PTS Puts Software Training Into Desktop Computers
Philadelphia Business Journal, October 20, 1995

Info For You

KING OF PRUSSIA - Learning while you work: This concept has made PTS Learning Systems of King of Prussia one of the fastest-growing companies in the Philadelphia region.

Beginning with only eight full-time employees nine years ago, the company has grown to employee 100 with $7.24 million in annual sales. Founded by Michael A. Levinson and Patricia Roberts in 1986, PTS provides software training services for end-users at the corporate level.

"We're a training provider," said Rod Heckman, PTS's vice president of marketing. "We began doing on-site training for high-end technology, such as how to be a Lotus administrator. Now we've developed a diverse product line of training software programs."

PTS, which has made the Philadelphia 100 list four times over the last seven years. developed its first software program, CustomDOC, four years ago. "Everyone gets the same huge training manual, no matter what their level of expertise," said Heckman. "We decided to write our own courseware, shipping it on disk, constructing macros so that our clients can print only the sections of the manual they need. Course trainers lease our library on disk and pull out a list of lessons. We create custom contents, index, and exercises."

Eighteen months ago, PTS created a product to complement CustomDOC, for those who don't have time to learn in courses or in labs, but can at their desktops. The company found a product in use in Germany and bought the rights to it, so that it could market this product in North America.

PTS's new product, On-Demand Interactive Learning, is designed to be the first interactive, on-line learning product that a user can access right in his or her software application. It attaches itself directly to the application and offers the user real-time teaching without ever exiting the application.

The On-Demand system can be called up in three ways:

• animated demonstration or coaching learning which uses text, graphics, and sound to simulate an environment or situation so the user learns the correct steps;
• interactive teacher, which uses text, graphics, and sound in a simulated environment to demonstrate the necessary mouse clicks or keystrokes;
• and concurrent mode or lightning learning, which uses technical graphics, sound, and an animated laser pointer to guide the user and checks off each step as it's completed.

"We seem to keep staying ahead of the pack thanks to Mike Levinson, our CEO and technology strategist," Heckman said. "So far, we've been the innovator. We now can integrate the same content as offered in time-consuming classes with the user's daily routine."

Recently, PTS got a financial boost, too. Safeguard Scientifics Inc., a $1.44 billion company that invests in small, up-and-coming technology companies, took a minority position at PTS with a multimillion dollar investment in 1994. PTS management hopes to take the company public through a Safeguard rights offering in late 1996, according to Heckman.

Copyright © 1996-1997 PTS Learning Systems. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without the expressed written permission of PTS Learning Systems is prohibited.