| Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations is an online, co-branded Web-based tool that provides Microsoft partners with a business development and skills consultancy process for better serving and driving more revenue from customer organizations. Partners will be able to reliably and credibly determine individual and collective project readiness skills as the basis for recommending customized training plans using Official Microsoft Learning Products. Use this toolset and process as a business development and consultancy tool in order to deliver more value to customers by accurately recommending the appropriate training products. Why use this tool? How does it benefit the sales engagement process? Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations makes it easy to develop a meaningful and credible skill inventory and training plan that delivers added training value to customers. Market opportunity: Leverage and review current customer lists to identify potential assessment opportunities and drive incremental revenue from existing accounts. What type of customer should be targeted for the assessment tool? Current customers engaged in traditional, custom, and public training Customers early in a project life cycle Customers with a specific business problem to be addressed Software Assurance organizations MS field prospects New customers! What type of customer would not be an appropriate target for the assessment tool? Customers who know what they want and are ready to train The up-sell opportunity would not be worth the time investment. This customer should be kept on the radar as one who has defined training needs. Human Resources The Organizational Assessment tool is not designed to help with the hiring and dismissal process. Organizations looking for a Learning Management System (LMS) The Organizational Assessment tool is not a LMS. It is a process by which a training plan is developed for implementation by a Learning Solutions partner. When there isn’t a business need Organizational Assessments provide project-based skill gap analysis and are designed for customers who need to assess and plan for their IT department’s readiness. When an assessment isn’t tied to training as an outcome If there is no learning opportunity for a “sale” it is not a good time to offer an Organizational Assessment. What steps are necessary to be able to provide an Organizational Assessment to customers? Read the overview on the Learning Solutions partner secure Web site: http://members.microsoft.com/certpartner/learnsolcomp/Assessment/ Review the three online seminars that can be found on the Learning Solutions partner secure site. Attend sales and technical training in order to prepare to implement an Organizational Assessment. Sign the Organizational Assessment agreement. Organizational Assessment availability schedule The Organizational Assessment tool was launched to North American GOLD Learning Solutions Partners on May 20, 2004. The international roll-out schedule includes:
N.Am | English | CPLS GOLD | 5/20/04
EMEA | English | CPLS GOLD | 6/30/04
N.Am | English | CPLS Broad | 8/30/04
EMEA | English | CPLS Broad | 8/30/04
APAC | English | CPLS GOLD | 8/30/04
APAC | English | CPLS Broad | 10/29/04
|  | Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations Program Guide Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations Data Sheet Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations Program Overview and Guidelines Chief Learning Officer Article Developing Customized Organizational Training Plans How to Conduct Microsoft Skills Assessment for Organizations Organizational Assessment Engagement Checklist Organizational Assessment Vision Scope Template Organizational Assessment Checklist