As I reported in a recent post, Windows 7 is the most in demand technology for Microsoft certification training today. And, according to a recent study by Robert Half International, software upgrades were the most deferred technology expense. Finally, according to an informal poll on our site, two-thirds of respondents have already migrated to Windows 7 or are planning to soon.
So, organizations are moving to Windows 7. But, what now? You need support.
ClipTraining Offers a Solution
A simple yet innovative training solution exists in ClipTraining, a start-up training company co-founded by technology writer J. Peter Bruzzese. ClipTraining offers quick demos and PowerPoint-like presentations to cover a variety of technologies, from Microsoft Office to Hyper-V. Some of the videos are intended for a technical audience, while others are intended for regular users.
I'll admit that when I first checked out ClipTraining's website, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of in-depth content. However, when I checked the new Windows 7 page earlier this week, I was forced to reconsider. ClipTraining has nearly 80 videos available for Windows 7 alone, and according to Bruzzese, there are 25 more videos in production (5 for users, 20 for administrators). That makes for a pretty impressive arsenal of simple, accessible training for Windows 7.
How ClipTraining Works
Unfortunately, few of the videos available with ClipTraining are free. So, while the free videos are great for gauging what the product offering is like, I doubt you'll find the free information of much long-term value. An annual subscription for an individual is $75 (and you get access to all the videos), or you can purchase subscriptions as a company and the cost per user is based on volume. (For 500 users, it's $56/user, for example.) So, it certainly is a cost, but so is productivity loss from employees asking for help with basic tasks.
The other offering ClipTraining provides is custom clips. According to Bruzzese: "Let's say you have a very specific problem that your users need help with. You know you could save hours of time on the phone with folks if you just gave them a couple of videos that were specific to your environment. That is where we come in and make the videos, put them only on your portal (they belong to your company), and it solves a pain point for your IT, Help desk, and everyone."
In an age where there never seems to be time for classroom-type training and the Internet is often too muddled with information to provide easy answers, a simple solution like ClipTraining seems to hold real merit. I encourage you to check out the videos for yourself and see what you think.
