Interactive Reality Based Training Model (IRBT)

Traditional role play is one of the most improperly utilized training tools used today.

It is often perceived as an easy “Just let the students go” tool.
We ask the students who, “Don’t know what they don’t know,” to play a role based on new information (Training at the Speed of Life, Kenneth Murray, 2001).

The role play will end one of three ways:

• One of the role players will do something funny and the role play falls apart
• One of the role players will do something to trip up the other and the role play falls apart
• They just stop because they are not sure what to do.

From a training stand point when we look at the traditional role play:

• Do we know what the goal was? No.
• Do we know if learning took place? No, we did not know the goal, so how do we know if it was reached (learning).
• Can we duplicate the role play? No.

From a liability standpoint, if we did not know the goal, do not know if learning took place and we cannot duplicate the experience, how can we verify that the training is effective and accomplishing the needs of the corporation/company? We do not know if we are spending our training dollars properly.

The IRBT model is a success and goal oriented system which is measurable and defensible. The key to the success of the IRBT model is that it is a model which assesses not just the transfer of knowledge, but the ability to properly apply the knowledge. This is the crucial component which is most important to an organization; determining if the employee can successfully apply the lesson(s) learned.

What is the process?

• We assess your organizational goals
• Issues and current training methods
• We assist in the creation of the Minimum Information Standards (MIS). These are used to build the lesson and role play.

Once we know what you want, what you feel you need, and what you are currently doing, we develop the program to suit your needs. The lesson plan should stick to the information needed to accomplish the task – What information does the employee need in order to legally, ethically and successfully do their job and meet or exceed the company’s goals?
Too often we see information on pay, corporate history, etc. embedded in the lesson. While this information is important, it should be given in a self directed format. We need to better utilize our face time. This is especially true as this face time becomes more and more difficult to acquire.

Why IRBT?

IRBT allows for the assessment of proper application of the knowledge and replicates the real world stressors which will impact the performance of the employee when they are in the work environment. The IRBT model will also assess the training and lesson plan itself. If we notice a large number of participants experiencing the same issue or stalling point, we know it is the lesson and not the participant. This is important in assessing the value and quality of the lesson plan and if we are making the best use of training time.