For some reason, training seems such an unattractive offering, but in reality it is essential for every company producing tools, whether in the Digital Forensic market or not, to offer good training on their kit.
Technical people love new toys. Pieces of gleaming technical kit are so appealing to them, shining in the sun, enigmatically they beckon the purchaser forward to stroke the box and entice the user to know more about it, once hooked they then want to own it. But once they have bought it would they automatically know what to do with it?
Even highly technical people cannot inherently know how to get the most from a tool without training. Should training be sold as an optional separate item or should training be bundled into the purchase price as a package offering?
As a company selling technical equipment for users, some technical and some not technical , we believe strongly in the value of concise, intelligent and interactive training. The user can then get the most from the tool in the most efficient manner. This is clearly beneficial to them and it is beneficial to us as we then have happy users who are proficient and confident in using the tool.
For the product developer, training takes time to develop and deliver and as tools are updated then updates for training have to be pushed out to users taking more time and resources. The value for the user is
a) in the confidence gained in using the tool
b) in knowing when to use the tool
c) in saving time when using the tool
d) by using all of its’ features
e) in the understanding the results that the tool will give the individual or organisation.
Proper training of users will make the tool a real asset to the individual or organisation. Untrained users make the tool an expensive ornament as it stands the danger of not being used or used incorrectly.
The question is should all technical kit and tools be sold with mandatory training and accreditation or should the user still have a choice whether to take this up or not?
October 13, 2010 at 5:22 pm |
It is important that each person can qualify their comments in a court of law. To qualify your comments and opinions you need to be qualified thus that is my answer.
Good post though, thanks.
October 13, 2010 at 9:22 pm |
Good point. Thanks for that.