The Inside Vue

January 2007/ Volume 3

Wheeler Machinery Equips Their Employees with Comprehensive Training Solution by Choosing Vuepoint Learning System (VLS) as Their e-Learning Platform

New York, NY- Wheeler Machinery, a leading distributor and services supplier in the Western United States of Caterpillar Machinery, has chosen the Vuepoint Learning System (VLS) to train their internal administrative and technical staff as well as sales and customer facing representatives as a part of a blended learning initiative within the company. CERTPOINT enthusiastically welcomes Wheeler Machinery to our expanding client community, and projects that employees at Wheeler will improve efficiencies and productivity with the CERTPOINT Leaning System within only weeks.

VLS will be used at Wheeler Machinery to manage both online and offline learning in union with instructor lead training. Training offered to sales and technical staff will now be accessible through the VLS on-line portal. This will result in uncomplicated enrollment for employees and a definitive structure with enhanced course tracking for instructors.

Phase one at Wheeler Machinery will include VLS being used by employees in ten locations throughout the Intermountain West region for numerous training needs including generic desktop software applications as well as simulation training on proprietary software. Administrative tasks of instructors will be simplified with VLS features that provide course scheduling coordination, real time tracking, reporting of course completion and weight of knowledge retention.

Stephen Hadlock, Skill Development Manager at Wheeler Machinery explains that phase two of this e-learning project will expand outside of Wheeler to involve customer training due to a high demand of learning needs on the customer end. Eventually customers will be able to enroll in instructor lead training and access e-learning related to the Wheeler product.

CERTPOINT is pleased to announce our FORUM LIVE event!

"Knowledge Impact - Building Your Business Advantage"

· Strategic Keynote Presentations

· Knowledge Impact Panel Discussion

· Knowledge Impact Breakout Sessions

· Learning Performance Presentations and Discussion

· Special Session: Gadgets and New Technologies

· The VLS Product Roadmap, 2007

· Design Sessions: Breakouts

March 13^th-15^th 2007

Held at THE WYNN RESORT in Las Vegas

Call the Wynn Reservation department at (866) 770-7555 BY FEBRUARY 10^TH TO RESERVE YOUR ROOM FOR THE DISCOUNTED RATE OF $239/ NIGHT

Event Registration: Contact Mary Grace Sauve (msauve@vuepoint.com) or 516-390-8800 x237 to register for the event.

LEAN THINKING TOOLS: PLAN-DO-LEARN

Lean Thinking organizations engage their resources around processes that optimize delivery of value to their customers; they strive to innovate, evolve and consistently exceed expectations. Such an undertaking is not an easy one- this kind of work calls for inspiration and a careful structure of checks and balances.

Plan- Do- Learn (PDL) is a Lean Thinking practice that provides that inspiration and system of accountability. By following the PDL process, organizations have a process through which they can set clear and specific goals, implement strategies, and learn from experiences for adding value in the future.

The first step of this process, Plan, is the phase where a team gathers to assess the issue at hand. The group determines what about a situation needs to be improved, and what steps should be taken towards that improvement. Planning should be a careful and thoughtful process where group members seek to ascertain the root cause of the problem, and to think broadly in order to determine the ideal state and the best method of getting there.

In the Do phase, the best course of action from the ‘plan’ phase is implemented to begin solving the original issue. During the ‘do’ stage, the plan is monitored to learn how the course of action is affecting elements relating to the original issue. If it is apparent that changes are required, adjustments are made during this stage.

The Learn phase is intended for evaluation of the ‘plan’ and ‘do’ steps. If Data is generated from the process, this step is where it is collected and measured. Quantifiable results are analyzed and findings are used as leverage to begin the PDL process over again with intelligent modifications.

The PDL process is intended to be repeated indefinitely for optimal value: establishing objectives, executing a strategy and learning from the successes and obstacles are an inexhaustible process. Plan-Do-Learn serves well for continuous, incremental progress, as well as for breakthrough improvements. Whether you are looking to steadily improve value or to make radical changes, the PDL process is a Lean tool to guide your success.

Vuepoint’s

Client Community

JANUARY VIRTUAL FORUM REVIEW

As a Lean Thinking organization, CERTPOINT strives to foster activities that align with our clients needs. The Client Community has been carefully created and intelligently designed as a support system designed to maximize the value our customers get from our product. Because our Client Community is such an integral part of the CERTPOINT experience, and because our Forum Live event is quickly approaching, we devoted our January Virtual Forum to a review of the services we offer. Michael Backman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at CERTPOINT took attendees through what they can expect in the upcoming year as members of this exclusive and prestigious program.

Most importantly, Backman was happy to announce our plans for the 2007 Forum Live. This year’s theme is “Knowledge Impact” and the conference will be held at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Presentations will center around the theme of putting knowledge to work with sessions like “Knowledge Alignment,” “Knowledge Globalization”, “Knowledge Branding” and “Business Impact Measurement”. Events will include a Learning Performance Track, a Gadget and Future Technology presentation, Design Tracks, a Technical User Group, and an Executive Round Table.

Backman also went on to detail other Client Community offerings. Our most frequent event within the Client Community is our Virtual Forum. Held the first Thursday of each month, this web meeting is used as a platform for discussion of best practices, and as a venue to exchange ideas. We always welcome and encourage our Client Community to volunteer and lead their own dialogue at our Virtual Forums.

Our clients can also find an invaluable resource in our Online Portal. For new customers and those who were unable to attend past sessions, an electronic Archive features presentation summary notes and taped documentation of all past Virtual Forums. This is a great place to learn how others are using VLS, and to discover more about e-learning. If you are interested in advancements planned for VLS, a downloadable product roadmap is available on the Online Portal, as well as a feedback area where you can submit your requests and ideas for making VLS a better product.

If several members of our Client Community have an issue that requires our direct involvement, CERTPOINT has committed to deploying a SWAT team to aid in the situation. SWAT teams entail specific and intense involvement of our technical teams where they will gather information, and problem solve. It is even possible that the team will create a special feature or plan for future enhancements based on this research.

Our Client Community is meant to be a rich resource for our Clients. Please visit our Portal to learn more about what we offer, and to send us any comments or suggestions.

Our Virtual Forum is held the first Thursday of every month. If you are interested in presenting at one of our Virtual Forums, please call our CERTPOINT Offices at 1-888-883-7646 and speak with Mary Grace Sauve. You can also contact Mary Grace via email at msauve@vuepoint.com

Vuepoint’s First Ever Benchmarking Forum

After much planning and discussion, Vuepoint’s Benchmarking Forum focused on Corporate Learning began Friday January 19^th, 2007. Following a Virtual Forum on the topic of Benchmarking, several members of our Client Community expressed interest in comparing best practices with other users of the CERTPOINT Learning System (VLS) in a monthly web conference. Participants brought topics of interest, objectives and expectations to the table, and a mission complete with monthly meetings has been established.

Participants in the premier Benchmarking forum included training executives from Motorola, Toyota France, Wisconsin Public Service and WE Energies. Chuck O’ Keefe, Director of Performance Learning Services at NAACO, hosted this initial discussion proposing that members establish a charter document to clearly define purpose and expectations. He advised that the document should identify who the group is, why they are together, the roles and responsibilities of individual members, the expectations that each have, a code of conduct and or confidentiality to elaborate on ground rules, and a specific schedule.

Topics of interest covered the broad scope of capabilities of VLS and how those capabilities were being utilized by fellow users. Several participants were interested in:

· Certification and Curricula

· Content Creator- improving efficiencies and using the tool more effectively

· Use of VLS for Marketing

· Structure of LMS teams

In addition to specific areas of interest, some hoped to share and hear successes, challenges and new ideas for future upgrades.

Through these Benchmarking Forums, participants volunteered that they hope to learn about best practices in training, improved ways of evaluating quality in training, and to learn more about how the training function works. Both participants and CERTPOINT hope that the Benchmarking Forum will facilitate networking and new partnerships among the Client Community.

The next Benchmarking Forum will be held Wednesday February 21^st at 12 pm Eastern. It’s not too late to join this group if you would like to engage in discovering and sharing experiences and practices in Corporate Learning!

DID YOU KNOW?

What is a Learning Object?

A Learning Object is a reusable module. It can be used as a non-assessment module that appears as part of the course tree view, or it can be used to provide additional information to the user and can be triggered by a wrong answer on an interaction or a popup link. The latter is referred to as a Special Path.

Reusable Learning Objects are modules that can be used in multiple courses. You need only create the module once and apply it to multiple courses. Editing content in a Learning Object changes the content in all courses to which it is applied.

A Learning Object may also be used as a Special Path. It does not become part of the course tree view if used as a Special Path. Learning Objects may be applied as Special Paths from pop-ups or to provide additional information to the user when triggered by a wrong answer on an interaction template.

CERTPOINT Corporation Contact Information

Four Expressway Plaza Suite 200

Roslyn Heights, NY 11577

(888) 883-7646