Issues and objectives
Medicis was preparing to launch a new product into the U.S. market. In advance of the launch, it needed to educate its sales representatives on the new product attributes, the competitor products, and market positioning. New content needed to be created and integrated into the existing learning system for the family of products.

Solution

• Researched product attributes of competitor products
• Wrote new content around GSK product attributes and market positioning
• Integrated new content into existing learning system courseware

Issues and objectives
GSK was preparing to bring a new product to market. It identified a need to train its salesforce on the attributes of the new product and its positioning in the marketplace. The objective was to provide its sales representatives with a solid understanding of how the immune system works, how the new product interacts with it, and why the product is superior to competitor products now on the market.

Solutions

• Worked with GSK subject-matter experts to research and write storyboard for e-learning program

Issues and objectives
Voxdata Solutions, a company based in Montreal and Toronto, is one of the leading call center companies in Canada. It specializes in the design and deployment of programs managing incoming and outgoing calls. Voxdata identified a need to improve the customer service skills of its call centre agents.The objective was to achieve this through the enhancement of the coaching skills of its call centre managers.

Solutions

• Wrote courseware for a live, interactive, facilitated workshop that explored the nature and principles of formal coaching interventions, the skills and methods involved in delivering effective feedback, including listening skills and effective questioning techniques, and the use of action plans that stimulate activity
• Created a train-the-trainer package to enable in-house staff to deliver the workshop

Issues and objectives
TD Canada Trust has a reputation as an industry leader in call centre customer service satisfaction. This is viewed as a strategic competitive advantage by TD, which identified a need to strengthen its coaching processes and tools.

Solutions

• Researched and wrote courseware (leader's guide, participant manual, job aids, case studies) for a live, interactive, facilitated workshop on Coaching for Performance
• Customized the content for delivery to a target audience in India

Issues and objectives
First National has developed strong relationships with mortgage brokers through a strong commitment to customer service. Recognizing this as a key competitive advantage in a very competitive industry, it identified a need to continue to build the customer service skills of its employees. The objective was to move its customer service to a new level in order to retain its leading edge in the industry.

Solutions

• Wrote courseware for a series of live, interactive, facilitated workshops. The sessions explored the fundamentals of exceptional customer service, the communications skills needed to deliver that exceptional service, and strategies to use those skills to manage difficult interactions

Issues and objectives
The CCPE provides educational programs to establish professional standards within the Canadian pharmaceutical community. It identified a need for a training program on health care issues in Canada. The target audience was identified as pharmaceutical sales representatives. The objective was to provide background knowledge on the landscape in which the pharmaceutical industry operates.

Solutions

• Researched and developed content for new course
• Topics covered included the following:
  • Political and economic landscape overview
  • Health care reforms and implications for the pharmaceutical industry
  • Market access and regulation with a focus on the drug approval process and codes of conduct
  • Payers and formularies
• Blended learning solution including creation of content and storyboard for the e-learning component, and a paper-based knowledge compendium as a companion document to the on-line courseware
• Created cognitive activities designed to reinforce the learning, and post-course knowledge assessment questions

Issues and objectives
AstraZeneca is funding the development of a series of e-learning programs for frontline health workers. These training courses are a response to a need that was identified to educate health care professionals who work in frontline street clinics, treating members of society's marginalized populations. The objective of the on-line courses is to provide background information on the individuals that come into the street clinics, and to bring the health care professionals up to speed on best practices and lessons learned in treating individuals with unique and special needs.

Solutions

• Working with subject-matter experts in various fields, researched and wrote storyboards for e-learning courses
• To date, courses have been developed on the following topics:
  • Street youth
  • Sexual/reproductive healthcare for vulnerable adolescent women
  • Transgender individuals undergoing endocrine therapy
  • Homeless people

Issues and objectives
Pharmahorizons provides training to help Canadians grow their pharmaceutical and healthcare careers, while strengthening their sales and research efforts and maintaining the highest level of continued learning. Pharmahorizons is the training partner of the Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB), Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D) and the Council for Continuing Pharmaceutical Education (CCPE). Pharmahorizons identified a need for a facilitated workshop to train pharmaceutical sales representatives on the fundamentals of Evidence-Based Medicine. The objective was to provide the knowledge and expertise that the representatives need in order to have productive discussions with physicians.

Solutions

• The CCPE had earlier developed a blended learning program on the fundamentals of Evidence-Based Medicine. This content was re-purposed into a leader's guide and participant manual for a live, interactive, facilitated workshop.

Issues and objectives Rx&D is the national association representing over 20,000 men and women who work for more than 50 research-based pharmaceutical companies in Canada. Two decades ago, Rx&D introduced a Code of Conduct to provide greater transparency, clarity and definition in their business interactions with health-care professionals. Over the years the Code has evolved, and Rx&D identified a need to ensure that all employees of research-based pharmaceutical companies were aware of the most recent changes to the Code, and had a solid understanding of the impact of the Code on their business activities.

Solutions

• Researched and wrote storyboard for e-learning program on the Rx&D Code of Conduct, including interactive case-based problem-solving scenarios and progress check cognitive activities to reinforce the learning
• Re-purposed the content into a leader's guide and participant manual for live, interactive, facilitated workshops
• Customized content for individual pharmaceutical companies, integrating company codes of conduct training into the courseware
• Courseware updated semi-annually to reflect ongoing changes to the Code of Conduct

Issues and objectives
Pfizer Canada identified a need for a knowledge compendium that would provide a high-level overview of the landscape in which the pharmaceutical industry operates in Canada. The objective was to enhance the knowledge level of its sales representatives on issues that might arise during their conversations with physicians.

Solution

• Consulted with industry subject-matter experts
• Researched and wrote "The Pharmaceutical Industry in Canada: A Changing Landscape", an 8-volume publication covering a wide range of topics related to health care and the pharmaceutical industry including the following:
  • Canadian Marketplace Overview
  • Canadian Health Care Environment: National Policies
  • Federal and Provincial Governments: Roles and Responsibilities for Delivery of Pharmaceutical Policies
  • Regulatory Drug Approval Process
  • Pharmacoeconomics/Outcomes Research
  • Health Care Prescribing Influencers
  • Compliance Issues
  • Formularies, Pricing and Reimbursement

Issues and objectives
In response to regulations enacted to mitigate the adverse effects of road salt on the environment, winter road maintenance authorities across the country need to find ways to use road salt more effectively, and thereby use less of it. Smart application of road salt means changing behaviours and adopting new strategies and methodologies for dealing with ice and snow on roads. The Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) has taken the lead in developing training programs for winter maintenance operators and supervisors. There was a need for a learning guide to explain why operators and supervisors need to change their methods and behaviours, and to reinforce the learning through self-testing exercises and role-playing scenarios.

Solutions

• Synthesized policies, procedures, and best practices into learning guide designed to teach winter road maintenance employees how to become smarter about the way they handle and apply road salt.
• Collaborated with leading subject-matter experts.
• Designed and developed a train-the-trainer package based on the learning guide.

View the Salt SMART learning guide on the TAC website.

Issues and objectives
The departmental Financial Management System was phased out and replaced by the Common Departmental Financial System and the Project and Business Management System. There was a need for an innovative learning tool to support the migration to the new software applications within a tight timeframe.

Solutions

• Project-managed the design, development, and production of Teacher in a Book, a 24-module training document delivering just-in-time, just-in-place instruction to support the systems migration project. The manual supported a training strategy that provided various options for users, such as self-directed learning, coach-led learning sessions, or informal workshops.
• Collaborated closely with systems developers, subject-matter experts, stakeholders, graphic designers, and other technical writers on the team to ensure that the documentation reflected ongoing system updates in a timely manner.
• At the conclusion of the project, analysed processes and outcomes and documented lessons learned.

Issues and objectives
The department creates customized facilities management software tools to support employees who manage federal government buildings. Updates to both the software and business processes create an ongoing requirement for user reference guides and training manuals for new hires as well as for existing staff.

Solutions

• Wrote content for, and coordinated production of, technical specification manuals, user guides, and training manuals for several in-house software tools.
• Analyzed and codified business processes involved in facilities management for inclusion in training manuals.

View sample chapters from Teacher in a Book for BMP.

View sample chapters from Teacher in a Book for OASREP.

View the User Guide for Tech2 SpaceAUDIT.

Issues and objectives
The Office Accommodation and Real Estate Services produced a suite of facilities management software tools and an electronic discussion forum for employees using the software to discuss issues surrounding data integrity and related business processes. There was a need for an on-line help system to help users learn how to use the new tools.

Solutions

• Wrote instructional text for software users.
• Produced on-line help system using RoboHelp software.

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Last update: February 6, 2009