As a consulting firm focused on applying technology to maximize effective learning, communication and change, VERTEX Solutions Inc. (VERTEX) provides its customers with a broad range of products and services, including learning and performance support development, curriculum design, competency analysis and development, change management, and related business process reengineering. To provide its employees and clients with a wealth of easily consumable learning material, the company selected Evolution LCMS from OutStart, which streamlines the content development and review process, and significantly improves the reusability of the learning content.

VERTEX sought an LCMS solution that would allow it to create learning content objects that could be repurposed for a variety of uses and formats quickly and effectively. The company evaluated and used many LCMS applications and was impressed with OutStart’s technology. Vertex needed the flexibility of the OutStart Evolution LCMS for developing web-based training and performance support. In addition, Vertex experienced a 20 percent savings in course development time using OutStart Evolution LCMS. Considering the power, flexibility and pricing of Outstart software, it just made sense for the organization.

Previously, content subject matter experts (SMEs) would spend considerable time reviewing manual storyboards and visual mock ups prior to actual development. . Before Vertex implemented Evolution LCMS, most storyboarding was done on paper, which was very inefficient. The company decided to conduct an initial trial of Evolution LCMS to develop a handful of internal courses. Evolution LCMS enables Vertex to storyboard online. Experts can make comments directly, and the content is taken through final development all within the application. After realizing these benefits, VERTEX Instructional System Designers (ISDs) now use the Evolution LCMS as a collaborative authoring tool to build learning and performance support content for such clients as the IRS and U.S. Navy.

For example, the U.S. Navy’s Unclassified Controlled Nuclear Information Center is under a Department of Defense directive to develop annual security refresher training. Using Evolution LCMS, VERTEX was able to deliver web-based courseware for the program. The product’s built-in templates and configuration tools streamlined the development process. Evolution LCMS offers flexibility and provides VERTEX the freedom needed to use multiple authoring formats and third-party development tools, which are in multiple output formats.

Evolution complies with new and emerging standards, so VERTEX is able to produce SCORM-conforming courseware efficiently, helping it stay very competitive in the industry. Without Evolution LCMS, the responsibility would be on the developers to use other means to ensure that proper metadata tags were entered, and that various manifest files were created in accordance with SCORM requirements. This is no small feat. It makes a great tool for the company and its clients.

VERTEX has also used Evolution LCMS to assist the IRS. Previously, the IRS found that many employees were building static websites as Electronic Performance Support System tools (EPSS). The IRS worked with VERTEX to begin standardizing its web development of these EPSS sites, as well as its courseware.

To do so, VERTEX leveraged Evolution LCMS to modify the templates, enabling the IRS to develop, manage, and repurpose its content using OutStart’s XML standards. As an added benefit, this process helped ‘database’ otherwise static HTML content in use through the IRS. For VERTEX, Evolution LCMS provides it with an excellent way to produce quality content at a very low price point.

VERTEX plans to augment its e-learning capabilities with additional OutStart products. Using OutStart SoftSim, VERTEX will be able to offer more rapid and aggressively priced software application training. SoftSim will enable VERTEX to capture the way a software application works and provide annotation for additional user guidance. The product’s ability to help develop software simulations in an automated way makes it a real strong tool.

VERTEX also plans to use OutStart Participate, which makes experts in an organization more available to the people that need to get to them. Many companies have issues in their help center environment where questions are asked over and over again. With Participate, this is no longer necessary.

Many of VERTEX’s clients are federal agencies facing the impending retirement of a large percentage of their workforce. With Participate, VERTEX customers can better leverage institutional knowledge, so it’s not lost when those employees walk out the door. In total, the OutStart product suite is VERTEX’s one-stop shop for e-knowledge.

Steven A. Kerschenbaum is chief technology officer, general counsel, and partner at VERTEX Solutions Inc. His 18 years of experience have focused on information technology, Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL), and law. He has worked with most of VERTEX’s civilian, military, and commercial clients, including the Air Force and the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Labor, Treasury, and Energy. Kerschenbaum has authored and presented at various industry events, including the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC).