user-oriented training easily (other than doing one- on-one coaching.) There are software packages that support the goal-based training approach. There are diagnostic tools built on a specific set of workflow statements. These statements accurately reflect what people do at their jobs, how they interact with clients, as well as how they create, edit, review and file their documents. Users identify tasks they commonly perform and how they perform them. The responses are then used to generate a recommended training path that helps users identify and achieve personal learning goals. The recommended training path can include 98 www.iltanet.org Peer to Peer e-learning, workshops or one-on-one coaching with the firm’s trainers. Ongoing Coaching in the Workplace Nowadays, users are inclined to use Google or YouTube to find answers to their own questions, so it’s important for firms to provide equally accessible training that reflects their own best practices and procedures. Tools that offer firm-approved, context-sensitive training from within the application itself are highly effective for improving user adoption and compliance, and for reducing help desk calls. There are innovative tools that can provide right-click access to quick reference cards, e-learning modules, videos and other materials that demonstrate the specific tasks the user is attempting to perform. A Paradigm Shift for Trainers Law firm trainers are faced with the enormous challenge of delivering high-quality training to lawyers and support staff in a time-constrained working environment. Even if the time constraint gets resolved, helping users to retain massive amounts of information remains an even greater challenge. These challenges can be overcome with a goal-based training strategy that provides on-demand, relevant content to users at the precise moments they need it. This approach will elevate the role of the trainer to that of a business analyst or performance professional who is perceived as having a direct and positive influence on an organization’s bottom line — and that is certainly in line with achieving business objectives. ILTA Janis Richman has been specializing in law firm training and performance for over 25 years. She provides consulting around goal-based learning and performance techniques. Janis has served in various law firms as both training director and helpdesk manager. She can be reached at jrichman@capensys.com. Sue Pasfield has enjoyed a career in e-learning for over thirty years and still remains passionate about making trainers successful. Sue was one of the first people to work in interactive training, and then became a director and founding member of TutorPro, where she spent eight years setting up the U.S. and U.K. legal sectors. She can be reached at spasfield@capensys.com. Craig Keller is the Director of Business Development for Capensys U.S.A. He has a successful track record in the legal industry serving as CEO for Esquire Innovations, Inc. and CIO for Nossaman, Guthner, Know & Eliott LLP. He can be reached at ckeller@capensys.com.