When Duracell opened a new battery manufacturing plant in Dongguan, China to serve the growing Asian market, it decided to develop a comprehensive multimedia training program for the manufacturing processes involved. Duracell put together an international team to create and implement highly visual training materials which would rely on graphics, animations, digitized photos, video and text in Chinese. The multimedia materials covered five modules: overview, health and safety, operations, quality, and fault finding. The modules included video footage filmed at various Duracell facilities throughout the world By using combinations of video sequences, animation, graphics and photos, the program could provide a good understanding of the assembly process as well as the consequences of safety and quality considerations. Interactive exercises and questions dispersed throughout the modules ensured that trainees were learning the content.

While the use of multimedia was a key element of the overall program, it represented only one component of the total training package which included: manuals, classroom activities, printed job aids, actual equipment, and hands-on practice. The idea behind such an Integrated Training Approach is that no single aspect of the training program should be expected to do everything or stand alone. The multimedia component ran on dedicated training computers (Pentiums with Chinese Windows) located in learning centers in the plant. This ensured that program performance was optimal and trainees were able to devote their full attention to learning when using the programs.

According to Neil Silverstein, a training manager involved in the project: "Our goal for this program was to create standardized training materials that would promote a safe environment enabling our workforce to become productive as quickly as possible. The initial workforce reaction was overwhelming. Members of the first team assigned to the computers fully embraced this new technology and the interactive programs. From the moment that the programs were installed, a crowd immediately formed around the workstations. Employees were anxious to get their hands on the touchscreen to begin their personalize training session."

Source: Silverstein, N. "Duracell's Integrated Training Approach." CBT Solutions Magazine, March/April 1997.