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This is not a writing course. Technical writing skills are a given. Process knowledge, Job Task Analysis, and Interviewing Skills are assumed. Familiarity with Desktop Publishing, Photo Paint, CAD and other required software tools is also taken for granted.

The backbone of a complete “training intervention” is the training manual. A properly constructed training manual containing up-to-date material, quizzes, and a certification examination can greatly reduce the amount of time the learner takes to achieve competency in performing the portion of their job covered by the manual. It also significantly reduces the amount of time needed for on-the-job training and, if applicable, classroom instruction. Another significant benefit is to ensure that each trainee receives a complete and thorough education, thus minimizing the possibility of some critical bit of information “falling through the cracks”. A well written manual can be used to fulfill legal requirements imposed by such organizations as OSHA (in the USA) or OHS, and business requirements like those imposed by ISO (ISO-9000+).

Much of the material used in the creation of a comprehensive training manual can also be used to create an “on-line” version with interactivity and automatic score keeping. Although a computer based training (CBT) course can be completed using only the material contained in the training manual, the opportunity should be taken to add animation and video clips, which can significantly improve the training outcome. Attaching the appropriate section review segment to the section quiz helps ensure that the trainee has absorbed the material covered before moving on. Adding sound, visual effects, “talking head” narration, and other sensory stimulating devices helps keep the trainee interested and thus further increases the training outcome.

Making a proper determination of the scope of the training manual project is essential before any work on the manual is started. The budget and the required timeline are the two main factors that determine the training manual’s complexity and thoroughness.

In some cases the most important consideration is to produce the most thorough and effective training intervention possible within a reasonable length of time. An example of this would be a training manual for certification of a employee performing critical tasks that, if improperly performed, could cause significant loss of production, equipment, life and limb. Tasks that, if improperly performed, could result in significant damage to the environment are usually included in this group.

Some customers have requirements that range downwards in cost and time from the above. From a customer’s point of view, this usually means that they must compensate through an increased level of On-The-Job (OTJ) training and classroom instruction, or by accepting some level of additional risk that some tasks may be performed improperly.

I have created guidelines for the rough classification of training manual scope on scale from 1 to 6 and assigned the primary components to each level as follows.

Level 1 – Pure text. Examples are Step by step Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), Emergency Procedures, or Environmental Guidelines.

Level 2 – The above plus a simplified main process diagram and non step-by-step descriptive text (process overview, for example).

Level 3 – The previous plus annotated photos, equipment descriptions, detailed process description, main and functional group process diagrams, imported ancillary material (such as log-sheets), additional sections on safety, alarms and troubleshooting, process parameters, and emergency procedures.

Level 4 – All of the previous plus section quizzes and final certification exam. Simplified main process isometric sketch. Detailed isometric sketches of key component systems. One additional document review. Additional procedures and diagrams – lock and tag sheets, for example.

Level 5 – All of the previous levels plus a training checklist for use in the field to track the training conducted – can include daily training “sign off”. Additional annotated photos and diagrams. Computer Based Training Module (CBT) with video of critical procedures and automated score-keeping.

Level 6 – Customer requirements can be unique. For example, most custom training manuals will have a very restricted number of controlled copies that, once produced, are maintained by the customer| however, a training manual slated for mass production in bound form usually calls for an overall increase in quality of certain components such as photos. In these cases, additional levels of review are necessary as it is no longer possible to deal with errors by reprinting and replacing a few copies of a single page. Other additions “over and above” level five are Process and Instrument Diagrams (P&IDs), training aids, wall diagrams, posters, etc.

As with most projects, at a certain point the law of diminishing returns kicks in where escalating costs yield increasingly smaller boosts in quality and/or content.

The above classification levels can not be used directly to determine the cost of producing a Training Manual. Other factors are as follows.

· location

· availability of employees for interviews

· availability of supervisors for discussions and to answer questions

· presence of equipment manuals, PIDs, and other blue prints.

· presence of existing training materials and Standard Operating Procedures

· accuracy of the existing materials

· access to equipment

· labeling of equipment on “the floor”

· number of procedures

· complexity of job/task

· availability of proper on-site office space and equipment

· efficiency of remote communications (faxes, email, telephone)

· number of discrete components covered by the manual

· the base knowledge of employees using the manual

· time allotted for completion

· number of original drawings / sketches required

· complexity of original drawings

In estimating the cost of the manual, first determine the scope of the project (1 to 6), next, address the above points and find good answers to questions that arise by interviewing staff and other stakeholders. It may be easier to find out the maximum amount of money allotted towards the project and scale the project accordingly (be careful not to compromise on the quality or accuracy of your work – drop job/tasks rather than produce shoddy work).

Another option is to work at an hourly rate. Be sure that the client agrees that it will be you who will be keeping track of time and that most of your work will be conducted “off-site”. Keep accurate records of your time, even as detailed as 15 minute increments, and make sure that you do not fall behind on your record keeping. Working for an hourly rate (plus costs) works best if the client is kept up-to-date on the progress of the project. Provide weekly updates but do not include all the details that you use to track your time. The details are tracked in case clarification is required. Do not charge the client for time spent on activities that are not directly related to the project. Time spent on activities such as upgrading software on your own system, learning the peculiarities of a software upgrade, or recovering from a system crash (on your own system) should be built into your hourly rate as part of the "cost of doing business".

Even if the goal of the entire project is to only produce a single training manual, it still may be of benefit to split the project into "deliverables" and discrete phases for billing purposes. The end of each phase should have a useable product as outlined in the six stages described "above". For example, phase one might be simple text SOPS, phase two might include equipment and process descriptions and an overall sketch of the process, phase three might feature additional sketches and annotated photographs and so on. Ensure that provisions are made for "time lost" while waiting for client's staff to review drafts, this will help ensure that the review process is given highest priority.

- Bob Kaplan

Email: Bob J. Kaplan - L7-i

View Bob Kaplan's Resume - On-line version