Virtual RCA Training Results

I’ll start with the end, so you don't have to skip all the good stuff in the middle if you are pressed for time:  Sologic is now a successful virtual training company.  We did this through a combination of fail-fast/learn-fast and rapid prototyping.  The results have been phenomenal:  Effective training at a lower cost for our clients. Read on for the details. 

Virtually no one is traveling for work these days. This past eight-week stretch is the longest I have gone without flying in 20 years. And in many ways, it has been an absolute blessing. My sleep patterns are finally normalizing, and I am gaining ground on my house projects. My boom-and-bust home life is settling into a consistent, predictable, and healthy routine. The lawn gets mowed, dinner happens at about the same time, and the dog no longer treats me like a stranger.

But I was not traveling because I wanted to see the world – I was traveling because that has been an important part of how Sologic earns revenue. So, while I appreciate being home, that home still has a mortgage and the bills still need to be paid.  Agile transformation was our only choice. 

While it is true that COVID19 affects companies in different ways, it is also true that the need for structured problem-solving is a fundamental constant. In fact, in turbulent times the need to solve complex problems and reduce risk in a structured way intensifies. In short, if we could not afford failure before, we certainly cannot afford it now.

This is true for individuals as well. If you are someone who solves tough problems, your value has increased dramatically over the last several weeks and it will help cement your position when others might appear to be more expendable.

Turbulent times often drive unfamiliar problems.  When we are in that “knowledge-based” problem-solving mode, we need a structured method to ensure we learn as much as we can, as fast as we can.

COVID19 added an important constraint to this equation.  Meeting face-to-face has become too risky. The virus is extremely contagious, it has a long incubation time, and many carriers are unaware that they are contagious. Now that such meetings are no longer workable, we must adapt. But structured problem-solving works best face-to-face... or does it? 

Most of the infrastructure to conduct meetings online already exists. COVID19 supplied the kick we all needed to make the leap. It is now the end of May and my last on-site training class was during the second week in March.  When I got back to Seattle, the Governor shut down Washington State. All our upcoming training classes were cancelled.

Fast-forward to today.  Over the last several weeks, Sologic has delivered several multi-day training classes, three significant investigations, multiple webinars, and several train-the-trainer sessions for new instructors – all virtually.  Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive.  

“I was skeptical about virtual learning, but your class was terrific! I recommended it to our Vice President during our nation-wide conference call.”

“After your class, I realized that I actually like virtual training better than face-to-face. Using Causelink during the break-out sessions was engaging and fun. And I get to sleep in my own bed.”

“Not only was the virtual class effective, it was much more economical. We would have paid up to $2,500 per person to travel to the training class. And each person generally travels the day before training starts and the day after training concludes. Those days are largely unproductive.”

“You need to make the breaks between sessions 60 minutes instead of 30 minutes.”

Okay, well that last one was not exactly glowing, but hey – there is no way we were going to get it perfect the first time out! Wish granted – breaks are now 60 minutes!

Feedback has been so positive that we are convinced that this is a permanent shift in the demand curve for online training. Why?

The Virtual Experience is Interactive  
People truly learn how to become effective root cause analysts in a virtual setting. They begin by going through our online training “eRCA: Fundamentals” which helps with initial knowledge transfer. This allows the instructor to focus primarily on skill transfer. Causelink, our not-so-secret weapon, plays a huge role, allowing attendees to easily build cause and effect diagrams in their breakout sessions - exactly like they will investigate actual problems virtually in the real world after class.

It is Personable
We have invested in technology to help personalize the connection through the camera. Simple things like lighting, high-definition cameras, and high-quality audio helps us make the experience as personable as possible. And we will continue to invest in technology to bridge this gap. 

Our instructors also work hard to create meaningful, two-way discussions that engage the students.  Whether by sharing screens or teaming up with fellow students to complete table-top exercises, our instructors maximize interaction.

And it is Economical
Let’s talk numbers. Our most popular onsite course, Analyst Level 1, has a domestic US price of $13,495. On top of that we add the actual instructor travel expenses (estimated at $2,500). This includes a manual, learning aids, and Causelink Desktop (free forever) or Causelink Individual (1st year free, $20/month or $200/year after).  Let’s call it $16,000 all-in for this course.

But that is nowhere near the full cost of training. If you have students traveling in from the outside the area, you can pay as much as $2,500 for each attendee.  If the class is offsite, you will pay for the hotel training center and catering ($5,000).  Also, you will have the indirect costs of 20 people out-of-pocket for five days. Depending on how many people you fly in, the bill  could exceed $50,000.

Is it worth it?  YES!  If just one of your people solves a tough (expensive) problem using their training, the ROI is positive.  

But virtual training is much more cost-effective. To help make the decision easier, we lowered our price to $9,995 for the Analyst Level 1 Virtual course while dropping the total students per course to 15.  The following table helps visualize the travel expense premium:
 

Learn more about Sologic RCA