The Nominal Group Technique uses a group of people who nominate problems and issues that deserve attention and combines the ideas from several individuals with an effective method for consolidating and prioritizing them. (JOW)

Presents guidelines for starting a training department including reasons why corporations decide to establish one. Includes examples from many companies. (JOW)

Discusses the six cycles of training: (1) identification of training as a solution, (2) allocation of resources, (3) building expertise, (4) demonstration of success, (5) withdrawal of support, and (6) groping for survival. (JOW)

To be successful, human resource development (HRD) managers must be marketers as well as trainers and performance engineers. The approach described in this article includes several components necessary to influence the outcomes of HRD decisions made by persons in higher positions. (Editor)

Presents simple methods for calculating the costs and benefits of training, consulting, and other human resource development interventions in a variety of settings. (JOW)

Revisits an April 2000 article questioning the relevance and efficacy of Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and comes back to the question of whether ISD is flawed or is the manner in which people are putting ISD into practice the problem. (JOW)

Discusses how to select the best training program for your needs. Includes information on deciding whether to develop your own program or buy one; identifying the kind of program you need; examining what is available; networking; choosing a supplier; and evaluating programs. (JOW)

The types of packaging and packaging materials to use for training materials should be determined during the planning of the training programs, according to the packaging market. Five steps to follow in shopping for packaging are presented, along with a list of packaging manufacturers. (MF)

Using Leeds & Northrup Development Institute as an example of a corporate university, the authors discuss ways in which the medium-sized corporation can establish a successful, low-cost effort to serve as an educational delivery system. (TA)

Describes an insurance company's development of an assertiveness training course for managers, supervisors, and clerical staff. (CSS)

Mission statements, operating principles, and general philosophy statements for a human resources development department were drafted and readers asked to tell which of these philosophies, mission statements, and operating principles come closest to describing the way their training and development departments work. Results are presented and…

The reason for the failure of a training program was the lack of a clear definition of the trainee's needs. The following goals were formulated for a new training program: regroup, identify needs, set objectives, general alternatives, evaluate alternatives, design and develop the program, and test the program. (EC)

Describes learning objects, also known as granules, chunks, or information nuggets, and likens them to help screens. Discusses concerns about how they can go wrong: (1) faulty pretest questions; (2) missing links in the learning object chain; (3) poor frames of reference; and (4) lack of customization. (JOW)

Creation of a superior interactive videodisc training program requires integration of four essential design elements: instructional, audiovisual, computer programming, and geographic design. They are equally important to the medium's success as a training tool. (JOW)

Describes Maryknoll College's supervisory training system that used behavior modeling to teach supervisors how to manage critical situations with subordinates. Discusses behavior modeling, discoveries made during program implementation, program evaluation, and results of a participant's reaction survey. (CT)