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Training directors of both profit and not-for-profit organizations have made leadership succession a key concern of the new century. The complete Harvard School Publishing offerings are innovative and dynamic, consistent with their overall philosophy of emphasizing self-analysis, systematic reflection, the use of a mentor, and access to management tools to facilitate practice. Stepping Up to Management provides a solid introduction to a variety of management issues, and the final module provides the informational tools that employees need to evolve to the next stage of leadership training. The activity section -- usually consisting of an audio-narrated slide show -- provides the primary interactive learning. This experiential learning technique reinforces the material and allows users to test their understanding. Providing course-pacing information could improve the learner experience, especially considering the breadth of subject matter and the abundance of tools. Another improvement would be greater investment in learner decisions.

AS AGING BABY BOOMERS look toward imminent retirement, the topic of leadership succession continues to be at the top of training agendas. Who are the organizational leaders and managers of tomorrow? Training directors of both profit and not-for-profit organizations have made leadership succession a key concern of the new century.

Harvard Business School Publishing products have content that is second to none in quality. The complete Harvard School Publishing offerings are innovative and dynamic, consistent with their oveiall philosophy of emphasizing selfanalysis, systematic reflection, the use of a mentor, and access to management tools to facilitate practice.

Stepping Up to Management provides a solid introduction to a variety of management issues, and the final module provides the informational tools that employees need to evolve to the next stage of leadership training. It's geared toward entry-level and middle managers. Its price, between $65 and $95, puts it in the middle range of typical online courses.

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Course structure

Harvard Publishing provides a cleanly designed web launch pad powered by a Docent Learning Management System. The course menu is straightforward and enables the learner to access, in any order, the following eight modules:

1. Understanding Your New Role

2. Working Through Others

3. Managing Performances

4. Organizing Resources, Meetings, and Time

5. Managing a Group

6. Supporting Your Boss and Organization

7. Networking with Colleagues

8. Evolving as a Manager

Once in a module, the interface remains consistent throughout the course. The module's top horizontal menu buttons provide access to what I call "scaffolding steps" of the learning experience: overview, foundations, activity, tools, reflections, and action plan. The sidebar menu adapts to each step.

The template's center page area scrolls to allow plenty of space for pictures, text, and tables. The foundations section includes the essential conceptual and skill building material and, where appropriate, links to an activity or tool. The links and flow of the written narrative enable a learner to move through each topic, learning step, and module. The learner may at anytime try his skill at an activity (an interactive exercise) or download a tool or reflection assignment. The interface and electronic layout are quite elegant and incorporate exceptional instructional design principles.

Content

The content of this course does not disappoint the high expectations that go along with the brand. As an experienced small business owner, I believe the broad array of lessons offers the essential information a young manager needs. I especially like the inclusion of both strategic and tactical elements. There is an emphasis on understanding the company's strategic goals, and tools are included to help accomplish this objective. Indispensable tactical skills are also offered in modules such as "organizing resources, meetings, and time."

Each module is associated with an expert-a published author, professor, or private sector consultant. The oveiview step occasionally starts with a slide show and audio narration. This technique both establishes and personalizes the context. The learner is also expected to test his expectations, review learning objectives, and read a biography of the module expert.

The course requires a significant amount of reading, but the simple scrolling layout makes this easy. One device that helps the reader is a grid format. In the discussion of Avoiding Typical Mistakes, for example, a three-column display shows the mistake, its consequence, and how to avoid it.

The activity section-usually consisting of an audio-narrated slide showprovides the primary interactive learning. In these activities, the participant is placed in realistic scenarios. This experiential learning technique reinforces the material and allows users to test their understanding. The tools, reflection exercises, and requests for action planning also provide the opportunity for realworld application and learning.

Suggested improvements

Although the interface is user friendly and the content is comprehensive, the online course falls short in a couple of areas.

Harvard Publishing promotes the use of mentors, yet the course fails to adequately suggest mentor involvement or provide information on how to use a mentor. Both mentors and learners would gain valuable knowledge from the module about how to facilitate the use of the tools (forms), reflections, and action plans. Increased use of scored assessments and specific assignments might accomplish this goal. There is a facilitator for the course, but it does not provide the tight linkage and support that I think is necessary for the mentoring.

Providing course-pacing information could also improve the learner experience, especially considering the breadth of subject matter and the abundance of tools. Learners should be encouraged not to rush through the material-and perhaps even be required to take the course over a period equal to that of a college semester, which is 12 weeks. An instructor or mentoring guide could assist the mentor or coach by indicating when to use tool assignments, when to require reflection, and how to make the assignments relevant to the new manager's job-in other words, provide tools that help apply this material in a disciplined manner.

Another improvement would be greater investment in learner decisions. The course's use of multimedia and interactivity does not live up to the breadth and quality of the written content. For example, the case scenario exercises do not take advantage of computer branching techniques. Harvard Publishing understands the print business, but they appear hesitant to invest in the design of case-based scenarios and simulations to realize the full promise of computer-based instruction. The course's interactivity can't be characterized as much more than page turning.

Stepping Up to Management product Kiting

Holds viewer interest ***

Production quality **.5

Interface/Ease of use **.5

Interactivity *.5

Value of content ***.5

Instructional value ****

Value for the money ***

Help/support ***

Overall rating ***.5