What’s unique about training and consulting programs of ACE? 

They transform results.

Ranging from introductory project management training courses for new project managers to advanced project management training and program management training courses, ACE has built its courses based on solutions to challenges faced in day-to-day project execution. The best practices that have overcome the delivery challenges to deliver projects successfully constitute the crux of both training and consulting programs of ACE. Following are some of the distinctions of ACE programs:

  • ACE consultants have been fully hands-on in project delivery and are up-to-date with the latest practices in the industry. We publish the faculty profile for every program whereas many of our competitors don’t even publish faculty profile for their programs.
  • ACE programs are richly laden with real life examples and case studies
  • ACE programs impart lessons that can be applied at work to transform results. Training interventions of consultants of ACE in their earlier roles have transformed results for organizations. Please see the Result Showcase section for more details.

In summary, the training programs of ACE work at Level 4 of Kirk Patrick’s model. How ACE achieves effectiveness at each level of Kirk Patrick’s model is explained below.

project-management-training-kirk-patrick-model

Kirk Patrick’s model

Immediate response: A training program is said to be effective at this level, if it can generate and sustain good interest levels and is effective in imparting the intended knowledge and skill. The effectiveness at this level is measured by the quantitative and qualitative feedback at the end of the program.

ACE best practices at level 1:

  1. VAKI principle – VAKI stands for Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic and Integrated mode of learning. Different learners have different aptitude towards different learning methods. ACE learning materials reinforce the learning from all types of learning. Rich imagery that includes graphics such as tables, charts, pictures and diagrams are used to visually reinforce the learning. Where feasible, videos are also used. The faculty presentation constitutes the auditory form of learning and sufficient hands-on exercises are used to ensure kinaesthetic mode of learning. Ensuring that the sessions are balanced from a VAKI perspective increases the effectiveness of learning.
  2. Maintain and demonstrate the alignment of the specific topic to the big-picture of the course during each session.
  3. Convey the WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) for the participants for each session and maintain conviction of the participants for each session

Retention: A training program is said to be effective at level 2, if the participants are able to retain their learning over a period of time.

ACE best practices at level 2:

  1. Follow preacher’s principle: Preacher’s principle says that for each significant topic, summarizations should be done both in the beginning and at the end of the topic. This practice enhances retention. Putting it in a simple way, preacher’s principle says –
    1. Tell them what you are going to tell them
    2. Tell them
    3. Tell them what you have told them
  2. Use summarization quizzes: Some times, use quizzes at the end of each topic not only to keep the interest level high, but also to reinforce the learning.
  3. While the above two are incorporated into the learning material and are used during the training, assessments can be used to test retention. ACE can offer assessments as well apart from training

Behavioral change: A training program is said to be effective at level 3, if it results in a change in the participants. This change in the project management context could be visible application of the learning in the work environment to produce better results. Example of this change could be better management of requirements, better planning and tracking and so on.

ACE best practices at level 3:

  1. Ensure applicability of the training at workplace. This is done using case studies drawn from real projects. Live situations and examples are used throughout to reiterate the applicability of the subject being taught. At the end of the training program, the goal is to not only ensure that the participant has gained knowledge and skill, but is convinced about its applicability in the work place.
  2. Post the training, mentoring can be offered both in formal and informal ways.

Organizational benefits: A training program is said to be effective at level 4, if the multiple instances at improved results shown at the workplace are integrated to deliver a measurable business benefit to the organization.

ACE best practices at level 4:

  1. Introduce innovations in program roll out model so that a large section of employees can participate.
  2. Ensure that the course syllabus is initially drawn based on improvement in a metric that is important to the organization. This ensures that when individuals produce results, these results are of benefit to the organization.
  3. Introduce standardization and enhance organizational processes so that when different individuals bring about change at an individual level, these changes integrate into an organizational benefit.