The Challenge
Navigating Time and Expectations
In the context of a fast-growing regional energy company, an expansive capital investment initiative was underway, requiring substantial annual resource allocation to construct, expand, and enhance diverse infrastructures ranging from oil refineries to convenience stores. The Capital Projects Division of the company recognized the necessity to establish a unified framework and knowledge foundation across all organizational tiers, spanning associates, project managers, and executives.
Addressing the business constraints, the objective was to craft seven comprehensive instructor-led training courses within a demanding three-month timeframe. Each multi-day course needed to be developed, written, and subjected to pilot testing within this stipulated period.
The Solution
Customized Strategy for Seamless Collaboration
Clarity deployed a team of three that included a lead instructional designer (ID) and two additional IDs supported by the client’s capital projects executive and subject matter experts. The principal instructional designer from Clarity meticulously devised a detailed schedule of milestones and deliverables tailored to meet the aggressive project timeline. This schedule was routinely shared with both the client and the Clarity team. Recognizing the importance of aligning with the client’s corporate ethos during an already tense period, special efforts were made to integrate with their culture seamlessly. This adaptability was noticed, garnering appreciation from the client.
All courses were meticulously structured for instructor-led delivery, following a strategic approach rooted in collaboration with the client – a “learn then do” methodology. Underpinning this approach, the instructor would introduce a concept and subsequently facilitate hands-on practice for the learners. This process was iterated multiple times for each concept to ensure adequate retention.
Pilot classes, designed by the Clarity team, served a dual purpose – to validate the efficacy of the new course content and to train the trainers simultaneously. The pilot program participants, experienced in capital projects, offered diverse suggestions to enhance the course content. While these inputs proved valuable, time constraints prevented immediate incorporation. The Clarity lead ID proposed integrating these suggestions into future course revisions to reconcile this. The participants in the pilot program understood and endorsed this solution.
The Result
Achieving Unity and Success Through Training
The collaborative efforts of the Clarity Consultants culminated in completing course development and pilot testing within the designated timeframe. This accomplishment enabled the client to commence training as planned. Feedback from employees across organizational hierarchies who undertook the training highlighted the engaging and valuable nature of the courses. Management noted an emerging trend of employees embracing the framework and communicating using a shared language, indicating the successful alignment of training outcomes with organizational objectives.
Breakout Quotes
“You’ve got to be empathetic to the client. They’re under a tremendous amount of pressure. It’s our job as consultants to get their hearts and their heads working together.” – Clarity consultant
“[The Clarity lead] was very much in tune with [our needs]. It was very beneficial that he listened to what we needed and was willing to find what we needed.” – Client
“It’s very clear that a lot of Clarity’s resources have a ton of knowledge, a lot of depth, and experience and diversity in training and development, and I was very much impressed with the people that we used.” – Client
