What's the best way to find out what your technology users need to work and learn online? The answer is simple: Ask them.

A User Needs Assessment can guage the current usage patterns your infrastructure now supports and help you plan for future needs. Asking users what their currently doing and how satisfied they are with those tools as well as what tools they'd like to be able to use in the future, can serve as a strong starting place for determining future resource priorities.

• Which operating systems are your users already invested in? What versions?
• How many legacy systems are still lurking out there on user's desktops?
• Should you upgrade them or continue to support them?
• How many people are using in-house email services? Web-based email?
• How many access the Internet through your organization's high-speed connections?
• How different are your user's answers to that question from your own log files?
• Why are they different at all?
• Which of the new e-learning and collaboration tools do they currently use?
• How frequently?
• What would they like to use in the future?
• How might you plan to provide those future services?

For one recent client, FutureU discovered that over 50% of the client workforce used Macintosh computers and that 20% of those had legacy systems running MacOS 6 or 7. A startling finding that saved immeasurable grief and expense by avoiding any attempt to roll out software solutions that didn't fully support the Macintosh platform. And the hidden cost for updating those legacy systems was quickly made visible.

Avoid missteps and unnecessary expenses. Find out what your constituency is already in favor of and ready to try, before you invest in expensive technology and training. Identify any group's current methods, needs, preferences, skills, hopes, and concerns related to virtual communications or e-learning.

Discovery process includes:

• Customized survey instrument delivered online
• Qualitative data collected over the Internet
• Statistical and qualitative analysis
• Basic cross tabs
• Expert Recommendations
• Written report

Cost: approximately $10,000 to $25,000, plus travel time and expenses for optional presentation.
Priced according to degree of customization, number of subjects, and detail of report.

Call 415-824-7726 or email query[at]futureu.com for further information.

Copyright © 1997-2004, Claude Whitmyer and Gail Terry Grimes.
Published by The University of the Future, LLC.
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