Carlin ID Case 1

Abby Carlin Instructional Design Case

Tara Peters, MSN
Boise State University
















Carlin ID Case 2

Introduction
Abby Carlin is a new instructional designer who has been hired by her former professor
Dr. Joyce Abbot to develop a training program for the Fritz David Manufacturing (FDM) steel
stamping plant. In the course of her initial assessment of the plant she was introduced to Andrew
Thomas, the plant manager at FDM. Dr. Abbott warned Abby to listen to him carefully and keep
in mind that he is somewhat skeptical of the efficacy of any new training program, and in her
first meeting with Mr. Thomas she learns that he is aware of their current situation as he called it
and that he knows they have a challenge on their hands. He is looking to Abby to help him get
the new workers, who will be replacing retiring experienced workers in 90 days, up and running
in a short time frame and with no loss of production. In order to meet this challenge Abby must
assess the situation and gather information in order to develop a workable plan.
Though not specifically stated, Abby might conclude that FDM offered early retirements
to the seasoned and likely higher paid workers in order to make room for new hires who will
receive less in terms of pay and benefits thus making such a move financially advantageous to
FDM. This may or may not signal financial issues at the company which would explain Mr.
Thomas need to ensure no loss of production and a few other realities Abby discovers along the
way.
Questions
In order to get started Abby must ask a series of questions so her plans will be well-
grounded in fact. She needs to gather as much information as possible in a short time about the
physical layout of the plant, the stakeholders, and any physical, social or monetary issues that
may impact her planning. In addition, Abby realizes that not all valuable information will be
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gathered through direct questioning, so she spends some time observing the plant and talking to
the workers. She then develops a list of FDMs needs and the constraints she will face when
designing their training program. Abby will also need to document the steps of the steel stamping
process and observe the physical attributes of the plant and the social milieu prior to deciding on
an instructional strategy. Her main concerns are which instructional strategy will work best for
FDM in order to get a large number of new hires trained and fully proficient on the steel
stamping machines so the company suffers no loss of production, and hence profit, during the
transition.
Needs and Constraints
Abby first develops a list of her needs and constraints from which to plan. By getting as many
facts as she can at the beginning of the project she will be able to organize her thoughts and her
approach as well as double-check her own work to make certain she is not overlooking any
aspect of the project. This list is only the initial list and Abby recognizes items may be removed
or added as she learns more, but this is a good place to start developing a training plan to meet
the stated priorities.
Table 1
Needs and Constraints

Needs Constraints
No loss of production while all new employees
trained in 90 days.

Noise, cannot talk to current operators while
they are using the machine

Effective training program created,
implemented and completed within 90 days.

Fast moving process and poor lighting so Abby
cannot take reliable notes

Need to locate SME, either from this plant or
another similar plant.
Outgoing, experienced employees seem
marginally engaged in training new workers.
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However, the turnover is not 100%, so might
workers who are staying be more invested in
the success of the training program?
Find out if the machines undergo routine
maintenance and if so, can Abby have access
for pictures, learning etc.
No written manual or other training materials

Contact equipment manufacturer for SME,
training materials or operations manuals if
possible.
No apparent SME or training expert on site,
though the SME may become apparent after
converstations.
Speak with outgoing employees do any have
influence over the others and are they willing
to help in transition? If so, can leverage that.
Unfamiliar with new employees experience
with these or similar equipment.
Improve lighting at one machine and film the
operator at work, maybe on different days from
different angles if that is relevant.
FDMs management is unfamiliar with their
own processes.
Review film with workers in order to develop
narrative of steps and processes.


Documenting the Steps
Now that Abby has organized her thoughts and has developed an initial approach to
assessment, she needs to develop ways to work with the current employees to document the steps
of operating the blanker stamping equipment. She has already noticed that one apparent
constraint may be overcome by developing a new opportunity. If the outgoing workers are not
invested in training new workers then perhaps Abby might have better luck engaging
experienced workers who will be staying. Abby can talk to workers as they are coming on or off
shift or during breaks to gather more information about the processes at the plant as well as the
social context in which the new workers will be training and operating. If Abby can develop an
interest in the success of the new workers then she may be able to gather good information about
the process and gain insights that will help her develop her approach to the training.
Some workers will not want to use their breaks to talk to Abby so she can schedule time to
talk with them in order to avoid monopolizing their breaks. If she shows respect for their time
Carlin ID Case 5

and their expertise she is likely to gather more information and build valuable working
relationships with the employees. As part of her interviewing process she can ask questions such
as, what do you wish you would have known about the work when you started this job? These
types of questions can help her elicit insightful responses. She can also ask them to verbally walk
her through the process. If this can be done while she is watching a film of the process, that
would be best so she could make certain to use all of the correct terminology in the training
program and cover all of the required steps as well as the dos and donts new workers would
need to be told in order to avoid injury, damage to the equipment, and loss of production.
Another approach to information gathering could be to hold meetings with breakfast or lunch
provided. She can use a white board or similar to keep track of comments and simply ask for
help with her planning. Abby can provide small rewards for participation and information, and
the sight of ones fellow worker receiving anything for free can be a powerful motivator to those
who might not otherwise be motivated to participate in the exchange. If she holds a series of
three such meetings she may even find that workers come prepared with comments and
suggestions in hopes of winning movie tickets or the ever-coveted super-sized candy bar. Abby
can also personally thank all the participants for their help and let them know she would love to
hear more if they are working and think of something she might want to know. This allows
workers who might have suggestions but who are hesitatant to speak in public to offer their
insights and suggestions as well. The information she gathers during this process can then be
added to her observations and used to develop a more formal approach to the training program.


Carlin ID Case 6

Observations
Abby observed a great deal while on the plant floor that will help her create a realistic
and effective training program. She observed the pace of the work, how the work force interacted
with each other, what the actual working conditions are in terms of noise, temperature, lighting
and the physical effort involved in the process itself. She may also have been able to observe
routine actions that might injure the workers and could design the training with that in mind. In
addition, Abby may now know approximately how many new employees will be trained and
where they will be stationed relative to one another, and realizes that this may present the
unexpected opportunity to place new workers near experienced workers who will be staying,
allowing the experienced workers to mentor the newer ones with the idea in mind that immediate
support may help new workers develop expertise sooner and may help the overall production rate
remain within acceptable limits for FDM management.
Abby also recognizes FDM lacks an appropriate training space, and this is a major
logistical issue that needs to be addressed. While Abby can anticipate the management
suggesting that the lunch room be used to training, she recognizes this is not really a viable
solution. How would workers who need to use the break room for relaxation, meals, and personal
conversations react? How would the new hires be able to concentrate on their training with all of
the distractions that would inevitably exist? Clearly, the training and break rooms need to be
separate. Abby can work with the plant manager to utilize any available space or to rent trailers
or temporary buildings. After all, she is responsible for the training so she would need to know
where it is going to be held so she can plan how to actually deliver the training she designs. She
can design eLearing modules for example, but those will be of little use without the resources to
support them.
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Additionally, Abby determines that the lighting and the noise level are both impediments
to her and to the new workers, and possibly pose safety issues as well. It appears that a
conversation with Mr. Thomas is warranted to see if any of these issues can be addressed in
order to facilitate training and help new hires reach and maintain expected production levels. By
framing her observations as ideas that will help Mr. Thomas achieve his goals, Abby stands a
better chance of having her ideas heard by providing Mr. Thomas with solid, actionable
information in a non-threatening way. As an instructional designer Abby understands that not all
issues are training issues. She cannot train away poor lighting, excessive noise, lack of support,
low wages, or poor moral linked to management styles or communication issues by simply
dealing with the training process itself.
Not all issues that can impact production are training issues and Abby should seriously
consider making that information known in the most non-threatening, non-challenging and
helpful way in order to manage expectations. Abby is not challenging how FDM manages their
business, she is simply interested in finding a way to provide management with valuable
information and suggestions on how to approach existing issues in order to maximize production,
and she is also avoiding the likelihood of being held responsible for non-training issues. Not
everyone can separate issues at this level and she knows that, so she may want to find a gentle
way to help them do this in the course of her updates and presentations. In addition, the
possibility that production may go up with better trained management, improved lighting and the
ability of workers to communicate effectively with each other while on the floor is also a
possibility and may prove an effective offset to the influx of a significant number of
inexperienced workers, resulting in no loss of production as was emphasized as a priority need
early in the process.
Carlin ID Case 8

Instructional Strategies
Given the constraints in the case, what instructional strategies can Abby use to deliver the
requested training to FMSs new hires? The training will need to be organized into a logical
sequence of lessons or modules that will build one on the other. It was stated that none of the
new workers has any experience with these machines, but some of their previous experiences
may help them learn this equipment faster. As part of her pre-training needs assessment Abby
should determine what relevant knowledge and experience the new hires do have.
Early in the process Abby would have assessed the learning needs of the incoming
workers by determining what they already knew and if they had any experience that might help
them learn their new jobs quicker. A simple survey of pertinent questions would likely suffice
and this could be conducted online so new hires would not have to travel back to the plant to
complete a form, or could be done at the time the new workers are hired. This information would
help Abby understand if the workers are similarly skilled or not, and if they as a group have any
preexisting knowledge or skills that she can link to the new learning tasks in order to increase the
likelihood the new information will be processed correctly and retained by the learners (Smith
and Ragan, 2005).
If she can avoid repeating already known information then her training program will be
more efficient, and she can also avoid the trap of assuming the new hires possess a certain level
of information or expertise coming into their new job that they do not. As is expected in any
educational setting, some individuals will move through the modules faster than others, and that
fact can be used as a way to group similarly skilled workers together for hands-on training
modules. This has a number of benefits such as efficiency and keeping workers moving forward
Carlin ID Case 9

and not feeling discouraged when they are unable to keep up with those who are acquiring new
skills more quickly.
The instruction should probably be delivered by a combination of methods such as
interactive animation, lecture with Q&A afterwards, and narrated film clips of operators using
the equipment. Learning modules for teaching the names of parts, safety concerns and so forth
can also be utilized either during lecture or eLearning modules. Once basic modules are mastered
then the learner can be sent out on the floor to observe, then brought back for discussions to
reflect on what they have learned. Abby will have gathered enough to know that some of the
initial information (safety, plant procedures etc.) are at the declarative knowledge level and so
workers may not need to demonstrate 100% competency. In that case, independent modules with
multiple choice assessments at the end of these early modules designed to gauge knowledge and
comprehension may be appropriate since this material is presented at the knowledge and
comprehension level. As workers advance in their training this will change and other assessment
methods will be more appropriate.
Hands-on training would come next, which is, of course, where production slow-downs
are likely to develop. Therefore, it is best to have the new operators as familiar as possible with
the machinery and operations prior to sending them to the floor. Although it is noisy, Abby could
explore the possibility of the new operator and their trainer using headphones with microphones
much like are used by motorcycle riders to communicate over the engine and road noise. This
would allow operators to narrate their actions first and then guide the new operators as they
worked. Designated trainers would have to sign off on a competency check-off sheet which must
be completely filled in order for the new worker to be declared competent on each individual
skill or grouped skill sets. This type of formative assessment gives the new worker a set goal
Carlin ID Case 10

while providing feedback as they progress. Each item can only be checked off if performed with
100% accuracy, which means that some workers will progress more quickly than others. The
advantage to this is that the quickest to catch on will advance to working independently and
actually add to the plants overall production level sooner while those who need more time to
develop their skills have the opportunity to do so. An added advantage of this approach is that
not all new workers hit the floor at the same time which could result in a production slow down,
precisely what Mr. Thomas wants to avoid.
The final summative assessments would come when the worker was stationed
independently at a machine. Could s/he meet a predetermined production level? Depending on
the exact nature of the process and whether work is done as an assembly line or is independent at
each machine, additional assessments would be developed in order to gauge competency. Abby
is not far enough in the planning process to know the answers to these specific questions yet, but
she is aware of the issue and will plan accordingly depending on what her analysis of the
situation finds. She does understand, however, that these summative assessments will likely be in
the areas of cognitive skills and psychomotor skills. Workers will need to justify their actions
and prove that they can think through problems they may encounter when they are working
independently as well as be able to demonstrate the physical skills needed to complete their jobs.
The workers need to function at least at the application and analysis levels of Blooms so paper
and pencil multiple choice assessments would not be appropriate. Instead, assessments will need
to be constructed assessments either by verbal or demonstrated responses (Smith and Ragan,
2005).
The training will need to be managed in terms of times and learner differences since all of
them will come into the job with different levels of experience on other equipment and other
Carlin ID Case 11

individual attributes. While the initial orientation might be done in lock-step, the more training
progresses the more Abby will likely see some individuals demonstrating competencies sooner
than others. A certain amount of divergence and re-training would be expected. The goal would
be the acquisition and maintenance of competencies and skills rather than the completion of
modules. The companys managers also need to be trained so they will at least be familiar with
the processes and equipment they oversee, which should contribute to their understanding of how
the production process works and where improvements can be made. If improvements are made
and efficiency increases, production improves.
Dick, Carey and Careys instructional design model would likely serve Abby well
because if begins with needs assessment in order to identify goals. While some of the goals have
been explained to Abby already, she will surely discover others as she surveys the new hires.
Once Abby has a more complete assessment of the situation she will be able to more clearly
identify goals based on learner needs and the context of those learning needs. She would then
move on to determining measurable performance objectives and developing and selecting
assessment instruments along with the instructional materials and strategy. At every step of the
way she will reassess and make adjustments as needed to facilitate the creation of an efficient
and effective training plan (Gustafson and Branch, 2002) .
Conclusion
Abby certainly has accepted a significant challenge, but it is by no means
insurmountable. Her best approach is to assess the new workers, the plant environment and the
learning needs and then move on to determining what resources she will have at her disposal to
help her create and implement her plan. Next, she will utilize an effective and proven
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instructional design strategy to develop a multi-faceted training program aimed at delivering
quality training to the new hires while meeting the FDM managements goal of no loss of
production while the training is taking place. Abby has the tools at her disposal to create an
effective plan that will meet the needs of multiple stakeholders.














Carlin ID Case 13

References
Gustafson, K. L., Branch, R. M., ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology., & United
States. (2002). Survey of instructional development models. Syracuse, N.Y: ERIC
Clearinghouse on Information & Technology.
Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional design. Hoboken, N.J: J. Wiley & Sons.