As I mentioned last week #47 generated a comment from Dale, which contained three good questions, the first of which I answered in #49. You may also recall that I promised to blog from the floor of the PMA show. I did so, and the PMA blog entry can be found at JimRaffel.com.Now, onto Dale’s second question:
2. In doing color management, what would be the best options as far as training? On-site consultations or seminars?
As I prepared to answer Dale’s question it occurred to me that without knowing more about his personal learning style I would be unable to answer the question correctly. This is the same dilemma we face when our ColorMetrix customer’s ask if they really need on-site training. Several options will be discussed below. The options increase in cost from very little to very expensive. Keep in mind the less an option costs in dollars your investment in time is usually greater.
Books: The options available to someone seeking Color Management training are many. While there are not a lot of good books on the subject yet, there are a few. Space prevents me from listing any, but Amazon or another search engine can show you the way. I generally recommend books to someone at the beginning of the color management journey. This is the stage to create your blueprint for what you will do and what you will not do. It’s the same for our customers who need to gain a deeper understanding of what process control can do to improve their overall bottom line.
Online Tools: The next option is to utilize the manuals, built help, and online help/training facilities provided by the manufacturer of the color management solutions you select. As we all know the quality of these resources varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. We are moving toward collaborative tools like our ProofPass.com Wiki online resource. While today only ColorMetrix employees may add and edit pages, in the near future we plan to give that same option to some of our trusted users. (Interested in helping with the project? Drop me a line and we can discuss getting you editing privileges.)
Remote Control / Assistance: Many manufacturers now offer some form of online web based one-on-one or group-based training. In our case we utilize Webex. Webex is a very powerful tool which allows us to take control of your computer thus allowing us to show you how to use our tools on your machine. Sometimes this level of support is included in your software purchase, and sometimes there is an additional cost. Even if there is a cost it is typically much less than having someone on-site. First of all no travel expense is incurred and training can be scheduled in smaller time blocks. The best part is we can see what is happening on your computer and any set-up or configuration changes we help you make can then be preserved on your computer.
Seminars: This is one of my favorite ways to learn. Not only do you get to attend sessions normally conducted by some of the most experienced experts in your industry, but you also get to network with your peers. I normally find the networking and interaction which occurs away from the session to be of most value. This, however, is changing as more and more of these events offer lab sessions with computers set-up to fully try out an application with a qualified instructor. The downside here is that in a 1-2 hour session only so much detail can be covered so much of the detail of making it work still falls back to you and the three tools I have previously listed.
College Courses: Many community colleges and four year colleges now have educational programs that cover Color Management. While often the cost is not great, the time commitment is and is spread out over an entire school term normally. Having once taught one of these classes I find them to be a great blend of the four options listed before. You normally walk away with a great text book, have experienced hands on training and projects; and have met and networked with other professional from your area who are in the class.
On-Site Professional Services: While this option is expensive, there is no better way to jump start a program that needs to get off the ground quickly. There are many excellent color management consultants in our industry, and because they work in many different businesses they bring a unique point of view that will allow them to think outside the box. Many of these consultants also have a focus of specialty like the pressroom, or advertising agencies, or pre-press houses. The key is that if you pick well, you will be up and running before they leave your building. Also, most provide low or no cost telephone consultations for an extended period of time after the on-site visit.