e-learning developer TNA (Tim Neill Associates Ltd) create top quality bespoke eLearning solutions, interactive assessments of staff knowledge and competence, technical product training & simulations and corporate induction.

Since 1988, our UK team has been developing engaging, effective programs that always exceed our clients’ expectations. National Grid, BSkyB, London Underground, B&Q, Phones 4U, Nestlé, Imperial Tobacco ... these and many other blue chip companies trust TNA to bring their projects from concept to delivery.

Stunning graphics, innovative techniques, maintainable content, value for money. Combine these with a ‘can do’ attitude, a passion for quality and great working relationships and TNA could be the perfect development partner for your next outsourced project.

Phones 4u orders interactive 3D 'Virtual Learning Academy'

TNA has signed a major contract with Phones 4u to develop an engaging, on-line 3D Virtual Learning Academy.

Staff will explore the Academy to visit themed ‘rooms’ in a game-style virtual world, interacting with objects to access content such as videos, product demos, images, documents and games.

The Phones 4u training team will be able to maintain all content - without programming - using a novel, custom-built ‘Content Editing Dashboard’.

Modelled on the amazing, state-of-the-art Phones 4u facility at Fort Dunlop in Birmingham, the Virtual Academy will bring together for the first time online, a diverse range of material to help people in stores, head office, the customer service call centre and Phones 4u Direct, gain and maintain all the knowledge they need for their jobs ... a one-stop shop for all their needs, at any time.

The project will be completed by the end of January 2011. (Above: Screen shot from the opening 3D movie sequence)

On-line refresher training and re-certification for Gas Engineers

TNA has completed a new contract with National Grid (Distribution) for the on-line re-certification of gas engineers on the Safe Control of Operations (SCO). Engineers must be re-certified every five years, a process traditionally carried out using hand-marked quiz papers, a time-consuming and expensive business.

The new internet-based system (hosted and managed by TNA) selects and marks questions from a large pool, based on the engineer’s authorisation level and areas of responsibility. Successful applicants may print a personalised certificate; those not reaching the pass level receive a topic revision list before re-taking the exam. The system is accessible to both National Grid and to other UK Distribution Networks, with Administrator access for export of their respective employees’ results. The assessments are being carried out at our client’s training centres across the UK.

The program also includes an on-line eLearning refresher course on the SCO procedures, to prepare engineers for their re-certification exam. This course may be taken at home or at the exam centre. Work started in April 2010 and was completed in August 2010.

National Grid orders interactive load-balancing simulation

Work is underway on an exciting new interactive simulation project for the National Grid’s Control Centre. National Grid is planning to install ‘series compensation’ capacitor banks on the interconnection between England and Scotland, and in North Wales, to enable the power flows to be maximised whilst still maintaining system stability.

The simulator now being developed by TNA will give Control Centre staff an opportunity to understand this new technology using a variety of scenarios before they are actually installed.

The simulator will run through a 24 hour cycle, stopping at 3 hourly intervals for the user to assess the current consumer demand on the network and to adjust the amount of compensation being applied in each leg of the interconnection and the power generation output. Power flows in each section of the network will be displayed on meters, together with the network frequency, nominally 50Hz.

The user then continues to step through the cycle, repeating the process at 3 hour points, to keep the loads balanced and within operating limits without overloading any of the transmission lines and with the frequency as near to 50Hz as possible.

A powerful feature of the simulator is that all the data used is held in separate (editable) .xml files which means that National Grid may easily create any number of new scenarios.

The simulator is browser-based and may be run either in ‘free’ mode for general practice and learning, or in ‘assessment’ mode, where actions taken and their overall outcomes will be gauged, a score awarded and the results logged in a database, also being developed by TNA.

A brief eLearning course on the theory behind ‘Series Compensation’ and an Administration program will accompany the simulation.

New eLearning project delivered for Middle Eastern airport staff

TNA has completed a major contract for Cambridge-based air transport training specialists Virtual Aviation College for a large suite of eLearning courses for a major Middle Eastern airport.

Topics include Airport Induction, Security and Safety Awareness, Occupational Health & Safety and Safety Management Systems.

Virtual Aviation College staff provided all subject matter expertise. The courses are AICC/SCORM compliant and are launched from our client's EKP' Learning Management System from NetDimensions.

Safety procedures eLearning on 'Work on or near High Voltage Overhead Lines'

A new course dealing with Overhead Line Working is now in use by National Grid.

The course is based on the formal National Grid Safety Instructions and is being used by National Grid engineers and contractors. Each procedure is explained with illustrations and animations before the learner carries out the sequence using an interactive toolbox to apply and remove items of equipment. The program marks their actions and provides corrective feedback. Users select their level of authorisation and the program automatically selects appropriate content and final assessment questions ... more on National Grid projects.

Interactive 3D tour of the new Victoria Line infrastructure, systems and stock

The Victoria Line is to be upgraded with new trains, Service Control Centre and high-tech infrastructure to securely monitor and control that network.

To help illustrate the features and facilities of this major investment, TNA modelled (in photo-realistic 3D) every element of the new system to produce a narrated, interactive ‘flying eye’ journey.

We visit the new high security control room, fly along fibre optic cables into equipment cabinets, into tunnels to examine the new communications and signalling systems before entering the carriages. The user may pause at each location to select highlighted equipment for a narrated description.

eLearning papers Conference papers and articles by Tim Neill ...

Including Tim's keynote presentation at Shanghai's 'Enterprise Learning' conference entitled 'Serious about Games'... more

Le Mans Cobra fault-finding exercise
Prototype technical assessment of engineer's competence ... more

Top Ten ingredients for effective Serious Games.

We'd better wake up to the learning expectations of the game-playing, mouse-clicking, 'igeneration'.

Give them a 90 slide PowerPoint and they'll glaze over. But give them a challenge and they'll not give up until they've succeeded. They're certainly not lazy but they bore quickly. This article by Tim Neill explains the demands of the new workforce and suggests practical ways to engage them with task-relevant content and assessments.

Read the article