Analyses

I. Goal

To continue with the high quality training offered by Metrolist and it’s subsidiary Property Data Center (PDC), the Internet offers an excellent opportunity to reach members who desire training but do not have the opportunities or the will to attend in-house classes.

By addressing the need for distance training, Metrolist and PDC members will be able to access training from anywhere that has an Internet connection. Members will be able to access training at their discretion and convenience, without limitations of preset class times. Learning will be self-paced, current, dynamic, and flexible to satisfy different learning styles. Opportunity cost will not be lost on the part of members, as they can still do their work and receive training without business or personal conflicts arising.

II. Organizational Analysis

Metrolist, Inc. is a regional real estate multiple listing service (MLS). Essentially, the company has no direct competition in the market and functions as a legal monopoly. The purpose of an MLS is to be an organization whose members are afforded two main benefits. Benefit one: cooperation and compensation - if a buying agent and selling are brought together and both are members of the MLS, each is insured cooperation and full monetary compensation. Benefit two: accurate data - by being a member of the MLS, customers can expect that property listing data is current and accurate. This is achieved through detailed rules and regulations each member must abide by. Currently, Metrolist services over 18,000 customers.

Functioning as an MLS for nearly twenty years, Metrolist is among the most established and respected within the real estate industry. Initially starting as a real estate MLS with a weekly book as it’s product, Metrolist moved into the Information Age with the development of a computerized database of listing data in 1984, served by a direct dial-up, Legacy VMS-based architecture. In the succeeding years, Metrolist became the dominant MLS in the Denver-Metro area, as well as an emerging leader in the national MLS industry. In 1998, Metrolist offered an Internet-based solution for searching the company’s listing database. Titled MYmls, it offers a friendlier interface and a cleaner look to the data with something previously only available in the published book: photographs. Based upon the Active Server Page model, the company offered yet another way for customers to access MLS data, and, in time, add listings via the Internet. In the years since its inception, and as the price of high-speed Internet connections dropped or became available, usage of the website skyrocketed.

The company’s customer base relies on the data Metrolist houses to do business. Therefore, training customers to use the products is of high importance to both the people who use the system and the company itself. Since 1987 Metrolist has offered free training courses at its Greenwood Village, Colorado facility; class curricula includes basic to advanced usage. With additional products came additional classes and as of this writing, the company offers nine courses, all three hours in length, to customers. Additionally, the sales staff offers free training at any member’s office.

Support for an e-learning initiative comes from the upper management on through the rest of the organization. Development of an e-learning project is in concert with the organization’s mission statement that reads:

“…to increase real estate professionals’ value by enabling Broker cooperation and compensation agreements that facilitate centralized and standardized sharing of listings with results in: Brokers’ access to an extensive listing inventory and a framework for cooperative compensation, Metrolist’s special advantage to pursue opportunities and develop value added services, an efficient marketplace to benefit the buying and selling public.”

CEO Pat Bybee has spearheaded the effort to get an online learning solution in place for Metrolist’s customers. In her view, the return on investment is substantial, not from a financial stance, but from a customer-service stance. This is yet another customer value-add that the company offers that will set it apart from other MLSs.

III. Audience Analysis

Demographics of Metrolist’s customer base is wide-ranging in general, but each member has some occupation, full or part-time, that deals with real estate listing data. Predominately, customers are real estate agents or appraisers spanning a wide range of ages, from 18 to 90. All who have access to Metrolist’s MLS are real estate professionals, or administrative staff, whose job responsibilities rely on the MLS to facilitate transactions.

The intended audience for the e-learning initiative is people whose scheduling or physical location precludes them from attending a class at the training facility. Historically, through surveys and feedback forms, customers can draw a direct correlation between the training they receive and their productivity on the job. Hence, an e-learning initiative will expand the opportunities further, making the desired training available on demand.Assumptions can be made about the target audience. Users will:

• have access to an Internet-enabled computer
• be members of Metrolist’s MLS
• have some working knowledge of personal computing
• have knowledge of basic Internet browser functionality

Again, in general, most Metrolist customers do have basic computer skills and therefore will be able to access an e-learning solution.

By offering multiple training opportunities and methods of delivery, it is the goal that Metrolist members will be more satisfied with their training experiences. Some learners are simply not comfortable in a classroom and online training will offer them opportunities to receive training where they are more relaxed and receptive to learning; others desire training but the opportunity cost to attend a training class is too high.

To increase the value of the product to customers, applications for continuing education credits will be sent to the Colorado Division of Real Estate once the project nears completion.

IV. Needs Analysis

In the summer of 2001 the Management Team decided that a new training method needed to be offered to customers. Based upon usage statistics of Metrolist’s Internet product, MYmls, and PDC’s Internet product, MYpdc, it was determined that an e-learning solution should be developed for each.

Metrolist/PDC continues to work hard to satisfy its members and the on site classroom training has proven itself successful, reaching a significant segment of its customer-base. According to a recent survey, conducted by Talmey Drake Research and Strategy, Inc (Summer 2001), 54% of brokers and broker associates say they would benefit from additional training. Development of an online training segment would reach a greater number of customers with training at convenient times and locations. Periodically, there will be sessions of re-visiting and re-educating Metrolist/PDC employees and customers as the product grows and/or changes.

The company’s products continue to necessitate training so that customers can utilize them effectively. Training can either come from employees themselves, as part of classroom training or office visits, or can come in a less formalized and non-controllable way in the form of co-workers in on the job training. Company authored and supported training can be extended into homes in addition to the classroom or office, thus bridging a gap for on-demand training by customers.

A compilation of three months worth of training attendance (September, October and November 2001) reflects that only 5% of new member attended at training class at the Metrolist/PDC facility. All attended Internet product classes; none attended a basic dial-up or any other class offering.

Off-site classes for the same period were similarly focused on Internet offerings. 46 MYmls and 30 MYpdc classes were held with a total attendance of 793. Of those 793, it is not known how many were new members. However, as of the time of the research, four hands-on classes have been held at Coldwell Banker’s training facility. All attendees, numbering a total of 100, were new members.

The data reflects that new members prefer to have the training come to them. An e-learning solution is a viable alternative for Metrolist’s customers. Based upon the statistical data, the focus for the new e-learning initiative will be PDC’s Internet product, MYpdc. Additionally, in concert with customer feedback, an asynchronous, learner-led solution should be adopted that focuses on self-paced study.

V. Content Analysis

Content will focus exclusively on functionality found in PDC’s Internet site MYpdc. The logic behind this decision is simple. Those who use Internet-based e-learning will most likely be comfortable with using the Internet to search Metrolist’s property listing database, so efforts will be placed into developing training materials that relate to the web products.

The training department has indicated that a change in curriculum approach with regard to overall contextual aspects is currently in process. In keeping with this, the e-learning solution will be aligned with the training department’s new encompassing approach for context-based curricula instead of function-based curricula.

Preliminary site structure:

To demonstrate competency and to obtain Continuing Education credit, online quizzes will be constructed relating to course content (not reflected above).

VI. Resource Analysis

Projected Date Available

October 1, 2003 (to coincide with Colorado Association of Mortgage Brokers and Colorado Association of Realtors® conventions).

Internal Resources

Resources for this project will be initially culled from the Property Data Center and Training Departments. PDC employees will consult with the Training Manager to determine topics for development. The Training Manager will complete instructional design and site development will fall to the Training Manager, who has extensive experience in developing online courses with Macromedia Flash, the primary development media.

Product Software will have a secondary role in development, its members acting as consultants to the Training and Communications Departments as the need arises. Product Software’s responsibilities increase in the implementation phase; members from that department will be responsible for product testing coordination as well as placing the product on a production server.

Operations will have an active role in securing and preparing hardware that will house the product as well as monitoring, once live, the server the product is placed on. Additionally, Operations will compile WebTrends to track hits, etc.

As implementation nears completion, the Communications and Marketing Departments will begin promotion of the product.

Tech Support will need to be familiar with the final product before it goes live to aid customers with questions.

Development Hardware/Software

Existing employee PCs were upgraded in mid 2002 - sufficient for development.

Delivery Hardware/Software

The Operations Department has determined that existing production hardware will be sufficient to house the e-learning site. An additional T1 line was installed in mid 2002 to help to ease the bandwidth constrains that may arise from customers using the product.

Design

I. Learning Objectives

The overall objective of PDC's Online Classroom is to provide on demand, valuable, accessible and educationally sound training and information for customers of Property Data Center, a subsidiary of Metrolist, Inc.

The site is set up into three major sections: Getting Started, Property Research and Marketing. Each features their own set of learning objectives.

Getting Started Learning Objectives

• To familiarize the learner with basic Internet structures and browser functions.
• To expose the learner to the data structure of PDC.
• To provide a complete set of reference materials to aid in using the site effectively.
• To inform the learner of the various training forums and opportunities available.

Property Research Learning Objectives

• To familiarize the learner with the various methods of extracting data from PDC within a particular context
• To expose learners to effective strategies that will enable them to meet client needs.
• To inform learners of some methods of manipulating, formatting and utilizing property data.

Marketing Learning Objectives

• To aid learners in effectively utilizing property data as a marketing tool.

To give a contextual model for experiential learning specific to the various occupations of PDC customers.

II. Instructional Strategy

Instruction for the e-learning initiative will be delivered through real-world scenarios and step-by-step simulation. The major concepts outlined in the Preliminary Site Structure (page 5) will be individual learning modules, intended for the learner to experience at their own pace. Each module should take the learner no longer than 30 minutes to complete, with a target of fifteen minutes or less.

The site will be, as stated in the previous section, asynchronous. Users who come to the site can pick and choose their way around, following no particular path but their own. The site will be divided into four major sections:

• Help
• Getting Started
• Property Research
• Marketing

The latter two are planned to carry the bulk of the content, reflecting the current topics present in the MYpdc and MYpdc Retail in-house training curricula. Help will contain, at the very least, contact information and instructional objectives. Getting Started presents basic information every member should have knowledge of from the outset. This presents a peculiar challenge to the production team because the material is fairly dry and, for lack of a better term, uninteresting. Therefore, the team has determined that this section will garner more creativity in presenting the material.

Although the intent is to be asynchronous, there will be coherent instructional groupings within the Working With Buyers and Working With Sellers sections. For example, in a sub-section under the heading of Searching there will be five learning modules dealing with the five major search options users have available on the current MYmls.com website: Easy Search, Listing Number Search, New Search, Address Search and Advanced Search. Other sub-sections in Working with Buyers will include: MYmls Search Pathway, Client Presentation, Emailing Properties, Printing Reports, and Saving Prospects/Searches.

A further example of the aforementioned instruction groupings resides within the Working with Sellers section. The section will be divided into two broad sub-sections: Creating a Listing Presentation and Marketing the Property. Once the user has decided on a context, they will be presented with module options that deal directly with the topic at hand. The aim of this organizational schema is to give the user a coherent contextual basis for their learning while still giving them the freedom to choose their own path.

Final Instructional and Functional Outline:

 

III. Prototype Specifications

In fruition, the e-learning application will be a fully functioning, coherent website grounded with solid instructional objectives (hence this document). Macromedia Flash has been chosen to develop the learning modules because of the program’s powerful animation tools. The animation will serve as interactive simulations of MYmls functions.

As a measurement of learning and as a means of obtaining continuing education credit, quizzes will be developed for the Property Research and Marketing sections.

• Development Media: Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Fireworks, Macromedia Dreamweaver, JavaScript, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Acrobat
• Development Platform: Windows 2000
• Delivery Method: Internet (Web-based)
• Delivery Media: Flash MX (version 6), HTML (version 4), Internet Explorer or other Web Browser, Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Delivery Platform: Any Internet-enabled OS
• Site Structure: 19 learning modules (see Instructional Strategy, page 9) intended to take minimal time but to yield maximum learning benefits through various methods: simulation, Q&A, learning interactions, quizzes, real-world scenarios and reading comprehension.

Develop

I. Concepts and Themes - Pre-development

General

• A uniform interface and color scheme will be utilized throughout each of these sections.
• “Retro” look icons will be assigned to each of the modules to serve as a grounding theme and as a visual cue to the user.
• Navigation will be using simple and universal iconography, following current GUI design guidelines.

Color Scheme

• Black #000000 Borders, Menu Headings
• Light Yellow #F7EF8D Menus, Module Heading Text
• Dark Green #003333 Module Headings, Navbar Background
• Light Green #A5B7B7 Main Interface Background

Fonts

• Arial Black ABCabc123 Major elements on the main interface.
• Arial ABCabc123 Instructional text.
• Arial Narrow ABCabc123 Minor elements throughout the site.
• Plaza D Regular ABC123 Headers and “End of Module” graphics.

II. Concepts and Themes - Post-development

What follows are sample screenshots of finalized concepts and themes.

III. Production Milestones

Week of: May 26-30, 2003

• Main interface created using the Metrolist Online Classroom interface as a template.
• Entire site will be published in Flash Player Version 6 (latest as of May 2003).
• Main interface and sub-modules will use the “Easy Popup” component to generate sized and centered HTML popup windows.
• New headers constructed using Cactus PDC image.
• Completed construction of Shared Library elements. Using a shared library will reduce module file size. The user only has to download the shared library once and elements that the library contains can be used across the site. NOTE: in the current version, advanced elements, such as buttons, DO NOT WORK in shared libraries.

   

   

• Constructed Module Template (module_template.fla) to give a consistent structure to all learning module.
• Constructed “Contact Us” file (contact.fla).
• Constructed “Learning Objectives” file (objectives.fla).
• Constructed the “Property Research” interface (prop_research.fla) and accompanying HTML page.
• Constructed “Deed CMA” module (deed_cma.fla).
• Constructed “Owner Research” module (owner_research.fla). Scenario text and intro explanation text have not been written.

Week of: June 2-6, 2003

• Completed “Use To Add An MLS Listing” module (add_listing.fla). Scenario text and intro explanation text have not been written.
• Completed “Finding Info About FSBOs” module (fsbo.fla). Scenario text and intro explanation text have not been written.
• Completed “Finding Property Tax Info” module (tax.fla).
• Completed Scenario and Intro text for all modules in the Property Research Section.
• Property Research Section completed Wednesday June 4, 2003.
• Completed “Areas Covered” module (areas.fla).
• Began construction of the “Reference Materials” module (reference.fla). Interface is complete. No content as of yet.

Week of: June 9-13, 2003

• Compiled the supporting documents for the “Reference Materials” - PDF files for all land improvement/use codes, lender names, mailing label instructions, download to Excel instructions, etc on Tuesday, June 10, 2003.
• Completed construction of “Reference Materials” interface (reference.fla) Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Week of: June 16-20, 2003

• Completed “Reference Materials” module (reference.fla) Monday, June 16, 2003.
• Completed “Database Descriptions” interface (database_descriptions.fla) Tuesday, June 17, 2003. Waiting on “official” verbiage from Grant.

Week of June 30 - July 3

• Completed “Database Descriptions” Tuesday, July 1, 2003.
• Completed Direct Mail Leads modules (mail_leads.fla). On Wednesday, July 2, 2003.

Week of July 7-11, 2003

• Completed all interfaces for Marketing modules: re_pro.fla, mort_pro.fla, and home_services.fla on Tuesday, July 8, 2003.
• Completed “Telemarketing Leads” (tele_leads.fla) Friday, July 12, 2003.

Week of July 14 - 18, 2003

• Completed Just Sold / Just Listed (just_sold.fla) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003.
• Completed “Telemarketing Leads” (tele_leads.fla) on Friday, July 18, 2003.

Week of July 21 - 25, 2003

• Completed “Farming” (farming.fla) on Wednesday, July 23, 2003.
• Completed the PIN tutorial (PIN.fla) on Friday, July 25, 2003.
• Adjusted the “Mail Leads” module for the Mortgage Pro Section to reflect a Deed Search. New file name: mort_mail_leads.fla.

Week of July 28 - August 1, 2003

• Completed “Lender Leads” (lender_leads.fla) on Wednesday, July 30, 2003.
• Completed “X Dating” (x_dating.fla) on Friday, August 1, 2003.
• Completion of initial Flash programming on Friday, August 1, 2003.

Week of August 4 - 8, 2003

• Quizzes - Completed look and feel August 4, 2003.
• Quizzes - Completed questions August 5, 2003.
• URL established. http://pdctraining.metrolist.com
• Continuing education applications for both brokers and appraisers sent.

Implement

I. Product Testing

The PDC Online Classroom prototype was tested in three phases.

Phase One: Entire Prototype - Testing Team

The first phase of testing occurred between August 29 and September 3, 2003. The test team was comprised of the six-member internal team headed by Kate Jones. Greg Luke, Metrolist Project Coordinator, organized the testing session.

Each tester was assigned to evaluate all sections/modules and instructed to provide feedback on functionality, flow, and usability. Evaluations were documented and returned to the development team for further evaluation. If a fix was necessary, the required programming was added to the “bug list.”

Phase Two: Entire Prototype - Testing Team

The second phase of testing occurred between September 15 and 23, 2003. Eight internal testers were involved in evaluating all modules. Each tester evaluated the entire set of modules and provided feedback on functionality, flow, and usability. Evaluations were documented and returned to the development team for further evaluation. If a fix was necessary, the required programming was added to the “bug list.” Greg Luke, Metrolist Project Coordinator, organized the testing session.

Phase Three: Entire Prototype - Communications

In this third and final phase of product testing, members of the Communications team reviewed the entire site for content, spelling and grammar errors. After completing the testing, results were relayed to the development team and incorporated into the “bug list.”

II. Fixes

After each testing session, the results of were sent to the development team for evaluation. Each suggestion, fix, and/or bug was categorized and prioritized.

III. Delivery

Version one of Metrolist’s Online Classroom was delivered live to customers on October 1, 2003.

Evaluate

I. Second Quarter Usage Statistics

Measurement Time Period: September - November 2003

Second Fiscal Quarter marked the first full quarter that MYpdc Online Training, entitled PDC Online Classroom, was available to our customers. Measured in the following graphs are hits (total number), Visits (more than just a single page hit), and Average Visit Length (average how long users used the site’s contents). The numbers here are the beginning of trend data that will be tracked in the coming months.

Time will tell as to how long customers are going to the site as a resource for MYpdc training, but the availability has been a key win for our customers who do not have the time to attend a class in the office or whose geographic locations make in-house classes inconvenient. This is especially true for PDC Retail customers who may reside outside of the state of Colorado.

II. Changes, Fixes, Upgrades and Enhancements

• October 2003
• Updated and cleaned up the code for the two quizzes so the resulting email will be easier to read
• January 2004
• Updated Marketing

   

• January 2005
• Updated for STEP change
• Revised link structure to minimize pop ups