Clarity helped a global oil and gas company anchor a new working culture within the company
The Client
Our client, is a global leader in project management, engineering and construction services for oil, gas, and petrochemical facilities. The company’s 36,500 employees worldwide deliver fully-integrated capabilities and widely acknowledged expertise in three business segments: subsea infrastructures, offshore platforms and onshore processing facilities.The Challenge
Nearly every aspect of the client’s business and technology is dynamic, and the company strives to meet a high standard in its internal training. They are also subject to changing work priorities, staffing and manpower challenges and market demands, so like many large, fast-moving companies, they are occasionally backlogged with training needs. The client asked Clarity for a consultant who could take on multiple roles: an expert in Articulate and Captivate who could convert some existing material from dated media into interactive learning tools; and a problem-solving diplomat who could help them leverage some latent corporate strengths and assets into viable training media. A “good communicator who could offer suggestions for solutions and innovative new ideas for improving the current eLearning environment” was their request.Solution: What Clarity Did
Clarity’s consultant brought to the challenge a Masters in Instructional Technology, a Certificate in Performance Technology, and nearly 20 years’ experience as a trainer, curriculum developer and coach for clients in the private sector, non-profit and government. He viewed the assignment not simply as a technical one but as a “quality of life” opportunity for the client’s employees. The specific assignments were to help them move their open projects to completion, and to mentor their new Learning Management Systems Lead in goal-setting, learning theory and eLearning software packages. It was particularly important to create a learning environment for new hires. One of the first deliverables was an online training program for building safety, covering questions about first aid, fire drills, etc. This and related assignments revealed untapped potential inside the company’s other departments for talent, ideas and materials that could strengthen training outcomes. The consultant built relationships and helped to promote a climate of interaction and collaboration that proved to be an enjoyable new way of getting things done for the client’s people. The mentoring process involved side-by-side training for the client’s manager in eLearning software tools such as Articulate, Adobe eLearning, Photoshop and Illustrator and in sound editing and video; eLearning standards and templates; and in project management. It also served to help anchor the new working culture inside the company—a contribution that was outside the strict scope of work but which the consultant knew would have long term quality-of-life value for the client.Results: The Outcomes
The initial engagement was extended at the client’s request from a few weeks to three months. The deliverables were executed as planned, and proved to be valuable training resources. Course materials were linked to the company-wide Document Control System to make them accessible for all users. The managers improved proficiency in project management, communication and technical capabilities with the consultant’s expertise in ICF (International Coach Federation) Core Competencies as the guide. Probably the greatest value came from promoting collaboration via face-to-face contact across functions, and by initiating an easy-to-use template in Microsoft Communicator for new interdepartmental collaborations.Clarity enabled the client to:
- Improve the company’s eLearning environment
- Strengthen training outcomes
- Help anchor a new working culture within the company
- Promote collaboration across functional areas