QUESTION: My boss has tasked me to design and develop an e-reference center consisting of training aids (courses, books, videos, Web links, and so forth) categorized by a list of competencies. Any suggestions on how to get started?

I'll start by saying this a great task to have been assigned. Hopefully, your boss and upper management understand the strategic importance of becoming a learning organization. This is one step in that direction.

I'm going to make the following assumptions:

1. The e-reference center will be an online reference center that will combine an index of online content and pointers to offline content, such as books and videos.
2. You don't yet have a competency list.
3. You have commitment from the necessary technical resources to build a database-driven system.

The first step is to develop the list of competencies. Start by finding out who will use the e-reference center. Once you know that, you can develop the competency list based on their needs. The best sources of information will be your HR department, managers, and the people who do the work. Information from HR and managers will likely be high-level, with the greatest detail coming from those who do the work.

Once you have a competency list, the next step is to develop the metadata. Your Web and technical staff can provide help with metadata (also called metatags). The object is to tag content in your e-reference center so users can find what they need easily. You'll have to choose the appropriate detail level for your needs, but think about such issues as media and duration, in addition to the tags that describe the content itself, such as tasks, job titles, or competencies.

As you're developing the competency list and tagging content with metadata, you need to begin gathering requirements for the system that will deliver the content. Work closely with your technical resources to find out what information they need to build the system. Also, talk to people who will use the system. Find out what they'd like to use it for and how they want to access the information. Develop a set of use cases and technical requirements from this data.

Once you've put it all together and rolled it out to the organization, make sure the necessary processes and resources are in place to keep the system up-to-date. It's important to keep in mind that your e-reference center shouldn't be a static entity; it's greatest value will be in its ability to grow and evolve with your organization.

Published: July 2000