Using Microsoft Outlook to Improve Time Management

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Training Program Assignment

Using Microsoft Outlook to Improve Time Management

Dr. Mary Kiker

HRSM 6610

By

15 December 2004

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Introduction

This training program is designed to assist employees in the most difficult task which affects all positions in the job market today - Time Management. Time Management is a critical component of most jobs and should be included in the required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) which are often overlooked during the job analysis. I will attempt to scope this vast requirement, and focus on certain tools that will be used to manage office tasks and assist the everyday worker in managing his or her time.

Effective managers are managers who can manage his or her time, and also teach subordinates how to manage his or her own time. With the use of technology today, this difficult task can be made easier, and many "tricks of the trade" will be provided in this training program. In order for the worker to begin managing time, it is essential to first identify the lack of ability in managing his or her own time. If the workers feel they do not have any problems with time management, then they will not gain as much as others from this program. Therefore, I think training workers on time management, like all other training, is effective if the user is open to learning new skills. I also feel time management is easily viewed as a critical "necessary" skill in all forms of work.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

The students must have basic computer and office skills, and they must be able to identify tasks associated with their everyday job. Some assistance in identifying the day-to-day task will be accomplished within this training program; however, the students

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must know what task they are expected to perform each day. The students must also know how to prioritize their task. This is critical in identifying what work must be accomplished and in what order.

Needs Assessment

A needs assessment tool (questionnaire) was created in order to determine if the individuals to be trained possess the skills needed to learn about time management (see Attach A). This questionnaire was sent to 10 individuals who work within my office or within close proximity of my current office here at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. I used two different methods in order to conduct this needs assessment - observation and documentation. The observations all came from working within the job market for several years and managing numerous individuals and projects during this evaluation period. Therefore, a lot of information will come from my experience and observations in and of itself. Additional documentation was found utilizing the Internet, in order to add more value to the observations I have made throughout my career. To analyze the needs of the users the results of the needs assessment tool was calculated and categorized (see Attach B).

Based on the results of the Needs Assessment Survey, most workers have the KSA's required for training. The most critical KSA's being common knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, identifying task, prioritizing task, and typing. It was interesting to note that most individuals surveyed felt they WERE in control of their projects, and that they COULD prioritize their workload. However, from personal observations, most of the individuals surveyed are NOT capable of managing their time. Therefore, one of the

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disadvantages of a survey is the fact individuals may not want to provide accurate data because they may feel it could be used against them or the individuals believe they are capable of time management when they are not. This is the case for several of the surveyed workers in my local office.

The questionnaire was specifically created to determine if the participants or trainees had the necessary skills to gain a transfer of knowledge during training. Those required skills are sending e-mails and typing. All recipients stated they were able to perform both of these required skills.

Training Objective

In order to properly instruct the students on Time Management, several course objectives must be met.

- Upon completion of the training, the worker will be able to set appointments and include invitees using Microsoft Outlook's calendar feature.

- Upon completion of the training, the worker will be able to create contacts and set appointments with those contacts within Microsoft Outlook's contacts feature.

In staying within the scope of the training objectives, the training will focus on better utilization of Microsoft Outlook, and the tools readily available within this application. The best methods for training will be lecture and hands-on practice. A workshop will provide the best results, allowing the individuals to listen to instructions, and then apply those instructions to real-world scenarios.

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I expect to see several learning outcomes during this training program. Those outcomes are Verbal, Intellectual Skills, Attitudes, and Cognitive Strategies. Motor skills would only be used if teaching typing, which during our needs assessment, only one person said they could not type, yet they can "hunt and peck" adequately for the class. The Verbal Information learned will be from lecture, and will include such facts as when to use the contacts option, or how to setup a meeting within the calendar function. Intellectual skills will include learning how to take the time to document the task at hand, and how to prioritize those tasks based on their constraints. Attitudes are an important part of this training program, because if the workers do not feel this is important enough to use, then the training program will be unsuccessful. During the workshop hands-on activities, we will provide real-world scenarios in class, in order to show a more efficient and more effective way to manage tasks following the lesson plan (see Attach C). Cognitive strategies may be helpful in remembering when to use contacts and when to use the calendar, however, each person will adapt to their own style of using the tools provided within Microsoft Outlook.

Transfer of Training

Out of the seven theories of learning, numerous