We stand by our work. But even so, who could predict that the Engine Mechanical Diagnostic training suite we created nearly a decade ago for Kia Motors America would still be in use today? And yet, with just a couple of content updates over the years, the training course we designed back in 2007 is still being taught to Kia technicians.
It is particularly meaningful today, in 2015, that we are able to update Kia’s training suite to include a major revamping of the Flash-based simulations and web-based training course, as well as to expand accessibility across multiple platforms. The training suite is currently used as part of a long-standing instructor-led course. The update will allow Kia technicians additional access to the web-based training, diagnostic simulations, and other information via desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices.
As for the major revamping part…techies know — and many others have heard it from one source or another ― Flash, a programming language used to create interactive graphics, is rapidly and universally being replaced by HTML5.
In our world, this is a significant announcement. It means the once widely available technical support for Flash is dwindling. Many industry observers believe, in the not-so-far-off future, Flash will be non-existent. In this scenario and the time leading up to it, it will be difficult to make even small and minor changes to an existing Flash-based program.
In Kia’s world, or any company using Flash-based teaching programs, this means that if an instructor were to request even a small change, as they sometimes need to do, it may be impossible to make the change. The potential inability to make changes will erode the integrity of the training suite as a whole. Ultimately, it would likely render it unusable as an effective training tool.
There are approximately 20,000 data points in each Kia simulation. This means there really is no such thing as a simple change or tweak. And when faced with asking a programmer to make changes to a program written in an unsupported language, you suddenly have 20,000 reasons to be proactive. Updating Flash to HTML5 is a big move, but it was a smart move on the part of Kia Motors America.
In review, with the benefit of years to support our assessment, we can see how initial and continued close collaboration between our project management team and Kia Motors America led us to surpass and exceed the expectations originally set for us back in 2007.
Through insightful instructional design, the participation of subject matter experts, and the use of interactive and compelling graphic design, a dynamic and effective training course was conceived and created. Its longevity, in part and over time, can be attributed to our continually collaborative working relationship with Kia, and to Kia’s willingness to proactively apply and use current technologies. The result: the Kia Engine Mechanical Diagnostic Training course has stood the test of time.