In-Depth Analysis and Attention to Detail Cements Relationship with Commercial Construction Client
The Need:
A concrete products company developed advanced digital technology to help optimize concrete slump—the consistency and fluidity of freshly mixed concrete that determines its flow and workability—within cement mixers as they travel to construction job sites. Sensors within the rotating drum collect data while a truck is in transit. Then, proprietary software analyzes the data, uploads it to a web-based monitoring platform, and transmits pertinent information to connected equipment that optimizes water, admixture, and temperature levels within the mixer to maintain ideal consistency.
The company found this consistency hard to replicate within their training, however. Cement mixer drivers were typically given individual instruction on how to use the in-cab displays that interfaced with in-drum equipment, as well as external displays used when loading cement. As the company grew, this 1:1 training model was no longer sustainable. Even when there was time to teach new drivers, without a uniform training program in place, competency results varied depending on the trainer and content quality.
The Catalyst:
The construction company sought out instructional design specialists to help them develop effective training for their workforce. They were intrigued by Radcom’s capabilities, though they were curious whether Radcom was up to the task without expertise in the commercial construction space.
The Challenge
The Radcom instructional design team had to prove that they had the right people, capable of asking the right questions, to create the right instructional materials, capable of effectively transferring crucial knowledge to target learners. Most importantly, that knowledge had to improve job performance if the training was to be deemed effective.
The Execution
Radcom started with an analysis of the company’s needs to find the most effective use of budget. Through this exercise, they researched what information drivers needed to become competent with the company’s technology, as well as the best way to deliver that information. A senior consultant embedded herself within the construction company, working closely with subject-matter experts (SMEs) to understand the “why” behind what the company did, how they did it, and what it takes to do it right. She spent four days training at the company’s headquarters and two days on site at multiple plants and then traveled with cement truck drivers to understand existing knowledge transfer processes.
This exercise helped the consultant understand target learners and their needs so that she could extract the necessary information from SMEs to support key objectives. This helped her avoid overwhelming learners with excess information that would muddy the waters without providing additional value. Asking carefully crafted questions based on her experience with the company, she captured the knowledge of key SMEs, interpreted it, and began building training designed to maximize ROI.
Radcom’s instructional design team set to work creating an eLearning module, a user manual, and a checklist-style quick reference guide for the concrete products company. Training was tailored first and foremost to help the learner do the job right, rather than simply take and pass a test on a computer.
The Results:
The client was thrilled with the driver training that Radcom developed, receiving positive reviews from field representatives of all experience levels. They found that the new resources were not only perceived to be of much better quality, but also reduced the time a driver needed for competency mastery, promoted consistency of training across jobsites, and improved overall training program efficiency.
Because the project was so successful, the concrete technology company allocated additional budget to have Radcom develop additional videos to show drivers how to use the in-cab display technology as different scenarios arise. They also hired Radcom to convert a 100-slide PowerPoint deck into a RISE cloud-based eLearning module to provide technicians who troubleshoot issues on trucks with visuals, flowcharts, and instruction that they could easily access from their tablets. Additional projects with Radcom are now underway as a result of the positive relationships formed and the quality of products received.
