In 2009 we completed a significant project with SITA and TIA to design and develop training for service industry workers across New Zealand.

The initiative was supported by the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, with the aim of getting New Zealand service industries ready for the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

This was a blended solution, including three phases of workplace learning and self-study, two workshops, and employer support. A key part of the project was for learners to complete three unit standards throughout the programme, and give employers and trainers the support they needed to verify and assess learners.

The training resources we produced included an introduction DVD, participant and employer workbooks, trainer guides, activity cards, animations, and an assessment guide.

Parliamentary Service needed seven induction e-learning modules developed for Executive Assistants and out-of Parliament staff.

The resources needed to be easy to follow, set clear expectations about the audiences' roles, and the learning needed to be self-directed.

We developed:

• A brand and templates to align all induction learning resources (including paper-based materials).
• Seven self-study e-learning modules that:
• had learning times of between 10 and 30 minutes each
• contained simple and straightforward graphics and interactivity
• included audio and video to enhance the learning experience
• included formative and summative assessment.

The topics covered in these resources included things like Health and Safety, Code of Conduct, and Information Security, as well as more specific information that focused on the responsibilities of their role.

Transpower is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise, tasked with owning and operating New Zealand's national grid - the network of high voltage transmission lines and substations that connect areas of generation with towns and cities across the country.

The blend for this learning programme combines two delivery methods: workshop and online animation. In 2008 we created a one day workshop designed to demystify Reserves Management in New Zealand - what it is, why we have it, and how it works.

Transpower offers this learning programme to its own staff as well as energy companies in New Zealand. A key feature of the programme is an animation which is used to simplify and sequence the technical information about reserve management, key reserves concepts and Transpower's Reserve Management Tool itself. The animation was called 'Opening the black box' and the facilitator used it to present and explain key concepts.

Evaluations before and after the workshops, show the workshop to be highly effective.