Use self-study for preparation, supported sessions for the decisions your team finds difficult, and an independent handoff exercise to check whether the learning transfers to work. Start with one shared workflow and give each role an observable result. Sending everyone to the same course does not automatically solve a team problem.
Esri offers both self-paced and scheduled learning formats; review its training options when selecting preparation. The plan below is an editorial example for a hypothetical utility team, not a prescribed Esri curriculum or a report of customer results.
Define the handoff that needs to improve
Suppose field staff collect facility observations, a GIS editor checks the records, and a supervisor uses a map to plan follow-up. The training goal is: a reviewer can trace a map observation back to its source record, understand its status and identify who should act next.
That goal is more useful than “everyone should learn ArcGIS.” It reveals where responsibilities differ. The field collector needs to capture the right record; the editor needs to recognize an incomplete one; the supervisor needs to avoid treating unverified information as a confirmed finding.
Keep the first training exercise separate from operational decisions. Use synthetic or approved practice records, with no personal or sensitive infrastructure information.
Build a role, skill and evidence matrix
Use a matrix like this before selecting course titles. The activities are suggested assessments, not claims about features in a particular software license.
| Role | Preparation through self-study | Focus of supported practice | Evidence of independent performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field collector | Features, attributes, required fields and location meaning | Handling an observation that does not match the expected asset | A complete practice record with a clear unresolved-identity flag |
| GIS editor | Tables, identifiers, coordinate references and editing concepts | Resolving duplicate or incomplete records without losing their history | A checked dataset and a note explaining each accepted or rejected record |
| Analyst | Map symbols, filters and the meaning of a summary | Explaining which records a map or indicator includes | A map and a written explanation of its denominator and limitations |
| Supervisor | Reading status and distinguishing reports from confirmed findings | Assigning the next action and checking whether the evidence is sufficient | A decision record that cites the observation and responsible role |
The same employee may fill several roles. Assign preparation according to what they can already do, rather than job title alone. Esri distinguishes introductory GIS learning from ArcGIS Pro workflow training and migration training in its foundational course guidance.
Run a baseline before booking the full programme
Give the team six synthetic facility records. Make one identifier duplicate, one location incomplete and one observation unverified. Ask each role to handle the records using its normal reasoning, then explain what it would pass to the next person.
Record the outcome in three categories: independent, completed with help, or not yet demonstrated. These are local planning categories, not an official qualification or a validated proficiency score.
A participant may know the software controls but still need help explaining why an incomplete location should not be silently accepted. Conversely, an experienced worker may understand the issue but need product-specific practice. Those are different training needs.
Worked example: change the plan when the gap is a handoff
Imagine the collectors capture the practice records correctly, but the editor changes the duplicate identifier without documenting the decision. The supervisor then cannot connect the map back to the original observation.
Repeating a basic collection lesson would miss the problem. In this scenario, prioritize identifier handling, review notes and a shared acceptance rule. Ask the editor to explain how a rejected record is returned for correction, then ask the collector to complete that correction without inventing missing information.
For the next assessment, change the example records. Reusing an identical exercise can reward memory rather than understanding. Success means the next person can continue the task with the information provided—not merely that the first person reached a “finished” screen.
Our service request, inspection and work order guide offers another way to examine record meanings and handoffs. Keep those business meanings separate from the software buttons used to implement them.
Use a small learning cycle
- Prepare: Assign one relevant resource and ask each participant to bring one question.
- Practise with support: Work through the difficult decision, including an exception or incomplete record.
- Repeat independently: Use a different practice case and the agreed acceptance criteria.
- Review: Keep the demonstrated skill, unresolved gap and next action in the same record.
Do not measure the plan only by attendance or completed videos. A useful assessment includes both the output and its explanation. If participants cannot access the exercises, resolve that separately using our software-access worksheet; it is not evidence of a skill deficit.
Send a training brief that can be scoped
Copy and adapt this example when requesting training:
We need a field-to-office workflow for practice facility records. Our team has collectors, an editor and a supervisor. The baseline showed a gap in documenting identifier changes and returning incomplete observations. We want participants to demonstrate a traceable handoff using a second set of practice records. Please confirm the appropriate courses, prerequisites, delivery language, software arrangements and how this outcome can be assessed.
Add participant numbers, available time and whether the team can use approved data. State unresolved requirements clearly rather than assuming a course includes custom workflows or supplied licenses.
InfoGraph's published ACES workshop and Daleel Petroleum training in Amman describe previous training engagements. They provide company background; the example above is a proposed planning method.
InfoGraph offers training at its centre in Jordan and online for learners across the region. Browse the training catalogue, read how to choose a GIS course, or send your team's training brief. Confirm the scope and arrangements for the actual programme.
