Bedfordshire Police
Bedfordshire Police purchased a crime recording system that would enable paper free processes, therefore training would not just cover how to use the new system, but new processes had to be defined, understood and cascaded.
The Crime Recording System would completely change the way in which Bedfordshire managed crime, impacting throughout the force, as ‘real time crime recording' resulted in the revision of procedure, processes and infrastructure. On an individual level, every person involved would now be accountable, so a change of attitude was also imperative. The project affected all staff with investigation responsibility - all of whom had varying degrees of IT literacy.
Choosing a blended solution
The training department was facing a huge classroom-based training requirement of 2400 days with the reality that the force only had four IT trainers and two IT classrooms! With an already stretched budget the opportunity to outsource resource was limited, so Mark Buckton and his team made a decision to use Computerworld Training who provided OnDemand Personal Navigator, plus they used workshops and ‘champions' as part of a blended approach.
It was critical that training was cost-effective and timely, and provided 24/7 accessibility to minimize the disruption of shift patterns. Classroom-based training was used to deliver training on victim care, business process changes, personal responsibility and to introduce the concept of computer-based training via OnDemand. Mark's team took a proactive approach to marketing the E Learning concept, and it was decided that OnDemand would be deployed via the intranet and promoted through briefings and posters to cover topics not covered by classes.
The choice of delivery method proved to be fortuitous in more ways than one. With the late arrival of the training system software, an immovable go-live date and limited training material, classroom based delivery would not have been possible within the required timeframe.
OnDemand allowed modular training to be deployed immediately across the organisation as it was developed. Whilst the project has identified a number of areas where the blended approach to learning could have been enhanced, the use of electronic delivery of training using OnDemand has been a significant success. It allowed the deployment of easily accessible and cost effective learning to around 1200 people, available at a time to suit them and with minimum abstraction from the workplace.
Ultimately this approach enabled a transition that achieved competent use of a new IT system across the organisation. Computerworld Training also continues to provide full support of the On Demand E Learning platform.
