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TWST: We would like to begin with a brief historical sketch of Planet
Productions and a picture of the things you are doing right now.
Mr. McCrea: My partner, Caleb Blodgett, and I formed Planet Productions
in January 1992. We came from the high-end broadcast and television film
industry where we worked together for a number of years in post-
production. This was in 1992, and at that time, we were beginning to see
the reality of media being produced and delivered over the computer.
Planet Productions formed initially as a company doing multimedia
marketing support for a couple of firms here in Portland, but we quickly
converted our focus to corporate training. Back then, the concept of e-
learning didn't even exist, but the vast majority of our early work was
computer-based training delivered on CD-ROM. As the Internet took hold,
we converted most of our work to network-delivered e-learning. Planet is
completely focused on e-learning, and the company is divided into three
main disciplines. We have instructional design/writing, creative design
and engineering departments. Our customers almost always bring the
subject matter expertise to the process. If you were to check the
portfolio section of our Website, I think you'd be impressed with the
wide variety of subject matter our programs address. The variety is not
because Planet is an expert in repairing network servers, sexual
harassment or any other topic. We are, however, experts in taking
knowledge and developing and delivering it in a manner so that employees
can learn via the computer. Planet's focus has always been very strong
on the learning component. We are very serious about the fact that the
work that goes out our front door actually works. I don't mean that the
buttons link to where they were supposed to go ' that's a given. The
problems Planet is working on ' the corporate issues that our clients'
need resolved through training ' were solved either through behavior
being modified or new belief systems being developed or skills being
improved through the learning experiences we create. Having said that,
we do quite a bit of work for Intel. We built a product called SMaRT
Tool that Intel uses to build the modules that train maintenance and IT
people on how to repair and maintain network servers. As Intel develops
new server models, Planet creates the interactive multimedia, reference
and training material accompanying these servers. We are also working
with Mercer Human Resource Consulting based in Chicago. We've
collaborated with them on two courses that are on radically different
subject matter, but both teach critical skills to their consultants.
We've recently finished work for Oregon Health & Science University. One
course trains residents on the competencies of ACGME, the Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education. The Board that provides
accreditation for medical universities is requiring residents to be
aware of the new set of competencies required to be an effective
physician. Planet built a program called The Competent Physician to
demonstrate those competencies in real world scenarios.
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For more information call (212) 952 7433. The
Wall Street Transcript does not endorse any of the comments made by interviewees, and does
not make stock recommendations.
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