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The quality of your training helps determine the quality of your personnel. By modernizing field training processes, your agency can reach new levels of excellence.
A modern solution offers visibility to leaders and supervisors, while mitigating risk. It empowers trainers to spend more time mentoring and less time on administrative tasks. It supports trainees and enhances training programs over time. In short, the right field training software creates an upward spiral, improving training functions at every level of your agency. With this 10-step checklist, you can start modernizing your training system today.
For more background on why this matters, read our blog: Why Modernizing Field Training in Public Safety Is Important.
10-Step Checklist
✅ Map Current Documentation Processes
Work with key stakeholders to map out your current workflows, including how trainees are evaluated and how records are stored. Gather existing training models, forms, DORs, and other paperwork to determine what processes must be digitized.
✅ Identify Challenges & Inefficiencies
Review your current processes to pinpoint gaps, bottlenecks, and common frustrations. Clearly document issues like manual handoffs, misfiled documents, or limited visibility. Try to calculate the cost of these inefficiencies, even if the cost is intangible. Could a modern solution pay for itself by addressing these issues?
✅ Get Leadership Buy-in
Share your findings with command staff and leadership to get approval to conduct solution research. Present case studies, estimated costs, data-driven outcomes, and testimonials from other agencies to demonstrate benefits. If leadership is interested but hesitant, bring them into the discovery process with you (i.e. invite them to a live demo).
✅ Establish Stakeholder Buy-In
Gather feedback and secure buy-in from trainers, supervisors, and IT staff. Explain the benefits of digital documentation: time savings, reduced paperwork, improved visibility, etc. Engaging stakeholders early ensures smooth adoption and usage once implemented. It also helps you form a project team for software evaluation and implementation.
✅ Evaluate Software Providers
Research and compare field training systems, like PowerReady, with a team of stakeholders (i.e. supervisors, trainers, IT). Consider user experience, ease of integration, security features, and vendor support. Request live demonstrations and speak with other agencies already using the software to better understand its real-world functionality.
✅ Verify Policy and Compliance Alignment
Review training policies, accreditation requirements (i.e. CALEA), state or federal regulations, and purchasing rules. Identify specific compliance standards your new system must meet. Confirm your chosen software complies before purchase, and make sure to comply with all procurement requirements, such as vendor lists, competitive bidding, VPATs, etc.
✅ Create an Onboarding Plan
Clearly define a project or implementation leader, assign tasks to stakeholders, and establish communication channels. Determine how you'll update employees and trainers (i.e. meetings, emails, or training) to keep everyone informed and ensure smooth adoption of the new system.
✅ Plan and Conduct Staff Training
Schedule software training for all stakeholders. Consider offering unique sessions for trainees, trainers, supervisors, and leaders. This will give each stakeholder time to learn the tasks most common for his or her job. Provide reference guides, vendor contact information, and ongoing support throughout the transition.
✅ Set a Go-Live Date
Establish a firm date to transition fully to the new system. Clearly communicate this date agency-wide, explaining timelines and expectations. A structured communication strategy helps avoid confusion and ensures everyone is ready when the transition happens.
✅ Develop Ongoing Evaluation and Improvement Plans
Create a feedback loop for stakeholders to suggest improvements. Regularly evaluate the digital system’s performance against agency goals, adjusting training methods or software settings as needed. Continuous reviews keep your training program effective and aligned with your agency’s mission.
Get Started Today
As part of the PowerDMS suite, PowerReady is a field training software that manages, tracks, and measures on-the-job training for every role in your agency, not just new hires. It automates tedious training tasks, increases training visibility, and enhances programs with data analytics. Schedule a consultation today to learn how PowerReady can protect your agency while saving time and money.
