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- Management Reference Guide
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Strategic Management
- Establishing Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
- Aligning IT Goals with Corporate Business Goals
- Utilizing Effective Planning Techniques
- Developing Worthwhile Mission Statements
- Developing Worthwhile Vision Statements
- Instituting Practical Corporate Values
- Budgeting Considerations in an IT Environment
- Introduction to Conducting an Effective SWOT Analysis
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part One
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part Two
- Customer Management
- Identifying Key External Customers
- Identifying Key Internal Customers
- Negotiating with Customers and Suppliers—Part 1: An Introduction
- Negotiating With Customers and Suppliers—Part 2: Reaching Agreement
- Negotiating and Managing Realistic Customer Expectations
- Service Management
- Identifying Key Services for Business Users
- Service-Level Agreements That Really Work
- How IT Evolved into a Service Organization
- FAQs About Systems Management (SM)
- FAQs About Availability (AV)
- FAQs About Performance and Tuning (PT)
- FAQs About Service Desk (SD)
- FAQs About Change Management (CM)
- FAQs About Configuration Management (CF)
- FAQs About Capacity Planning (CP)
- FAQs About Network Management
- FAQs About Storage Management (SM)
- FAQs About Production Acceptance (PA)
- FAQs About Release Management (RM)
- FAQs About Disaster Recovery (DR)
- FAQs About Business Continuity (BC)
- FAQs About Security (SE)
- FAQs About Service Level Management (SL)
- FAQs About Financial Management (FN)
- FAQs About Problem Management (PM)
- FAQs About Facilities Management (FM)
- Process Management
- Developing Robust Processes
- Establishing Mutually Beneficial Process Metrics
- Change Management—Part 1
- Change Management—Part 2
- Change Management—Part 3
- Audit Reconnaissance: Releasing Resources Through the IT Audit
- Problem Management
- Problem Management–Part 2: Process Design
- Problem Management–Part 3: Process Implementation
- Business Continuity Emergency Communications Plan
- Capacity Planning – Part One: Why It is Seldom Done Well
- Capacity Planning – Part Two: Developing a Capacity Planning Process
- Capacity Planning — Part Three: Benefits and Helpful Tips
- Capacity Planning – Part Four: Hidden Upgrade Costs and
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 1
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 2
- 20 Major Elements of Facilities Management
- Major Physical Exposures Common to a Data Center
- Evaluating the Physical Environment
- Nightmare Incidents with Disaster Recovery Plans
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process – Part Two
- Automating a Robust Infrastructure Process
- Improving High Availability — Part One: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Two: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Three: The Seven R's of High Availability
- Improving High Availability — Part Four: Assessing an Availability Process
- Methods for Brainstorming and Prioritizing Requirements
- Introduction to Disk Storage Management — Part One
- Storage Management—Part Two: Performance
- Storage Management—Part Three: Reliability
- Storage Management—Part Four: Recoverability
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part One
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part Two
- Meeting Today's Cooling Challenges of Data Centers
- Strategic Security, Part One: Assessment
- Strategic Security, Part Two: Development
- Strategic Security, Part Three: Implementation
- Strategic Security, Part Four: ITIL Implications
- Production Acceptance Part One – Definition and Benefits
- Production Acceptance Part Two – Initial Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Three – Middle Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Four – Ongoing Steps
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part One – Objectives
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part Two – SWOT
- Case Study: Implementing an ITIL Service Desk – Part One
- Case Study: Implementing a Service Desk Part Two – Tool Selection
- Ethics, Scandals and Legislation
- Outsourcing in Response to Legislation
- Supplier Management
- Identifying Key External Suppliers
- Identifying Key Internal Suppliers
- Integrating the Four Key Elements of Good Customer Service
- Enhancing the Customer/Supplier Matrix
- Voice Over IP, Part One — What VoIP Is, and Is Not
- Voice Over IP, Part Two — Benefits, Cost Savings and Features of VoIP
- Application Management
- Production Acceptance
- Distinguishing New Applications from New Versions of Existing Applications
- Assessing a Production Acceptance Process
- Effective Use of a Software Development Life Cycle
- The Role of Project Management in SDLC— Part 2
- Communication in Project Management – Part One: Barriers to Effective Communication
- Communication in Project Management – Part Two: Examples of Effective Communication
- Safeguarding Personal Information in the Workplace: A Case Study
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 1: Building a Manageable Schedule
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 2: Tracking and Reporting Availability
- References
- Developing an ITIL Feasibility Analysis
- Organization and Personnel Management
- Optimizing IT Organizational Structures
- Factors That Influence Restructuring Decisions
- Alternative Locations for the Help Desk
- Alternative Locations for Database Administration
- Alternative Locations for Network Operations
- Alternative Locations for Web Design
- Alternative Locations for Risk Management
- Alternative Locations for Systems Management
- Practical Tips To Retaining Key Personnel
- Benefits and Drawbacks of Using IT Consultants and Contractors
- Deciding Between the Use of Contractors versus Consultants
- Managing Employee Skill Sets and Skill Levels
- Assessing Skill Levels of Current Onboard Staff
- Recruiting Infrastructure Staff from the Outside
- Selecting the Most Qualified Candidate
- 7 Tips for Managing the Use of Mobile Devices
- Useful Websites for IT Managers
- References
- Automating Robust Processes
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part One: Quality and Value
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part Two: Benefits and Use of a Quality-Value Matrix
- When Should You Integrate or Segregate Service Desks?
- Five Instructive Ideas for Interviewing
- Eight Surefire Tips to Use When Being Interviewed
- 12 Helpful Hints To Make Meetings More Productive
- Eight Uncommon Tips To Improve Your Writing
- Ten Helpful Tips To Improve Fire Drills
- Sorting Out Today’s Various Training Options
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 1
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 2
- 12 Tips for More Effective Emails
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part One
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Two
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Three
- Asset Management
- Managing Hardware Inventories
- Introduction to Hardware Inventories
- Processes To Manage Hardware Inventories
- Use of a Hardware Inventory Database
- References
- Managing Software Inventories
- Business Continuity Management
- Ten Lessons Learned from Real-Life Disasters
- Ten Lessons Learned From Real-Life Disasters, Part 2
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 1
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 2
- 15 Common Terms and Definitions of Business Continuity
- The Federal Government’s Role in Disaster Recovery
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 1
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 2
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 3
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 4
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 1
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 2
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 3
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 4
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part One
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Two
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Three
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Four
- The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
- The Origins of ITIL
- The Foundation of ITIL: Service Management
- Five Reasons for Revising ITIL
- The Relationship of Service Delivery and Service Support to All of ITIL
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part One
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part Two
- Characteristics of ITIL Version 3
- Ten Benefits of itSMF and its IIL Pocket Guide
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Delivery Processes
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Support Processes
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part One: Service Delivery Processes
- Case Study: Recovery Reactions to a Renegade Rodent
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part Two: Service Support
- Case Studies
- Case Study — Preparing for Hurricane Charley
- Case Study — The Linux Decision
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at an Aerospace Firm
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at a Defense Contractor
- Case Study — Evaluating Mainframe Processes
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part One: Quantitative Comparisons/Natural Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Two: Quantitative Comparisons/Man-made Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Three: Qualitative Comparisons
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Four: Take-Aways
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part One: Planning
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Two: Planning and Walk-Through
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Three: Execution
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Four: Follow-Up
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part One: Qualitative Measures
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part Two: Quantitative Measures
- Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part One: What Did the Team Do Well
- (d) Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part Two
An old adage states that the more things change the more they stay the same. This could certainly apply to today's state of training in IT environments. The changes have come in the form of the emergence and integration of new computing, networking and Internet technologies. These, in turn, have produced a variety of methods and techniques for training IT professionals. Yet, as advanced and exciting as many of these new training offerings may be, they involve some fundamental precepts of training that remain unchanged. These timeless tenets include understanding the objectives of the training, matching the skill and aptitude levels of the students to the depth of material presented, and following up afterward to ensure the training experience resulted in the desired outcomes.
So what are the various types of training currently available to IT professionals? This article sorts through ten common methods of training from the tried and true on-the-job training (OJT), to eLearning and webinars. Figure 1 lists the ten types of training covered in this piece. A description of each of these follows in the next section.
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Figure 1 Ten Current Methods of IT Training
- On-the-job-training (OJT) – This is one of the oldest and least expensive of training methods. On-the-job-training (OJT) consists of providing basic procedures, manuals and other documentation, along with verbal instruction, to entry level individuals. It is low in cost but usually limited to only simple technical training. A good example of this type of training is that used by agents manning help desks.
- Mentoring – Mentoring is a highly personalized style of training in which a more senior-level individual is teamed up with a more junior level person. This is sometimes referred to as the buddy system. The intent here is to have the more experienced person share personal experiences, training techniques and instructional methods one-on-one with the less experienced staff member. This is commonly used for advanced technical positions, or for positions requiring leadership skills. Advanced technical training involves methods for performing diagnostics, trouble-shooting and root-cause analysis for problems with systems and network software, hardware of any type, databases, and application software. Positions requiring leadership skills include team leads, project leads, project managers and entry-level supervisors.
- Computer-based training (CBT) – While this form of instruction is not new, many companies are using computer-based training (CBT) more these days. One reason is that more IT offerings are needed and available, and more employees need to be trained on such products and systems. Another is that a larger numbers of employees are telecommuting which greatly facilitates the use of CBT. Two drawbacks are that there is often little flexibility for tailoring CBT for specific needs, and it is still relatively expensive.
- eLearning – This is a newer type of CBT which is totally web-based and can be easily adapted to companies internal Intranet. Some companies employ their own web developers within their training departments to customize eLearning training programs covering a host of company related topics. This obviously takes the training beyond the realm of IT, but can still enable IT to make use of its services.
- Onsite classroom training – There are two general types of classroom training: onsite and offsite. Onsite classroom training is more convenient and usually less expensive (depending on the number of students) than offsite training. One disadvantage is students are tempted to be distracted by their proximity to their offices during breaks and lunches. Holding the training in another campus building can minimize this drawback.
- Offsite classroom training – The main disadvantage of this type of training is that it is usually expensive, especially if less then ten people are involved. But the benefit of a captive audience coupled with fewer distractions can be an attractive draw for specialized types of training.
- Exchange program – An exchange program can be very effective in providing cross-training for one or more individuals in different departments. I have seen this work very effectively when trying to ensure critical areas have backup resources, or when trying to foster career pathing programs. In one rather extreme example I saw two peer operations managers (who did not always see eye-to-eye) swap their roles for three months as heads of data centers that were 50 miles apart. Each came away with a much greater appreciation of their peer's challenges...and of each other.
- Webinars – Webinars are online seminars conducted over the Internet. They are timely, inexpensive (often free of charge though your email address may get swamped with vendor promotions), very convenient and easy to use by large numbers of participants.
- Regional user groups – There are several benefits this forum for training has over that of attending a national conference. The first and most obvious is that it is much less expensive, often involving no out-of-pocket costs for attendance. The second is that the smaller, more localized nature of the user group facilitates networking with peers and a more up-close-and-personal relationship with vendors. These training opportunities also tend to occur more frequently than annual conferences. One disadvantage is that by definition user forums are usually very narrowly focused and sometimes border on sales pitches by vendors. Investigating past experiences with others can help minimize this potential drawback.
- National conferences – This is one of the most expensive (per person) and least timely of the training methods. Major national conferences covering a variety of IT topics tend to be held only once or twice a year, are typically management-oriented, and stress more long-term strategies than shorter-term tactics. In light of this, the use of these kinds of conferences for training purposes are usually limited to those with current or potentially future management responsibilities.
This article presented ten current training methods for IT professionals. Each has it own set of advantages and disadvantages based on the needs, budgets and timeframes of the IT environment involved. By understanding the variety of alternatives available, and the characteristics that favor each of them, managers can better decide which types of training to employ for their particular situations.