Defense Acquisition University: E-learning Courseware

The Challenge: The Defense Acquisition University (DAU), which supports the training needs of the Federal government's military and civilian acquisition workforce, was seeking to expand its e-learning curriculum to include two new courses on Strategic Sourcing and Spend Analysis. DAU sought a technology partner with web design, application development, and e-learning expertise who could translate course content into an interactive and user-friendly learning experience. A key part of this effort would be to meet compliance requirements related to DAU's ATLAS Learning Management System (LMS), Sharable Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM) standards, and Section 508 requirements. Additionally, both online courses were to be developed and deployed within an aggressive timeframe.

The Solution: Catapult Consultants was chosen to meet this challenge based on its proven experience integrating web technology and creative design to create innovative and engaging web-based user experiences. It also brought extensive knowledge of e-learning and instructional design best practices. In developing the courses for DAU, Catapult Consultants worked closely with Censeo Consulting Group, a leading expert in Federal Strategic Sourcing, whose content was the foundation for the courses. To meet the project's timeline and technical requirements, Catapult Consultants developed a technical framework and process to rapidly convert content into DAU's online learning environment. This included:

• Working with Censeo to translate content into an engaging and interactive e-learning experience.
• Implementing ADL SCORM technology to enable reusable course content and course progress tracking.
• Implementing Section 508 standards to ensure optimal accessibility
• Enhanced user interaction through Macromedia Flash and Action Scripting
• Implementing over 30 interactive Q&A sections using complex Javascript calls
• Following DAU's Style Guide to ensure full technical and functional compliance

Catapult Consultants also performed rigorous testing and quality control throughout the development process to ensure a flawless user experience and integration with DAU's Learning Management System.

Results: The two final e-learning courses - Strategic Sourcing Overview and Spend Analysis Strategies - were successfully launched as part of DAU's Continuous Learning Center. Available on the web for both audit and credit, the courses fulfilled all DAU technical requirements and fully met SCORM and Section 508 technical standards.