EXPERIENCES DEVELOPING A CURRICULUM FOR
DIGITAL MAP PRODUCTION
Marjorie Seale
Systems Consultant - Intergraph Corporation
Federal Systems Division - Advanced Programs
Huntsville, Alabama, USA 35894-0001
(205) 730-2000
ISPRS Commission VII
ABSTRACT
This paper shares the experiences gained from developing and implementing a training curriculum for a large system
designed to automate and streamline cartographic production operations. Courses were created for production managers,
photo analysts, photogrammetrists, and senior managers to produce a number of specific map products. The objective of the
courses was to teach operators, managers, and other support personnel how to use analytical stereoplotters to collect
digital map data.
The discussion covers the factors to consider in developing multi-discipline application training. The success of such
training is dependent upon users' ability to absorb and apply their knowledge. Insights on how user expectations influence
the development and presentation of course contents will also be examined. Professionals responsible for administering a
technical training program will be introduced to the collaborative process of formulating a training plan and course
materials, selecting the content and the methods of presentation, and developing the schedule.
KEYWORDS: Training, Training plan, Instruction, Production, Implementation.
INTRODUCTION
Once an organization acquires a new system, the training
activities are an important part of accepting and
implementing it. Whether the hardware and software are
commercially available or are developed according to
specific requirements, training as a task often initially
appears within a program schedule as a relatively short
period of time. This is usually sometime after the system
is installed and before the first production projects are
begun. However, there may be users and managers who
should begin their training prior to the systems arrival or
well after the initial production activities have started.
Thus, before an instructor ever enters a classroom, a
significant amount of planning and managerial
coordination between multiple organizations is required.
The number of students, facilities, duration, prerequisite
user preparation, number of courses, subject content, and
presentation techniques must be identified and approved
prior to drafting or selecting the course materials.
This paper uses our experiences of preparing for a real
world program to emphasize several factors of effective
training. The training curriculum we developed was
composed of a combination of existing and specially
developed courses. There were four different
cartographic product types and five sites. The specially
prepared production manager and photo analyst courses
included dry run presentations and revisions prior to on
site instruction. Programmers, system managers, senior
managers, and specialists also attended other training
courses or workshops. Figure 1. Composite Schedule
Example, provides an impression of the complex
sequence of these multiple on-site activities.
The training topics discussed in this paper are presented
in three sections; Formulating the Training Plan,
Developing the Content, and Preparing the Schedule.
Whether an organization decides to develop specific
application courses or elects to use existing training
sources, most of the factors still need to be considered. A
small installation may approach these factors informally
while a large system composed of several locations needs
a clearly defined curriculum.
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• MAY 30 HOLIDAY
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