Booz Allen Partnership Receives Award for Distance Learning Program

Innovative learning system features a first-of-its-kind, DoD standards-compliant infrastructure.

In October 2006, a groundbreaking distance learning program created by Booz Allen Hamilton, in partnership with the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), received a best practices award from the U.S. Distance Learning Association (USDLA)—the nation’s premier distance learning organization.

The 21st Century Best Practices in Distance Learning Award recognized the team’s creation of an Enterprise Training Program: The first of its kind to conform to new Department of Defense (DoD) standards for technology-enabled learning efforts.

Initiated in November 2004, the program uses a standards-based approach to certify learners in secure environments around the world, enhancing the effectiveness of training and reducing costs. Its innovative practices are a model for organizations in the DoD and beyond.

Booz Allen’s largest curriculum effort with DMDC—and the first set of courses to be delivered by the Enterprise Training Program’s learning management system (LMS)—is the Real-time Automated Personnel Identification System (RAPIDS) user certification program. DoD personnel use RAPIDS to issue common access cards (CACs).

CACs are military identification credentials encrypted with biometric information and used throughout the world to access networks and secure information systems; enter DoD facilities such as base commissaries; and draw on government benefits such as medical care.

Issuing CACs is a highly secure DoD capability, so user training and certification must also be secure. Before the RAPIDS program was introduced, instructors traveled throughout the world to deliver that training, but high turnover and troop deployment to remote sites made it difficult and expensive to ensure training was consistent and timely, and that each user had the skills s/he needed.

“With the Enterprise Training Program, DMDC established a standard of learning through its certification of CAC issuance personnel,” says associate Michael Byars. “Training is now more effective and efficient: Users finish the RAPIDS curriculum in an average of five to six hours, versus the three days required with the old system.” By taking a pre-test certification, users can demonstrate their existing knowledge of the system and opt out of any training they don’t need.

In less than two years, DMDC has certified over 7,000 RAPIDS users in 1,400 sites around the world.

A Model for Technology-Enabled Learning

As part of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, the DMDC supports the information management needs of and develops software applications for the DoD and its service members. DMDC also provides training for users of its applications.

But until now, a learning program that complied with the DoD’s Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) 2004 standard did not exist. The SCORM standard establishes a common structure for courses housed on LMSs so their content can be more easily organized, tracked, and reused for other training. SCORM-conformant courseware also reduces the cost of course maintenance.

When Booz Allen developed the infrastructure for the RAPIDS course, the team also developed the DoD’s first-ever large-scale web-based course implementation that:

• Conforms to SCORM 2004 course development requirements
• Uses a SCORM 2004-certified LMS (i.e., AtlasPro)
• Authenticates learners with their CACs

“Using SCORM and repurposing lessons allowed DMDC to update 80% of the RAPIDS course content in half of the time needed for the initial course development,” says Byars. In addition, RAPIDS’ web-based training delivery virtually eliminates the need for classroom training.

The Enterprise Training Program and its LMS provide other benefits:

• SCORM 2004 allows for complex course navigation (e.g., pre-tests) so that RAPIDS users can focus only on course segments they haven’t yet mastered
• Integrating the DMDC LMS with the DoD’s personnel database allows DMDC staff, contractors, and customers to be automatically enrolled in curricula that match their learning needs
• Operational and instructional metrics are analyzed continuously to ensure the program meets performance and financial goals

Booz Allen ensures additional security by making the AtlasPro LMS Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) enabled. Courses cannot be accessed and personnel cannot be certified without inserting an ID card in a workstation reader and entering a corresponding PIN. Issuance personnel must also be recertified every year.

The impact of the RAPIDS program is tracked with performance metrics, such as error rates for card issuance. RAPIDS certifies learners with tools such as software simulations where users demonstrate their ability to work with the application.

A Firm-wide Effort in Client Service

Booz Allen provided a total training solution to the Enterprise Training Program, integrating help desk support; implementing a LMS integrated with the DoD’s personnel database to meet each student’s training needs; and designing and developing web-based certification courses for users of DMDC applications. The firm continues to spearhead the RAPIDS program and develop the training for other DMDC applications.

Says Byars, “DMDC is technology leader, so implementing a technology-enabled learning solution not only met their business needs, but also worked within their organization’s culture.”

The team built the LMS that administrates the training, including enrollment, grades, and course completion, and also developed the curriculum, defined training requirements, developed software simulations, and more. The Booz Allen team has also ported courses to other agencies such as the Department of the Interior; use of SCORM makes it easy to move from one LMS to another.

The Enterprise Training Program is an example of a firm-wide training, education, and performance support effort involving Booz Allen staff in Virginia, Iowa, and California. The firm’s AtlasPro experts integrated, customized, and now maintains the government off-the-shelf LMS for DMDC. A team of Booz Allen consultants manage the help desk that supports over 10,000 users. And the firm’s organizational change and training experts provide program management and courseware design, development, and production services.

The USDLA Distance Learning Awards acknowledge major accomplishments in distance learning and highlight instructors, programs, and professionals who demonstrate extraordinary achievements using online, videoconferencing, and satellite technologies. The 21st Century Best Practice Award recognizes agencies, institutions, or companies for leadership in distance learning instruction and employee distance training programs.

story posted November 29, 2006