Curriculum Vitae">Curriculum Vitae

Mission
I resolve to lead individuals, teams and organizations to greatness (in effectiveness, performance and achievement) through mentorship, knowledge exchange and collaboration while celebrating individual achievements and contributions.

Success Factors

  • Clear, Actionable Vision
  • Strong Relationships
  • Humor and Fun
  • Respect and Recognition
  • Trust through Accountability
  • Performance-driven Goals
  • Having the Right Tools

Experience

Community Manager, Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL); Washington, DC 2010-present

Consultant, Technology-based Learning Practice, W.W. Grainger, Inc.; Lake Forest, IL 2006-2010

  • Report to Director of Instruction and Design.
  • Consult on E-Learning-related strategic and operational issues.
  • Provide Level 2 Support for content interoperability issues in the Learning Management System.
  • Design, install and administer Knowledge Management tools (wiki, blog, podcast feed)
  • Manage content vendor relationships.
  • Develop and install quality assurance process and associated practices throughout a 43-person training organization.
  • Maintain contractor relationships for Instructional Designers and Media Producers.
  • Lead enterprise-wide rollout of SAP EIM Module (Document Management).
  • Drive modernization and change in training delivery.
  • Facilitate game-based learning initiatives for 4,000+ sales organization.
  • Transition Instructional Design team into content production team.
  • Manage workflow for 12 concurrent projects.
  • Organize partial- and full-staff meetings, learn-ins and encounters.

Technology Director, NogginLabs, Inc.; Chicago, IL — 2006

  • Executive Manager in charge of technical production and infrastructure.
  • Directly responsible for six developers.
  • Maintain contractor relationships for IT initiatives, software development and learning content production.
  • Consult clients on variety of E-Learning initiatives (LMS Selection, Content Developer Guidelines for working with other vendors, Platform Evaluation).
  • Managing workflow for 15 concurrent projects (average) totaling $1.7 million in revenue.
  • Recruiting, training, evaluating and mentoring staff.
  • Migrating company to a unified development model (one set of code for all content development projects).
  • Implementing formal documentation, version control, disaster recovery and quality assurance plans for software before handoff to clients.
  • Collaborating with internal and external clients.
  • Addressing appropriate messaging with project teams.
  • Delivering quality deliverables under tight deadlines.
  • Rapid prototyping of all new projects for pre-visualization.
  • Troubleshooting client technical emergencies.

Senior Multimedia Developer, CTC; Johnstown, PA — 2003-2006

  • Technical Contributor, SCORM 2004, 3rd Edition.
  • Lead content developer for Advanced Distributed Learning projects.
  • Subject Matter Expert for SCORM 2004 Run-Time Data Model.
  • Subject Matter Expert for SCORM 2004 Sequencing and Navigation Applications.
  • Subject Matter Expert for SCORM 2004 Meta-data Applications.
  • Bridge communications between instructional designers, software engineers, novice developers and clients.
  • Led collaborative design sessions to develop conceptual models, site organization, navigation and interaction.
  • Work in collaboration with creative designers, business analysts and developers to implement designs.
  • Gather user requirements and perform task analysis.
  • Develop creative and technical briefs and specifications.
  • Devise creative and development project hour estimations for proposals.
  • Rapid prototyping of all new projects for pre-visualization.
  • Responsible for workflow design and project team training, resource management.
  • Mentor team members.
  • Participated in standardization communities of practice, including ISO and CMMI.

Senior Information Architect, Learning Insights; Chicago, IL — 2001-2003

  • Led collaborative design sessions to develop conceptual models, site organization, navigation and interaction.
  • Work in collaboration with creative designers, business analysts and developers to implement designs.
  • Gather user requirements and perform task analysis.
  • Lead front-end developer on all projects.
  • Lead server-side technical designer.
  • Database design and integration.
  • Integrate work from designers and developers on our team into a deliverable product to the client.
  • Ensure deliverable product usability.
  • Led the development of our e-learning portal system.
  • Implemented and trained internal client on our content management system.
  • Designed and developed learning exercise templates in Flash, utilizing PHP/Cold Fusion and SQL.
  • Completed production transformation from CD-ROM to Internet-based products.
  • Mentored a highly productive team of producers, developers, programmers, animators, audio engineers, artists and interns, paid and unpaid.
  • Guided development of dynamic, database-driven web applications, accessible through web-based administration tools, to eliminate redundant functions.

Interactive Producer, Circle 1 Network; Milwaukee, WI — 1999-2001

  • Maintained cross-platform web sites for children and families, compliant to AODA suggestions.
  • Led focus groups to gather market information to guide future development of navigation and games.
  • Developed web-based multimedia elements in HTML, JavaScript, PHP, SQL, Photoshop, Illustrator, Director and Flash.
  • Authored and edited copy and content for three client websites.
  • Managed production for www.playfootball.com, an NFL website.
  • Developed client relationships in proposal and development phases to deliver an appropriate product of the highest quality.
  • Creative briefs, art direction, timelines, schedules and milestones.
  • Information architecture, content management, search engine submission and site optimization.

Library/Media Specialist – Technology Coordinator, Milwaukee Public Schools; Milwaukee, WI —1998-1999

  • Organized and facilitated technology integration teams.
  • Managed technical infrastructure including procurement, deployment and maintenance within a restricted budget.
  • Created curriculum aids: Teacher’s Toolbox, Technical Glossary and FAQ and Lesson Plans.

7th/8th Grade Teacher, Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District;
Middleton, WI —1996-1998

  • Instructed students in Mathematics, grades 7-8, from 2-year transitional mathematics to high-school Geometry.
  • Developed multimedia curriculum materials adhering to district/state standards.
  • Authored and implemented dramatics and theatre arts curriculum at 8th grade level.

Education
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
M.S. – Curriculum & Instruction, 1999

Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
B.A. – Elementary Education, 1995

Skills
SCORM 2004; SCORM Version 1.2; ActionScript (Flash); JavaScript; PHP; ColdFusion; XML; MySQL; Knowledge Management; Technical Writing; Information Architecture; Project Management;  Unix (FreeBSD), Macintosh (OS X) Administration and Integration; Personnel (recruitment, training and ongoing development); Instructional Systems Design; Problem Solving; Public Speaking.

Languages
English – Expert;  Spanish – Intermediate

Publications
Silvers, Aaron, “Making and playing Asteroids with Macromedia Flash MX,” Macromedia.com, http://www.macromedia.com/desdev/mx/flash/articles/asteroids.html (2002)

Silvers, Aaron, “Making and playing Asteroids with Macromedia Flash MX,” Macromedia, CD-ROM: Developer’s Resource Kit, Vol. 1 (2002)

Silvers, Aaron and Justin Watkins, “The challenge of working under the gun,” Macromedia.com, http://www.macromedia.com/desdev/mx/studio/articles/team_challenge.html (2002)

Silvers, Aaron, “Custom Inter-SCO Navigation: A Primer in Flash/JavaScript Communication,” ADLNet.org, http://www.adlnet.org/scorm/articles/2.cfm (2004)

Silvers, Aaron, “SCORM 2004 Basics: Your First SCO,” ADLNet.org (2004)

Silvers, Aaron, “The future of Distance Learning is NOW (Building a Community of Practice for SCORM 2004),” ADLNet.org (2004)

Silvers, Aaron, “Diversity: Using the parameters attribute to customize content for different communities of practice,” ADLNet.org (2004)

Silvers, Aaron, Megan Beyer, (et al), “The SCORM 2004 Data Model Content Examples (DMCE) Version 1.0,” ADLNet.org, http://www.adlnet.org/downloads/3.cfm (2005)

Silvers, Aaron, Kraig Mentor, (et al), “SCORM 2004 Plug-In Technologies Example (PITE) Version 1.0,” ADLNet.org, http://www.adlnet.org/downloads/201.cfm (2005)

Silvers, Aaron, Griffin Wesler, (et al), “SCORM 2004 Sequencing Essentials Content Example (SECE) Version 1.0,” ADLNet.org, http://www.adlnet.org/downloads/275.cfm (2006)

Thropp, Schawn (Technical Editor), Aaron Silvers (Contributor) (et al) “SCORM 2004, 3rd Edition”, ADLNet.org http://www.adlnet.org/downloads/266.cfm (2006).

Presentations & Lectures
Beyer, Megan and Jeffery Falls, Elizabeth Spigarelli and Aaron Silvers, “SCORM 1.3 Development: From Kickoff to Completion,” Plugfest 8, Pittsburgh, PA, October 29, 2003.

Falls, Jeffery and Elizabeth Spigarelli and Aaron Silvers, “SCORM 2004: From Start to Finish,” International Plugfest 1, Zurich, Switzerland, February 19, 2004.

Silvers, Aaron, “Flash and SCORM 2004,” Washington Area Macromedia Organization, Washington, DC, March 10, 2004.

Silvers, Aaron, Candice Filip, (et al), “SCORM: A Comprehensive Review,” Delivered at Distance Learning 2004, Madison, WI, August 3, 2004.

Silvers, Aaron, “Flash and SCORM 2004,” Delivered by Philip Double and Alan Schultz at MAX 2004, New Orleans, LA, November 1-3, 2004.

Silvers, Aaron and Candice Filip, “SCORM for Instructional Designers and Content Developers,” Delivered at Plugfest 9, February 22, 2005.

Silvers, Aaron, “Sequencing: A Primer for Content Developers,” Delivered at Plugfest 9, February 24, 2005.

Silvers, Aaron, “Robust SCORM-Conformant E-Learning with Flash and Captivate,” Delivered at Macromedia MAX 2005, October 16-19, 2005.

Silvers, Aaron, “Considerations for Instructional Designers and SCORM 2004.” Delivered at Tamkang University, International Plugfest 2, Taipei, Taiwan, January 16, 2006.

Silvers, Aaron, “SCORM 2004: Beyond the Basics for Content Developers.” Delivered at Tamkang University, International Plugfest 2, Taipei, Taiwan, January 19, 2006.

Silvers, Aaron, “Engaging Courseware: Going Beyond Prescriptive Instructional Design.” Delivered at the ADL-ILCE Conference, Institute for Latin-American Educational Communications, Mexico City, Mexico, May 23, 2006.

Affiliations
1991, Boy Scouts of America, Volunteer
1992, Upward Bound, Volunteer
1994, Habitat for Humanity, Volunteer
2005, American Mensa, Member
2006, Techsmith, Advisory Board Member for Camtasia
2007, SCORM Technical Working Group, Contributor
2008, LETSI, Program Committee Member

References
 Available upon request.

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