Client case studies

MSN

How Xpertise delivered a managed training programme to MSN, including a training needs analysis to identify skills requirements – followed by training and certification services.

The Challenge

Supporting the technical infrastructure of MSN, one of the world’s most successful on-line portals, is no mean feat. It takes a massive collection of hardware and software to deliver MSN’s 24x7 services – including Web content to 11.6 million users, instant messaging to 6.3 million users and e-mail to 7.7 million users.

When MSN wanted to provide technical skills to its front-line infrastructure support team, the company chose Xpertise. Although staff from MSN had previously attended technical training courses from various IT training companies, the company they had been most impressed by was Xpertise.

The Solution

It was decided that, prior to any training being provided, it was essential to identify which skills were actually needed. This was achieved through a training needs analysis (TNA) – an interview and questionnaire process, which assessed the technical skills needed by the MSN team members to perform their roles. The training would have to fit in with each MSN employee’s personal development plan, and, where appropriate, lead to a certification as a measure of achievement.

The TNA identified a need for training in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, SQL Server and IIS Server. In addition, Xpertise identified the need for soft skills which would help the team better perform its role and some non-Microsoft technical skills such as Cisco networking. Xpertise provided an individual learning path for each employee, focused on reskilling them in the tasks required to better perform their roles – and splitting the training into ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’ skills for each person, depending on his or her role.

The training was delivered via a ‘managed programme’ – Xpertise took responsibility for administration and managing each delegate through the training process, freeing MSN managers to concentrate on their own roles.

All of the team were successfully managed through the training programme – which again was provided by Xpertise, through a series of standard public and bespoke closed courses (as, at that time, many of the Microsoft Windows 2003 Server courses did not yet exist). The end result was a success – increasing the technical skills of MSN’s support team, and contributing to the smooth running of one of the UK’s top Web sites.