When INT Information Systems was founded in 1984, the computing environment was quite different than it is today. Few people could have envisioned the omnipresence of the Internet, or computers that have - and need - a gigabyte of RAM, or 500 megabyte drives that fit on a keychain. Even today, it's little more than guesswork to suggest what new technologies will present themselves in the next ten years, let alone the next twenty.
One thing we agreed on - as true today as it was two decades ago - was that the computer was simply a tool. We felt there was a fundamental distinction about the role of the computer that was going overlooked. Even back then, it was clear that computers were good at performing boring and repetitive tasks quickly, with a high degree of accuracy. However, when we created an information center for end-user computing support while working at Owens Corning Fiberglas ® Research and Development Center, we learned that the computer wasn't a replacement for a person. The computer's stock-in-trade, data, was only one component of a process that also involved the uniquely human ability to integrate insight and experience into decision-making. It also couldn't run itself. While a powerful tool, the computer is at the mercy of its operator. Therefore, it is crucial that the operator understand how best to use it.
Computers have radically evolved since then yet this foundational insight hasn't changed. Computers are still tools and people are still their masters. Surprisingly, the dividing line between what the computer can do and what people can do is as clear today as it was then. Databases are incredibly powerful in their ability to store and arrange data but it takes a human to construct the queries and reports that turn the raw data into something meaningful. Word processors are capable of creating amazing documents but it takes a person who understands the available gadgets and settings to make it all come together. In short, people are still behind the wheel of the computer and they will be for the foreseeable future. As a result, our business is focused on teaching people to help themselves.
A key element to "helping people help themselves" is education. Many training organizations take a very limited view of this concept, focusing only on what tools are available, with little insight as to how to use those tools in various situations. In some cases this makes perfect sense: once you know how to italicize text, there's not much more to learn about that particular tool. However, today's desktop applications are loaded with dozens of features that are not as straightforward as the humble "Italics" button.
For example, the typical "Intermediate Excel" class teaches people how to sort their data. Without a doubt, that's necessary and useful information. But most classes stop there, leaving students with knowledge only of Excel's basic sorting mechanisms. Real world application of tools, as we have all experienced, often demands more than the basics. What if the user wants to sort by more than the three fields Excel allows? What if they need to sort the data based on the sequence of the last eight characters in each entry? What if they need to return the list to its original order without using the Undo feature? INT's Intermediate Excel class addresses all of these questions. As a result, our students learn how to use the tools, but also gain a form of "just in time" training that anticipates more advanced and specialized needs. All of our training classes, especially those beyond the introductory level, are built with this strategy in mind.
As a result, we write all of our materials in house. The obvious advantage is that we can constantly refine and sharpen our classes. We routinely revise class material based on questions we have received in prior sessions. In fact, all of the advanced sorting scenarios described above were added to the Intermediate Excel class after students asked how to accomplish them. Writing our own materials also allows us to offer classes that are unique to our organization.
Several years ago, we noticed a surge in the number of people with questions about using pictures in Microsoft Word. After some investigation, we found that these people had been tasked with the creation of training materials and process documentation. In the absence of specific tools to create such material, they pressed Word into service. Our students were running into problems they didn't understand, needs they couldn't address and tasks they couldn't accomplish. In response, INT created a full-day class devoted to the creation and use of pictures and drawings in Word. Similar conversations with our students lead to the creation of our "Mastering: Excel PivotTables" and "Mastering: Excel Charts" classes. We are currently exploring classes about the creation of customized Word templates and forms, and a multi-day class dealing with complex system design in Microsoft Access. All of these "specialty" classes offer a synthesis of tools, tricks and techniques that go well beyond the basics.
We also realize that getting users into a training class can be a challenge, often times one solely of geography: many people cannot attend training because of their location in relation to the class' location. For INT's customers, this is not a problem. We have a fully functional, portable computer lab that can be set up in virtually any conference room. Consisting of twelve laptop computers, we can even provide network enabled classes. Many of our clients rent the portable lab and provide the training with their own in-house staff.
Of course, not every problem can be solved through user education - some tasks are best left to specialists and experts. This is especially true of database design. In these cases, we offer consulting services for those problems that lie outside the bounds of "reasonable knowledge". For us, consulting begins with a comprehensive understanding of the problem. We work closely with those who are most familiar with the obstacles that need to be overcome and design a solution with convenience and scalability foremost in mind.
While we can usually design a custom solution to conform exactly to the needs of our customers, it is often the case that a turn-key third-party solution already exists. Many times, a turn-key system is cheaper than a custom-designed application and our role is to research and recommend the best "off the shelf" solution. After purchasing or building a solution, INT can step in to create and deliver training classes devoted to the new tool.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have training, consulting or programming needs.
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