Online Course Development for Emorys CEP Course:

Project Management for Healthcare

Final Report

Pat Strawser, Project Manager
Karah Hagins, Assistant Project Manager
Lia Schraeder, Writer & Editor
C.J. Doherty, Graphic Designer & Developer

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
P ART ONE: PROJECT SUMMARY . . . . . . . 1
PART TWO: RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . 5
PART THREE: APPENDICES . . . . . . . . 6

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PART ONE: PROJECT SUMMARY

A. Executive Summary
The team set out to work for sponsor ARwerks, Inc., under Brad Cahoon. They agreed to complete a project for a regular
ARwerks client: Emorys Continuing Education Program (CEP). For this project, Emorys CEP required development
support to create online curricula that would replace face-to-face curricula for their course: Project Management
for Healthcare. The team agreed to convert existing curricula for the course from PowerPoint and audio files into
a Captivate-based, self-paced learning format. The files would be SCORM-compliant (1.2 format), with
closed-captioning, limited to 20 slides/module (no more than an hour in duration/module).
B. Significant incidences that influenced the direction of the project
The team noted the potential constraint of poor communication between the client, sponsor, and team in the initial planning process. This
constraint did eventually become a real issue for the team as they were delayed in starting the project due to ongoing delays in receiving
all source materials needed for the course. The project manager decided to mitigate risk by narrowing the original scope of the project from
the Project Plan. Rather than complete the full series of modules for Emorys CEP course, Project Management for Healthcare, the team
focused on creating just one module, Tools and Techniques for Managing Risks and Costs in Project Management, using available materials.
C. Primary stakeholders associated with the project
Project Sponsor: ARwerks, Inc. is the project sponsor and Brad Cahoon served as their representative and the primary point of
contact and final authority on the project. Brad Cahoon will be referred to as Project Sponsor throughout this report.
Client: Emorys CEP administrators are the ARwerks client, one theyve worked with before and plan to work with again in the future.
Team Members: P. Strawser (Project Manager), K. Hagins (Assistant Project Manager), L. Schraeder (Writer & Editor)
and C.J. Doherty (Graphic Designer) worked together as a team by applying their various strengths.
Intended Audience: Emorys CEP personnel, professors, working professionals, and
adult learners will be trained via the module created by the team.
D. Acknowledgment of exemplary contributions by certain individuals within the project
P. Strawser: Exemplary service as Project Manager and in contributing to project Captivate and audio engineer/editing files
K. Hagins: Contributed excellence to the VO audio and development of Captivate module
and assisted Project Manager with organization and design
L. Schraeder: Contributed excellence to the project documentation.
C.J. Doherty: Typesetting, revisions. Exemplary adherance to branding and identitity standards.
E. Project quality in terms of the original request
The team maintained quality by planning for and mitigating risk, and the final project met all quality criteria from
the initial plan. The Captivate module they produced is SCORM-compliant (1.2 format), with closed-captioning, and
limited to 20 slides (no more than an hour in duration). The Sponsor is pleased with the outcome.

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F. Methods or ideas that exceeded expectations

Three aspects of the teams methods exceeded expectations.
1. The team is impressed with how well they planned for potential risk, and how effectively they mitigated that risk in their management
strategy. In our Scope Document and Project Plan our team began to identify and plan to address some of the potential risk associated
with working with Emory CEP by our contact/ sponsor, Brad Cahoon at ARwerks, Inc. We noted that Emory CEP was notorious for
delaying their responses to Brads inquiries as well as providing adequate source material in a timely manner. From the outset of
the project, the team mitigated this risk by first creating a Captivate template into which any content could easily be added. When
we realized that the source material for the original project would not arrive in timely manner, based upon our Work Breakdown
Schedule and Gantt Chart, we requested a portion of the entire module. Brad was able to provide the Tools and Techniques for
Managing Risks and Costs section and so we modified our scope of work and contract accordingly, to optimize success.
2. The team notes they communicated really well, following through on its initial plans, and avoiding problems that can limit
success. The team relied primarily on email yet also using Google Chat and phone when needed. The project development phase
required frequent Google Chat communication between P. Strawser and K. Hagins. The team used Google Docs well to craft the
necessary documentation in real-time as a group. The team used Dropbox well to share large project files amongst the team
members in a timely manner. The Project Manager communicated well with the Project Sponsor through regular contact by phone
and by Google Chat. The Project Manager also communicated the Sponsors instructions to the team in a timely manner.
3. The team did a great job of paying attention to details. The importance of details emerged early on in the project, as when we
learned that our logo usage and template colors were different than the protocol required by the client. Thereafter the team made a
point to check in with the client about all formatting details. The team gave particular attention to audio detail as well, an element
that is often neglected or included as an afterthought, but proved crucial to the success of the voice-over aspect of the project.
G. Strategies employed by the team to correct mistakes that occurred during the project
Group writing and editing features of Google Docs allowed the team to work together to avoid and/or quickly catch errors on project
documentation.
After receiving feedback from the General Manager, the team edited work and resubmitted project documentation to optimize success.
The Project Manager provided leadership when needed to promote clarity and cohesion. For example, he created a naming strategy for
Captivate files in the project design process which improved effectiveness of project.

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H. Evaluation Plan
Our formative evaluations took place throughout the project as each team member provided their portion of the
project into Dropbox for team review. The Project Manager, would then ask for revisions and/or assign additional
responsibility as needed. For each step, the Project Sponsor provided his approval from the look of the template
for the module, to the inclusion of ADA requirements such as Closed Captioning and Alternative Text.
The Project Sponsor expressed his overall satisfaction with the project in person, and remarked by email that
the project looks and flows well. At the conclusion of the project, we provided the Project Sponsor with a
detailed Google Doc Survey regarding the viability of our module for Emory CEP (see Appendix). In responding
to our survey, his feedback included good to excellent marks from in the following areas:
Content structure
Accuracy of content
Language style and grammar
Reading level
Cultural bias
Correct use of technical terms and jargon
Spelling and punctuation
Slide displays are clear
Texts and fonts are clear and easy to understand
Audio is clear and of good quality
Navigation icons are clear and consistent
Program gives users sufficient control
Program teaches valuable information
The Sponsor also expressed constructive feedback to help the group to improve on future modules. Below
are comments from the Project Sponsor concerning areas to improve in future work:
Subject Matter Comments:
The course title is not Tools and Techniques , which is one section of the overall course. No learning objectives are stated. The
discussion of negative and positive risks should be preceded by an explanation of the difference between negative and positive risks.
Auxiliary Information Comments:
Lack of objectives means the learner cannot anticipate the content or sequence of content, so engagement is lower
than it should be. There are no assessment/quiz questions. Adding two or three would increase engagement.
Interface Comments:
Lack of graphics and presentation of identical slide/audio text create a monotonous effect. Adding images like stock photos of work
teams would improve engagement by encouraging greater emotional identification of the learner with the content (i.e., images of people
force the inference that those people are assessing costs and risks in the same way the learner will assess costs and risks in the future).
Pedagogy Comments:
Lack of graphics and presentation of identical slide/audio text create a monotonous effect. Adding images like stock photos of work
teams would improve engagement by encouraging greater emotional identification of the learner with the content (i.e., images of people
force the inference that those people are assessing costs and risks in the same way the learner will assess costs and risks in the future).

As members of the team continue to work on modules in the future, they will adjust methods in response
to this feedback, especially including objectives and quizzing assessment component.

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I. Report about how the project was closed, including hand-off procedure
The team agreed to celebrate the completion of the project with dinner at tienne Brasserie in Athens, GA.
Reservations are confirmed for August 2nd, 2014 at 6 p.m.
ARwerks, Inc. is planning on development of future modules with Emory Universitys CEP, and will work with Pat and
Karah in order to continue this development. Once ARwerks, Inc. receives the rest of the source material, Pat and Karah
will utilize the completed portion as a guideline to continue completing the full online course for Emory CEP.
The course in its entirety will be comprised of no more than 10 chapters and the request of a working table of contents is the one of the
additional requirement for the module. This way users will be able to move from chapter to chapter as necessary to complete the module.
Another request is for assessment questions to be provided upon completion of the entire module by the end user. These questions will
vary in nature, but will number from 10 - 25 depending on how much time Emory CEP would like for the end user to spend in assessment.
Once assessment is complete, the end-users score will be emailed to database personnel who will then process a certificate of completion.

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PART TWO: RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Recommendations for the Sponsor
Timely communication is essential to optimize efficiency in spending on a project. The team felt frustrated by the
delays in communication and believes they could have produced more and better work if Emorys CEP office had been
more forthcoming with materials. Emorys CEP office would have benefitted more from this project as well.
Provide a more detailed analysis of the actual contents of the module in the future. This includes whether or not the inclusion
of a table of contents, slide containing specific objectives, assessment questions, and/or closed captioning is desired.
B. Recommendations for the next team that might undertake a similar project
1. Never underestimate the importance of a Risk Management Plan!
Based on our experience working with the Client, our team found it very apropos that the single module we created was
devoted to the theme of risk management. We ironically experienced creating and implementing a risk management
plan and risk register updates on our project and implemented the very skills learned in the module including:

Plan for Risk Management Writing a risk management plan, which prepared
us to foresee risks, estimate impacts, and define response to issues.

Identify Risks Created a risk register with a list of all possible risks related to project.

Plan Risk Response Once the risks are determined, be sure to mitigate these
risks by having safeguards built into the contracts for the project.

Monitor and Control Risks As the project progresses through the various stages of
development, we were sure to monitor change requests closely and avoided project creep.
In sum, we would recommend that future teams also study risk management carefully, plan
for risk, and work proactively to mitigate risk, as we did in this project.
2. Communication is essential to effective deliverables!
Despite problems with the Client, the team communicated well with the Project Sponsor, with the Project
Manager acting as an effective liaison between the Sponsor and team. The team also communicated well with
each other using technologies especially Google Docs, Google Chat, and Dropbox. The team avoided the risk of
duplicate work through communications by the Project Manager, both in organizing work and formalizing protocols
such as file naming conventions. We would recommend these methods to other groups in the future.
3. Details matter!
The team noted early on that they had failed to clarify formatting details and this error required additional labor to resolve the
issue, but it also helped the team remember to always clarify details with the Sponsor/Client before moving forward.
The team also included attention to the often neglected details of the audio track,
and benefitted tremendously from our Project Managers audio expertise. We encourage future
teams to consider attention to all details, including audio, as much as possible.
C. Recommendations for the General Manager (aka Dr. Branch)
Be sure future teams appreciate the value of risk management planning and the real possibility that they will need
to alter their original plans in the course of project development. You might use us an example in the future.
Express that teams should not be intimidated by change of plans or interpret such instances as negative.
Sometimes the best way to learn is by making a mistake and/or experiencing a project set-back, its the
manner in which such situations are handled that will aid in the teams professional growth.
WORD COUNT (2228)
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PART THREE: APPENDICES

Original Client Request
The team will work for ARwerks to complete a project for an ARwerks client: Emorys Continuing Education Program (CEP). Emorys
CEP requires development support to create online curricula to replace face-to-face curricula for the course: Project Management for
Healthcare. The team will work to convert existing curricula for the course from PPT format into SCORM format, using Captivate.
Statements of Understanding
1. Complete name of project:
Learning Modules for Emorys CEP course: Project Management for Healthcare
2. Client or sponsor:
Brad Cahoon at ARwerks is the project sponsor, Emory CEP is their client
3. Project developer:
The team of Strawser, Hagins, Schraeder and Doherty, aka The Rascals
4. Intended audience:
Emorys CEP, Project Management for Healthcare professors, working professionals and adult learners will be the primary users.
CEP, or Continuing Education Programs are created with professional, working, adult learners in mind. CEPs provide a convenient
and self-paced format for adult learners to integrate education into their busy schedules. Although some CEPs provide face to face
interactions with instructors, Emorys CEP modules for project management are being developed strictly for online only use.
5. Other relevant authorities and contacts:
Emorys CEP administrators. They will be contacted by Mr. Brad Cahoon rather than the project team. This will prevent
confusion between ARwerks, the project team and Emory CEP. All completed modules, questions and revisions will be sent
from the project team to Brad Cahoon for approval. The project team will not contact Emory CEP personnel directly.
6. Name of organization and contact info:
ARwerks, Inc.
Brad Cahoon
brad@arwerks.com
(706) 612-3623
7. Relevant history of the project (origins, prior development):
Emory University provides Continuing Education curricula that have historically been held in a live classroom format. Their
vision for the Continuing Ed program is to convert several of the courses into an online format, or a hybrid mix of live classroom
and online. Other programs being converted include courses on project management and six sigma for healthcare.
8. Other contextual info:
This is part of a series of modules that ARwerks, Inc. is developing for
Emorys Continuing Education Program over the course of several weeks.
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Product Acceptance Criteria

1. Technical Criteria:
Modules must meet output standards for SCORM 1.2 format
Modules must be available to users from their own home computers via an internet connection
2. Usability Criteria:
Modules must be accurate representation of source material content
Modules must be designed with visual continuity, clarity, and professionalism (i.e. consistent use
of professional typefaces, graphics, brand-appropriate colors, and layout elements).
Modules must conform to accessibility and usability standards set forth by the university for use
by the hearing-impaired and those with disabilities (i.e. closed-captioning).
Modules must be user-friendly
3. Time/Budget Criteria:
Must be completed by July 23, 2014 at 6:00 PM
Must stay within the clients given budget of $5000
Product Formal Confirmation
a. Summary of Scope Document:
The team is working for ARwerks, Inc., under sponsor Brad Cahoon, to complete a project for ARwerks client: Emorys
Continuing Education Program (CEP). Emorys CEP requires development support to create online curricula to replace
face-to-face curricula for the course: Project Management for Healthcare. The team will work to convert existing
curricula for the course from PowerPoint and audio files into a Captivate-based self-paced learning format.
b. Any new circumstances:
As of 6/27/14 there are no new circumstances to report regarding the schedule or the scope of the project.
c. Any new constraints:
It has been discovered that ARwerks, Inc. is undergoing a new branding of their company as well as their main offerings to
clients. They have decided to rename the company Adaptive Learning Reality, Inc. and focus on distance learning, eLearning
and instructional technology specifically. This change will not affect the project or the client in anyway, as promised by Brad
Cahoon, but it is noted here for auditory purposes and just in case a constraint is uncovered as a result of this change.
Another possible constraint involves communication between Brad Cahoon and Emory CEP. The personnel at Emory CEP have
consistently displayed a delayed response time when provided with material requests and approvals. As a result, our project
manager is working to ask for necessary items well in advance of the due date so that the project team can stay on schedule. At
this time the lapse in communication has not directly caused any problems, but it is noted here in case of future delays.

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Product Formal Confirmation

d. Confirmation of sponsor/client expectations:
The client continues to support the plan, as stated in the Scope Document and no
additional information or scope has been requested at this time.
e. Functional specs. about project:
Captivate modules will be SCORM-compliant (1.2 format), with closed-captioning,
limited to 20 slides (no more than an hour in duration) .

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Work Breakdown Schedule (Gantt Chart)

See Gantt Chart (below) with tasks and with projected dates and individuals or subteams involved in leading work on each task.

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Samples of Work (Captivate)

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Assessment and Evaluation Instruments

Subject Matter Comments

All evaluations rated on scale of Poor, Needs Work, Acceptable, Good, Excellent

Learning objectives were clear [1 SUBJECT MATTER]

Content structure was easy to follow [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Content was accurate [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Language, style, and grammar was correct [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Reading level was appropriate for the audience [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Cultural bias language [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Cultural bias reference [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Correct use of technical terms and jargon [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Spelling and punctuation is correct [1 SUBJECT MATTER]
Introductory slides are clear, engaging, and informative [2 AUXILIARY INFORMATION]
Directions are clear [2 AUXILIARY INFORMATION]
Help features are accessible and easy to use [2 AUXILIARY INFORMATION]
Assessment/quiz questions are reasonable and appropriate for scope of the training [2 AUXILIARY INFORMATION]
Auxiliary Information Comments
Slide displays are clear and easy to read [3 INTERFACE]
Presentation modes are appropriate and engaging (i.e. video clips, audio clips, etc.) [3 INTERFACE]
Text/fonts are clear and easy to understand [3 INTERFACE]
Assessment/quiz questions are reasonable and appropriate for scope of the training [3 INTERFACE]
Animation and graphics are smooth and professional [3 INTERFACE]
Audio is clear and of good quality [3 INTERFACE]
Video is clear and of good quality [3 INTERFACE]
Interface Comments
It is easy to navigate the slides within the training [4 NAVIGATION]
Navigation icons are clear and consistent [4 NAVIGATION]
The training can be restarted with no difficulty [4 NAVIGATION]
Bookmarking within the training is clear and easy to implement [4 NAVIGATION]
Navigation Comments
The methods used to present the content are appropriate for the audience [5 PEDAGOGY]
The training is interactive and engaging [5 PEDAGOGY]
The training allows for learners to work together [5 PEDAGOGY]
The program provides other learning tools and learning strategies [5 PEDAGOGY]
The program gives user sufficient control (i.e. volume, pause, continue, table of contents, etc.) [5 PEDAGOGY]
Assessment questions are relevant to the learning objectives [5 PEDAGOGY]
Assessment questions encourage the learner to think and process the information [5 PEDAGOGY]
There is variety in the assessment questions (i.e. multiple choice, fill in the blank, true/false, etc.) [5 PEDAGOGY]
Answering questions is clear and reasonable [5 PEDAGOGY]
Questions are not misleading or ambiguous [5 PEDAGOGY]
Question feedback is constructive and appropriate [5 PEDAGOGY]
The program teaches valuable information [5 PEDAGOGY]
Successful completion of the assessment illustrates mastery of the information taught [5 PEDAGOGY]
Pedagogy Comments

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VI. ENDORSEMENTS
The undersigned have read and approve of the content of the above documentation.

Pat Strawser (Project Manager)

Brad Cahoon (ARwerks Representative)

Team Member Profiles

NAME

TITLE

DEGREES & CERT.

PROFESSIONAL EXP.

EXPERTISE

Pat Stawser

Project Manager (PM)

BA, Sociology

ARWerks (current)
Print Design (10 yrs.)
Musician

Graphic Design, Captivate Development, Music & Video Production

Karah Hagins

Assistant PM

BA, Philosophy
BA, Classical Culture
BA, Political Science

OUA Training Module

Content Development, Graphic Design, Captivate, Camtasia & Video Production

Lia Schraeder

Writer & Editor

PhD, History

College professor (6 yrs.)

Higher Ed., Pedagogy And Technology, Text Design And Development

C.J. Doherty

Graphic Designer
& Developer

BA, Design

Production Design (19 yrs.)

Graphic / Production Design & Development, Cartography, Data Visualization

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