Here at UEI, we pride ourselves on making products as powerful and flexible as they are easy to use. But, let's face it, data acquisition is a complex topic. So as "easy" as we make our solutions, there can still be a lot to learn even for experienced engineers.
This is why we created a training program for customers who want to master their UEI system and use it to its full potential.
UEI application engineer Greg Armstrong explains.
Q: Greg, explain what UEI Training is and how it benefits our customers.
A: Sure. The UEI Training is effectively a session with one of our Application Engineers and we can cover anything from the basics of data acquisition to something a bit more advanced like how to write code using our API. We can also cover topics like how to harness the power of individual boards if they have a particular setup. But the training – with some notable exceptions - is a general introduction.
Q: Why?
A: Well, we’ve found the most important time [for training] is when customers are first getting started. The typical use case is when they first buy the hardware. They’ve never used it before and they want to get up to speed quickly.
Another example we've seen, the customers who have experience working with our hardware starting a new project with a new set of UEI I/O boards. Our I/O catalog is pretty broad. They might be well versed with our analog input boards, but now they're starting a new application with one of our avionics boards. So, it might be worth getting trained in that [particular] topic.
Q: Who is doing the training? And talk a little bit about their qualifications.
A: Our trainers can either be me or anyone from the Application Engineering team. Collectively, we have over 20 years of experience working with UEI hardware. And, every day as Tech Support we help customers get started and answer their questions.
And it's worth mentioning, we’re backed by our hardware and software department too. So if anything comes up in a Training session - some deep technical question - that we don't know off the top of our heads we can talk directly to the engineers and get an answer.
Q: A customer might ask why they’d need training in the first place. Shouldn't the UEI documentation cover it?
A: Of course, and it does. We have extensive documentation detailing how to use all our products – hardware and software. And if customers have any questions they can always talk to our app engineers, but depending on the level of help they need that could take days or [even] weeks. The UEI Training acts like a shortcut. Basically, they (the customer) can get all that time spent figuring it out on their own compressed into a half-day or full-day session.
Q: OK, but what's the difference between UEI tech support and UEI training?
A: Great question. Depth is the short answer.
If a customer needs a question answered, UEI Tech Support will answer it. But it's hard to answer the questions they don't ask.
With the UEI Training, we're presenting directly (and frequently in person) to the trainees and we may cover things they wouldn't even know to ask about. It also allows them to do a much longer Q&A. That’s why we build in flexible time so whatever questions come up during the training we can answer. So, to sum it up, UEI Training is more open-ended. It’s certainly longer and it provides the customer with a deeper, more fundamental understanding.
Q: How long are the typical training sessions? What about the format?
A: The format is pretty flexible. And, as I mentioned before, UEI Training can be in-person, in-person at the customer site, or virtual (online training).
As for how long training takes, our standard offerings are half-day, one-day or sometimes even two-day.
The half-day is enough to cover a basic introduction to our hardware and our software. And then we can usually take a deeper dive into a handful of specific topics like synchronization, cybersecurity, or real-time programming. At the end of the day, we'll collaborate with the customer to determine the format and the timeframe that works best with their goals and applications.
Q: How long has UEI offered training and what's the feedback?
A: Our first training session was over a year ago. I’ve since run sessions with a variety of customers from all sized companies at different stages in their development and so far the feedback has been great. I think customers see a lot of value in it regardless of how experienced they are.
Q: So, if a customer wants UEI Training how do they get started?
A: They can email us [the Application Engineering team], UEI Customer Support, or one of our sales reps. We'll have them fill out a short survey to get an idea of what kind of training they want. And then it's just about working with them to find the best format before we schedule the training.
That's it.
Q: Lastly, what else do you want customers to know about UEI Training?
A: While I've covered a lot of great points already, saving the customer's time is probably the biggest benefit. Our training accelerates their learning curve and offers a shortcut to getting them up to speed, getting their system going, and getting the data they need as quickly as possible.
Interested in securing a virtual training for your team? Click below to submit a request for more information, including schedules, costs, and more.