the training organization was established. Ensure that these functions are being performed by someone in the training organization. It is important to clearly understand how the system functions interface with the training system to support, operate, and maintain the system. System functions can be divided into management, administration, support, and delivery. This section discusses each of these functions.
9.2.1 Management function. Competent management is key to an effective training system. Management has the overall responsibility for ensuring that all components of the training
system to detect and correct problems that can hamper system efficiency. No matter how
carefully the planning was performed, training can be inadequate if management fails to perform its functions.
9.2.1.1 Who is responsible? It is often thought that only supervisors or managers have management responsibilities, but that is not the case within the training organization. Each individual within the training organization has certain management responsibilities. For example:
a. Instructors manage the instructional/learner activity.
b. Instructors’ supervisors manage the scheduling of courses and make sure that instructors are available and properly trained.
c. Instructional developers manage development of the instruction.
d. Development branch chiefs manage the training development process to ensure that effective, cost-efficient training is developed in a timely manner.
e. Managers manage the overall training programs to ensure they are meeting the users’ needs. Table 39 provides examples of activities performed by management in support of the training system.
TABLE 39. Examples of activities performed by management.
ACTIVITY SAMPLE TASKS
Planning • Develop the management strategy for the training system. • Make long-range management plans.
• Develop a plan to manage training development projects.
• Plan for system resource requirements including time, equipment, personnel, facilities, and maintenance.
• Plan quality improvement program to include formative, summative, and operational evaluations.
• Plan certification of instructors and instructors’ supervisors and
continuation training programs to ensure qualification of the instructional staff.
Organizing • Establish lines of communications between the development team and management to enhance the development effort.
• Organize and schedule resources to support the development effort. Coordinating • Establish lines of communication with supporting organizations, such as
resource management, civil engineering, and logistics to ensure availability of resources.
• The Training Manager, as the command-level representative, secures commitment from the using command to provide training management oversight funding for the life of the system including annual reviews.
TABLE 39. Examples of activities performed by management - Continued.
ACTIVITY SAMPLE TASKS
Evaluating • Monitor established milestones, budget expenditures, and development progress against what was planned.
• Evaluate the process and products of each phase of the ISD/SAT process for quality.
• Review training and materials for accuracy, currency, and availability. Reporting • Provide briefings on status of courses and course development projects to
individuals such as planning managers and commanders.
• Report inspection and evaluation results such as course reviews, self- inspections, course validation, and summative evaluations.
• Report any identified training deficiency or supply difficulty.
9.2.1.2 Management activities. The management function is the practice of directing or controlling all aspects of the training system from the initial project planning to day-to-day training. The training system management function includes:
a. As the command-level representative, secures commitment from using command to provide training management oversight funding for the life of the system including annual reviews.
b. Planning for the design, development, implementation, support, operation, and maintenance of the training system.
c. Organizing the resources, which involves identifying, arranging, and bringing together personnel, equipment, facilities, etc., required for the training system.
d. Coordinating activities between the training and supporting activities such as civil engineering, resource management, and services.
e. Evaluating the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of each element of the project such as personnel, milestones, budget, and production.
f. Reporting status and progress of the project to management and other organizations involved.
9.2.1.3 Relationship to implementation. Every aspect of the instructional system depends on the instructional system management function. Its planning, organizing, coordinating,
evaluating, and reporting activities all work toward ensuring the successful implementation of an instructional system. Without this function, the instructional system could be ineffective and inefficient.
9.2.2 Administration function. Often overlooked, the administration function plays a vital role in the day-to-day operation of an instructional system. Management may be doing an excellent job managing an instructional system and the training staff may be outstanding in providing instruction. But, if the administration function is not working, the instructional system suffers. When not directly involved in any administrative activities it is important to be aware of what is being done on a daily basis by other organizations to support and maintain the
instructional system.
9.2.2.1 Administration activities. Various training support organizations have their own individual administration responsibility. Administration includes activities such as:
a. Providing administrative support for documents such as training standards, plans of instruction, lesson plans, and student workbooks.
b. Maintaining personnel, training, and equipment records. c. Producing reports, letters, and messages.
d. Performing student support, which includes tasks such as processing of students.
e. Administering staff support tasks such as leave process, preparation and maintenance of personnel records, and administration of personnel programs.
f. Scheduling resources such as programming of the annual student throughput, scheduling students for classes, and establishing equipment utilization schedules.
g. Tracking students and equipment.
9.2.2.2 Relationship to implementation. The instructional system administration function should be "in place" before successfully implementing an instructional system. For example, the instructional materials must be produced and available, students must be scheduled and tracked, and the health and welfare concerns have to be addressed.
9.2.3 Support function. The importance of the support function in the instructional system cannot be over-emphasized. An outstanding course may be designed, developed, and
implemented, but without the necessary support, it will not be effective or cost-efficient. In most cases, the support function already exists. The structure is there, "networks" have been
established, and training support activities are actively supporting the instructional systems. Although the structure is there, each time an instructional system is developed the support requirements for that specific course must be established. For example, a base has several courses that require seven technicians to maintain the training equipment. If a new course is developed, the additional maintenance support requirement may drive an additional maintenance authorization. Therefore, each time a new course is developed or an existing course is revised, ensure that all support requirements are identified and adequately supported.
9.2.3.1 Definition. The support function can be defined as long-range, and day-to-day, tasks performed by training support organizations required to implement, operate, and maintain an instructional system. Examples of support functions are:
a. Maintaining equipment and facilities.
b. Supplying equipment parts and materials for the courses. c. Providing services such as engineering, visual, and publication. 9.2.3.2 Support activities. Some of the basic support activities include: a. Supplying equipment, parts, and materials.
b. Maintaining equipment and facilities. c. Providing instructional materials.
d. Constructing instructional aids and facilities. e. Providing funding and services.
9.2.3.3 Training support tasks. Various support organizations perform many tasks in support of the instructional system. Examples of training support tasks are provided in Table 40.
TABLE 40. Training support tasks.
ORGANIZATION EXAMPLES OF TASKS
Civil Engineering • Constructs training and support facilities (e.g., classrooms, test pads, etc.). • Modifies existing facilities such as adding new electrical outlets and air
conditioning. Resource
Management
• Provides human resources (e.g., instructors, maintenance personnel, etc.). • Manages training and support equipment.
• Provides funding for day-to-day operation. Information
Management
• Edits instructional material (e.g., student workbooks, student study guides, etc.). • Produces instructional material (e.g., student handbooks, plans of instruction,
etc.).
Contracting • Develops contracts for maintenance and other services.
• Processes local purchase forms to procure equipment and supplies. Maintenance
Organization
• Performs quality assurance inspections on training, support, and test equipment. • Performs scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on training, support, and test
equipment.
• Fabricates trainers and training aids. Visual
Information
• Develops and controls visual material such as slide and film strips. • Manages audio-visual equipment.
9.2.3.4 Relationship to implementation. Implementing an instructional system requires a great deal of planning and preparation. A part of that effort is to ensure that the necessary
support functions are available. Without necessary support it will not be possible to operate the instructional system.
9.2.4 Delivery function. During design and development of the training system, take special care to ensure that the appropriate instructional delivery method is selected and is ready to
function when it is time to implement the training. The delivery function, like the other two functions, is also critical to the training system.
9.2.4.1 What it is. The delivery function is defined as the means or methods by which training is provided to the students. Examples of delivery functions include:
a. Instructors.
b. Computers (that includes ICW, CAI, and CMI).
c. Trainers including simulators, part-task trainers, maintenance trainers, and mockups. d. Satellites.
e. Programmed text.
f. Career development and specialized courses. g. Job aids.
h. Network (i.e., Internet, intranet, and extranet).
9.2.4.2 Ensuring readiness. At this point, the delivery function should be fully developed and operational. Validation will have given an indication of the suitability and readiness of the instructional delivery system. Prior to implementing the instructional system ensure that everything is ready. Answer the following questions about the delivery function to determine readiness for training:
a. Are there adequate instructors to support the training requirements?
b. Have the instructors been qualified, and are they certified to deliver the instructions? c. Are the student workbooks printed in adequate numbers?
d. Is the necessary equipment available and operational, such as computers, projectors, and simulators?
e. Has the programming of the ICW been completed? f. Have slides and/or transparencies been produced?
g. Has the network infrastructure been established (Internet Provider (IP), computers with modems, software, LAN/WAN))?
9.2.4.3 Relationship to implementation. Simply stated, without the delivery function training cannot be implemented.
9.3 Planning for the conduct of instruction. Up to this point, managers have spent