A Special White Paper Perspective

Creating The Next Generation Of Users: Skilled & Certified

By Elliott Masie, President, The MASIE Center

(A well-respected EXPERT in the field of Computer Training)

Microsoft Office User Specialist Program

The new Microsoft Office User Specialist Program is an important evolutionary step in the world's adoption of computers in the workplace. As the computer becomes an accepted and integrated tool of every office, the focus is shifting to workforce technical competency.

Let's Get Specific About Skills

The MASIE Center's study of Microsoft's new program highlights an enormous demand for skill certification and a workforce marketplace eager for global desktop performance standards.

The world is ready to get specific about computer skills:

         Employers want to know that temporary or new hires can work in a computerized environment.

         Employees want to know what skills they can take into the job market.

         Schools want to graduate students with valuable core computer skills.

         Buyers of training services want to know if their investment translated into usable skills.

         Computer support staff want to know the skill level of a user calling a help desk.

Certification of user skills will provide a much-needed level of specificity in the training, hiring, placement, development, and support process. We believe corporations, temporary and employment agencies, educational institutions and the technical training industry will rapidly adopt Microsoft's program throughout the world.

Up Close Look at Microsoft's User Certification Process

Performance Focus

Microsoft deserves a thumb's up for keeping the emphasis on performance. Users will create and edit real documents using the actual programs. This is not a multiple choice or guess test of memorization ability. When a worker has the skills to use to perform work tasks on a program, they will be able to pass the certification exam.

Core Tasks Focus

Microsoft has a down to earth appreciation of how their applications are used in offices. The user certification tests focus on the core tasks that are performed with these very robust packages. The exams have been designed to measure workforce productivity with the products. Training programs that map to these certifications will create high value learning objectives.

Remember Cost of Ownership

Studies of the cost of ownership of a desktop computer in the workplace highlight the high price of support. When users don't know how to use their key desktop tools, the costs start rising. Informal support (from peers and over the cubicle wall) and formal support (from help desks and other IS groups) are the largest portion of the price of a PC. Many support requests are really teaching moments in disguise. Users that attain certification levels will often require a significantly lower cost of support.

We are impressed with the focus and testing process implemented in Microsoft's program. The care and attention that was put into this process will speed the acceptance of this new standard. The test security process will provide integrity to the certification that is missing from many skill assessment programs.

--Portions of White Paper by Elliott Masie from the MOUS web site.
Obtain entire article @ www.mous.net under INFO section

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