DAU Learning Resource Center Merges With David D. Acker Library: Listening to the Customer Has Its Own Rewards

Program Manager, Sept-Oct, 2001 by Myrna Bass

From the Editor

One of the most frequently used academic resources at the Defense Acquisition University -- the Learning Resource Center -- merged its computer lab and collection of videotapes, CDs, and other commercial training packages with the David D. Acker Library effective Aug. 10. Previously located in Building 208 on the DAU main Fort Belvoir campus, the LRC staff is now co-located with the Acker Library staff in Scott Hall, Building 226, Fort Belvoir, Va. First opened in 1989, the LRC was founded by Myrna Bass, who continued through the years as the LRC's director. Bass spoke to Program Manager about her 12 years with the Center and expectations for the future.

As anyone can imagine, after starting this Center and nurturing it for so many years, it was initially hard to think of it merging with another Department. At first, I worried that someone would think that we bad not done a good job. I now know that isn't true. I realize, as others have, that there will be fewer students on campus because of online training and, if they are in-residence, they will have less time to use the LRC. Our future students are being brought up on the Internet. They are the 16-year-olds who can program our Palm Pilots faster than we can "decide" to read the directions. So, it is again time to change and meet the needs of our students in a new way, where they live -- on the Internet.

We opened and closed the LRC doors driven by a simple philosophy: If we meet the customer's needs they will return. We adopted the practice of previewing all of our materials. In so doing, we knew which products to suggest to students and could better determine if those products should become part of the LRC's permanent collection. If we didn't have what students needed, we knew they would not return, since there was nothing to tie the LRC to the curriculum in the beginning.

If we were to be successful, we had to plan, benchmark, staff, and execute with pride and know what our customers wanted and needed. Toward that end, we benchmarked against JPMorgan on Wall Street, Sun Company in Pennsylvania, Steelcase Furniture in Michigan, National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, and 11 others.

As our learner's needs changed, we needed to change. Over the years, we tried lunchtime videos, set up computer rooms in the Bachelor Officers' Quarters, and extended and shortened our hours, all while monitoring the results and discontinuing what was not working. We also had to adjust to the laws of supply and demand. In the last few years, vendor products changed. Companies started putting their efforts into Internet courses. It became increasingly difficult to find audio or video formats, so we found ourselves owning most of what was offered in lending formats. Meanwhile, the LRC products were getting older. So, it became time to change again.

While many assumed we only circulated training packages, we also tried to help students think through their perceived goals for improvement and get to their real needs, which may or may not have been the same. For example, one student's goal was to improve his management skills. When I asked him which skills -- because as a GS-15 he certainly must already possess some management skills -- you could almost see the light bulb go on in his head.

Another student commented, "I'm just an ISTJ on the Myers-Briggs Instrument." I reminded him that he was a great engineer because he was an ISTJ, and remarked that if they asked me -- an ENFP -- to be an engineer, we'd all be in deep trouble. You could see the self-reflection and resultant pride that wasn't in his expression when he first entered the LRC.

Several students came realizing they needed to work on conflict and anger, but had previously never found the right means to deal with these issues. For many, it was the first time they had found not only a resource, but also the time and a safe environment in which to confront these issues -- even though a number of these students were successful GS-14s and -15s.

The Personal Touch

We also consulted with students on work-related communications issues that were apparent within their classroom teams. As we go global and our country diversifies, communications problems are inevitable due to our differing cultures. We are working more in integrated product teams, which presents more opportunities for cultural conflicts and misunderstandings. Working remotely at geographically separated locations will only serve to intensify the differences.

Teaching managers how to deal with these issues through remote learning will be a great challenge. These types of issues would seem to require personal interaction. Indeed, one might ask, "How will those who would benefit from such training find the time, especially while at work in the very midst of their communications and conflict challenges?"

I believe these are not the kinds of skills one can easily learn online. The most profound lessons are those you learn about yourself from feedback and reflection, in marked contrast to computer training or flowcharting, which requires hands-on training and experience to effect change. In a future of increased online training, it is my sincere hope that those students who need more personalized communications training will find a venue that places emphasis on feedback, reflection, and personal interaction.