Become a Member of NetSpeed Fast Tracks!

Create a user account to become a member of NetSpeed Fast Tracks. You'll be able to download selected podspots, find helpful articles to read and share, view the current Insights interview, and discover a rich resource for your professional development. Membership is free.

Get NetSpeed Fast Tracks for your Organization

NetSpeed Fast Tracks offers Corporate Licenses. Provide your entire workforce with complete access to this site. We can create a customized private version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks for your organization - with your logo and look, your content, even your own custom avatars.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

NetSpeed Fast Tracks User Guide - For the general user of NetSpeed Fast Tracks. Covers topics such as how to find content in Fast Tracks and how to post comments.

GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT NETSPEED FAST TRACKS

RECORDING AND UPLOADING YOUR OWN LEARNING CONTENT (PODSPOTS)

SITE LICENCES

Questions about Learning Methodology

Questions about Implementation

Questions about Customization

Technical Questions

GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT NETSPEED FAST TRACKS

Q: What's the difference between a "Membership" and a "Premium Membership"?
A basic Membership is free. When an organization purchases a corporate license, its employees become Premium Members.

A Membership gives you access to a limited portion of the content on the site. A Premium Membership gives you unrestricted access to all content found on NetSpeed Fast Tracks. Refer to this comparison of the information and features that you can access with a free Membership compared to a Premium Membership.

Q: I already created a Member account, and now I've been given a promotion code for a free trial Premium Membership. How do I enter the promotion code?
Log into the site using your existing Member account. Click "My Account" near the top of the screen. Enter the code that you received in the section labeled "Promotion Code."

Q: What is a NetSpeed PodSpot?
A NetSpeed PodSpot is a one to three minute podcast, often supported by an avatar. NetSpeed PodSpots may be listened to at your desktop or downloaded to a mobile device (such as an mp3 player or iPod). Premium Members may also view the text of a PodSpot or watch an avatar at their desktop.

Q: What's the difference between a PodSpot and a Community PodSpot?
PodSpots are created by instructional designers and subject matter experts. NetSpeed Fast Tracks includes a library of PodSpots created by NetSpeed Learning Solutions; in addition, organizations that contract for private content may employ PodSpots created by their own instructional designers. Community PodSpots are created by Premium Members who write, record, and upload their own content or opinions to the Community PodSpot section at NetSpeed Fast Tracks.

Q: What is an avatar?
An avatar is an animated digital image representing a person. Often used in computer games and virtual environments, avatars are used on our site to enhance the experience of playing a podcast.

Q: I see that NetSpeed Fast Tracks lets you download podcasts to a portable device, like my MP3 player. How do I do this?
First, download the MP3 file to your personal computer. Just click the link in the "Download" section of the page for that podcast, and you will be prompted to save the file to your hard disk. Next, depending on the make and model of your portable device, you can use standard media applications including Windows Media Player, iTunes, or Rhapsody, to synchronize your MP3 files with your portable device. Refer to the instruction manual for your portable device for details.

Q: Why does NetSpeed Fast Tracks use podcasting and social networking as a way to deliver learning content?
Podcasting is rapidly becoming a powerful learning tool, one that allows organizations to supplement their existing learning resources. Neurological research has found that people tend to retain what they hear five times longer than what they see. At NetSpeed Fast Tracks, we combine the power of podcasting with the benefits of visual stimulation through the use of avatars. We have created a rich learning environment that engages auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Users may read the text of the podspots, select specific articles, and may also create Community PodSpots to share their knowledge with others.

Learners who need to access information while on the road or when telecommuting benefit from the ability to download NetSpeed PodSpots and Interview podcasts directly to their m3 players or other mobile devices. Essentially they are empowered to take charge of their own learning.

Organizations that want to meet the learning needs of the youngest generation entering the workforce (often referred to as Gen Y) find NetSpeed Fast Tracks to be a natural fit. These learners are comfortable searching the Internet, downloading podcasts to mobile devices, and engaging in collaborative, social learning. Gen Yers often prefers peer-to-peer learning over more formal learning environments. Our Community PodSpot section is a reflection of the Gen Y interest in social networking and gives anyone the ability to share their knowledge with their peers.

Q: Will there ever be advertising on the site?
There are no plans to permit advertising on the NetSpeed Fast Tracks site at any time.

Q: Who writes your blogs?
Blog authors are consultants and employees of NetSpeed Learning Solutions including, Cynthia Clay (President/CEO) and Dan Kennedy (Consultant Partner).

Q: How often do you update the content on NetSpeed Fast Tracks? How often do you add new podspots, new articles, etc.?
We add new content every month. Please let us know what workplace and career topics you would like us to address for you.

Q: How does your searchable database work?
NetSpeed Fast Tracks allows users to search for content by keywords, using a search query box conveniently located in the header of every page. A single query can return results from PodSpots, Community PodSpots, Articles, and Interviews. Search is optimized for performance. The query does not need to be an exact match. For example, an article that uses the phrase 'performance evaluation' will match the user query 'evaluate performance'. Results tend to be high in relevance. This is because the search engine does not scan the full text of the content, but rather targeted keywords that have been selected manually by the content author or administrator. Searchable content also includes titles, description text and author names. More details on the search engine are available in the Help file for keywords, which can be found in the content editor web pages for content authors and administrators.

Q: We have many older workers who are not comfortable with podcasting or downloading files to an MP3 player. How would they be able to utilize NetSpeed Fast Tracks?
NetSpeed Fast Tracks was designed to meet the needs of people with different learning styles and familiarity with the use of technology to access information and training content. For learners who are not comfortable with the idea of downloading audio files to a mobile device, we have ensured that all content may be accessed at their desktop. If they can navigate to the website, they will be able to listen to podcasts, watch avatars, and read articles easily.

Q: As our experienced staff reaches retirement, how can the NetSpeed Fast Tracks platform be used as a knowledge repository?
Organizations can capture the knowledge of retiring employees in several ways. First, they might interview the individual and create multiple short podcasts on critical issues. Or they might choose to create individual podspots featuring the employee represented by a custom avatar. Finally, they might invite the employee to write articles to be uploaded into the articles section. All content would be searchable by keywords, of course.

RECORDING AND UPLOADING YOUR OWN LEARNING CONTENT (PODSPOTS)

Q: How do I create audio recordings?
Recording podspots and audio interviews requires some familiarity with audio recording on the computer and converting to the MP3 format. Creating text content such as articles requires basic word processing skills. Our Content Management System's editor pages provide Java applets that allow you to enter text in "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" (WYSISYG) format, and convert your text automatically into HTML for delivery on the web pages.

There are many ways to record audio, depending on what equipment you have available, your skill level, and the desired quality. Popular methods include:

  1. Use a microphone and your personal desktop or laptop computer. Windows and Macintosh computers have built-in software for recording audio. You'll need to save your file as an MP3.
  2. Use an MP3 player, iPod, or other portable device to record your audio. You may need to purchase a special microphone for this purpose. You can then transfer the audio file from the device to your computer. Again, the end result should be an MP3 file.
  3. Many cell phones have a voice recording feature. Make a voice recording on your cell phone, and then email it to yourself.
  4. Use a third-party service to record telephone conference calls. These services provide you with an MP3 file of the recording. You can use this service to record multi-way conversations, interviews between two people, or even a single person.
  5. For better quality, you can use professional microphones and audio hardware to capture quality audio on a computer. It can then be edited and saved as an MP3 file. Many companies have in-house recording facilities that may be used for this purpose.

Q: How do I create my own Community podspot? Do I have to do the recording and, if so, how do I go about doing that?
You can create a Community podspot in one of two ways.

  1. You can send us a script with a reading time of two minutes or less, or
  2. You can record your script in the MP3 format and send it to us.

In both cases you can choose an avatar to deliver your message. (You can even send a photo of yourself and we can create a unique avatar for you.) Once we receive your submission, we will check it for appropriateness of content. If necessary, we will edit your material and if you submit only your script, we will do the reading for you, as well. To begin the process, start here.

You can also click on the Community link near the top of the Home page. That will lead you through the process.

Q. How do I send you my recording?
Any Premium member may submit an audio recording as a Community PodSpot. Simply follow the "Create Your Own PodSpot" link on the Community page, fill out the web form, and select the MP3 file to upload. The submission, including the audio file, is then reviewed by a content administrator before publishing to the site.

In the case of a private-content NetSpeed PodSpot (one created by an organization for viewing only by their internal employees), the content author or administrator uses the NetSpeed Fast Tracks Content Management System to enter the title, description, and other information to create the NetSpeed PodSpot. On that form, you can select the audio file to upload.

NetSpeed PodSpot audio must also be loaded separately for the avatars. Currently the NetSpeed Fast Tracks support team handles this function.

SITE LICENSES

Q: How can my organization to sign up for NetSpeed Fast Tracks?
Simply contact the NetSpeed Fast Tracks Consultant in your area, call us toll-free in the US and Canada at 1-877-517-5271 or email us at info@netspeedfasttracks.com. A NetSpeed Fast Tracks consultant will contact you within 24 hours. Also see below "How does our organization get our employees registered to use NFST?" under the section Questions about Implementation.

Q: Can our organization "Try it out for a month" to see if NetSpeed Fast Tracks would work for our organization before committing to subscribe?
We offer a special 30-day Trial Premium membership for training and human resource professionals to let them evaluate the potential value of NetSpeed Fast Tracks for their training and development initiatives. We can make the site available to a select number of training decision makers in your organization for this purpose. (This 30-day Trial Premium Membership does not include any customization.)

To learn more, contact us at info@netspeedfasttracks.com. Please provide your name, title, company name, daytime phone number and work email address in your email.

Q: What is the time period for a corporate license?
Two years.

Q: How much does it cost for our organization to get a corporate license?
Organizations can sign up for a two-year corporate license to NetSpeed Fast Tracks which allows access to all existing features and content. The cost of a co-branded, customized version, with private content is available on a quotation basis.

1. Corporate license to the NetSpeed Fast Tracks service (as it appears on this web site, exclusive of any customization charges): The price is based on the number of employees, as follows:

Number of employees/siteTwo-Year SubscriptionNet cost per employee per year
1 - 2,000 employees$10,000Varies based on # of employees
2,001 or more employees$5/employee$2.50/employee/year

Payment is due upfront for the two-year site license.

2. Customizable Corporate Site License: The above license fee plus the cost for specific customization. (See below for Customization services and charges.)

Q: What if we want to add more employees at a later date? Is there an additional cost?
A corporate license to NetSpeed Fast Tracks is based on the total number of employees in an organization at the start of the two-year license period. If the number of employees grows during this two year period, the additional employees are included in the license. The cost is set at the outset and will not be adjusted up (or down) due to changes in the number of employees in your organization during the two-year license period.

Q: What happens at the end of our license period? Will you send us reminders to renew?
Your organization can renew for another two-year term at 20% off the current two-year corporate license price in effect at the time of your renewal. We will notify you in writing (via email) approximately 60 days prior to the expiration of your license period. If you decide you do not want to renew your NetSpeed Fast Tracks corporate license, just notify us in writing no later than 30 days prior to your license expiration date. If we do not hear from you, we will send you an invoice for the two-year renewal.

Q: What happens if we want to terminate our organization's corporate license contract before the end of the term?
There are no refunds for early termination unless we fail to meet the terms of the license.

Q: I understand there are various ways we can customize NetSpeed Fast Tracks and have our own logo, colors, and custom content included. How much does this cost?
We will create a private co-branded version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks with your organization's logo (and a smaller "powered by NetSpeed Fast Tracks" reference) using your organization's color scheme for $2,500. We can also give your organization the ability to create its own custom content on its co-branded site for an additional fee. Ask your NetSpeed Learning Solutions consultant for pricing details.

Q: Can we have our own avatars? How do we go about doing that and how much would it cost?
We can create custom avatars based on actual people from your organization. You can also include a photo of a familiar background (for example, your corporate headquarters or some other recognizable landmark location known to your employees). There is a one-time setup fee to be able to create new custom avatars. And there is a small additional production fee per avatar created if you wish for NetSpeed Learning to create the avatars for you. Ask your NetSpeed Learning Solutions consultant for pricing details.

Q: What other charges might we incur if we wanted a customized version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks for our organization?
For a customized, private version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks, we can provide a variety of services. on a quotation basis, including:

  • Web programming and other modifications to customize the NetSpeed Fast Tracks learning portal to the organization's requirements
  • Production services, including any combination of the following:
    • Copywriting of customized podcast content
    • Voice talent/audio recording of podcasts including podspots and interviews
    • Editing
    • Research on specific training and development topics
  • LMS integration
  • Implementation consulting

Questions about Learning Methodology

Q: What makes NetSpeed Fast Tracks so valuable and unique?
Net Speed Fast Tracks is the first learning platform that allows organizations to launch a robust learning solution virtually over night. Combining podcasting, avatars, expert interviews, and a collaborative learning community, the site allows users to access information in short, focused chunks. The next generation of learners expects information to be available when they need it. The content at the site is practical, relevant, and applicable to workplace challenges. The platform itself allows for flexible learning delivery that meets learning needs across generations and styles.

Q: Why do you use avatars to deliver learning content on NetSpeed Fast Tracks?
Avatars actively engage users. The use of avatars in e-learning increases attention and engagement, and ultimately learning retention. (Source: The Role of Avatars in E-Learning: An Interview with Timothy A. Freriks, George Hall, © 2007 ASTD, Alexandria, VA.)

Q: Where does your content come from on NetSpeed Fast Tracks? How do I know it's based on current, credible training & development theory?
Much of the content (for example, in NetSpeed Podspots and many articles) has been developed by the workplace experts at NetSpeed Learning Solutions and is based on current career development, communication, and management theories. Leading thinkers on workplace issues are interviewed for the Interview section. The NetSpeed Community section includes peer-to-peer content developed by users within their own organizations.

Q: How does the NetSpeed Fast Tracks platform support collaborative learning?
In the Fast Tracks Community, users are invited to submit their own Community PodSpots, by recording and uploading an audio file, supported by an avatar that represents them. They can email their podspot to anyone in their network. They may also choose to comment on other Community PodSpots and email them to others. Organizations that wish to encourage collaborative learning may include this feature in post-class reinforcement exercises for existing training programs.

Q: How does NetSpeed Fast Tracks content tie in with the NetSpeed Leadership or Blazing Service training programs? (two sister programs offered by NetSpeed Learning Solutions)
The content at the site complements the training modules in both training programs. In fact, we encourage our clients to email specific NetSpeed Podspots as a way to reinforce the learning from specific modules in either program.

Questions about Implementation

(This section applies to questions about how an organization can implement a private content version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks for their employees or members.)

Q: How does our organization get our employees registered to use NetSpeed Fast Tracks?
Most organizations provide a link from their Intranet to the NetSpeed Fast Tracks site for each of their employees to create a new account. You can also include this link in emails that invite them to register. Employees then click this link and land on a short registration form on the NetSpeed Fast Tracks site. Employees register themselves by entering their name, email, and a password (not their corporate password). To enjoy their Premium Membership, they must respond to a confirmation email that we send to their corporate email address in order to confirm that they belong to your organization.

If your employees are already participants in NetSpeed Leadership or Blazing Service (sister programs our company offers), they already have Member accounts. When your organization purchases a NetSpeed Fast Tracks site license, those employees automatically become Premium Members.

Q: Can we link to NetSpeed Fast Tracks content from our intranet?
Yes. Simply copy the web address of the page you want to link to, and create the link on your Intranet. For example: http://netspeedfasttracks.com/podspots/pplay.php?p=366. If the user who clicks the link is already logged into NetSpeed Fast Tracks, they will navigate immediately to the content page. If the user is not logged in, they will see an intermediate page where they must log in before being redirected to the content page.

Q: Can our employees email each other with links to NetSpeed Fast Tracks content?
Yes. Simply copy the web address of the page you want to link to, and paste it into your email. For example: http://netspeedfasttracks.com/podspots/pplay.php?p=366. If the user who clicks the link is already logged into NetSpeed Fast Tracks, they will navigate immediately to the content page. If the user is not logged in, they will see an intermediate page where they must log in before being redirected to the content page.

Q: How long does a user stay logged in without having to log in again?
Once a user has logged in, the system is currently designed to retain a user's login session for the entire work day. The login session expires overnight.

Q: Can other organizations view our content?
Absolutely not. Any content that your organization creates specifically for your employees is private and can only be seen by your employees. The lone exception is if you choose to let one of your employees create a Community PodSpot for the NetSpeed Fast Tracks Community section of our public site. But you control whether your employees' Community PodSpots are made available outside of your organization's private NetSpeed Fast Tracks site.

Q: What skill sets are required within our organization to implement NetSpeed Fast Tracks successfully?
For basic and co-branded site licenses, none at all. We host and maintain the web application, so you don't have to. You will probably want to add a link or two from your corporate Intranet to NetSpeed Fast Tracks (see Can we link to NetSpeed Fast Tracks content from our intranet?).

Recording podspots and interviews requires some familiarity with audio recording on the computer and converting to the MP3 format (see "How do I create audio recordings?"). Creating text content such as articles requires basic word processing skills. Our Content Management System's editor pages provide Java applets that allow you to enter text in "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" (WYSISYG) format, and convert your text automatically into HTML for delivery on the web pages.

Q: Can we customize the content of NetSpeed Fast Tracks? Can we add our own PodSpots and other content?
Yes, you can. See the section below labeled "Questions about Customization" for details.

Q: How would my team access the administrative functions?
When you purchase a site license that includes private content, just let us know which of your employees you want designated as content authors/administrators. We will enable their permissions for that activity. After that, when they log into your private version of the NetSpeed Fast Tracks site, they will see an additional tab labeled 'Admin'. This page has links for all the administrative functionality, including editorial tools for creating and editing content, as well as reporting capabilities.

Q: Do you provide training on how to administer NetSpeed Fast Tracks
We offer one-hour webinars on how to administer the site, including how to record and upload an audio file.

Q: Will our employees need to be trained to use NetSpeed Fast Tracks?
If your employees or end users can navigate the Internet, they will find the site easy to access and use without training.

Q: Is all of the content on NetSpeed Fast Tracks downloadable onto an MP3 player? How about the text aspects of the service, such as the articles?
Premium Members may download the audio content that is on the site (that is, PodSpots, Community PodSpots, and Interviews) to their MP3 players (which are intended to play audio files). Text by its nature is not downloadable to an audio player (MP3 player) but the text may be read at the website.

Q: Will our training department be able to track what content our employees are viewing?
Yes. The system keeps track whenever a registered user clicks a NetSpeed PodSpot page, Community PodSpot page, article page or interview page. The system records the user, the content item, and a time stamp. From this information, it is possible to access detailed usage reports such as:

  • Total number of times content is accessed by individual employees, over any range of time.
  • Chronology of what content titles that a specific individual accessed, over any range of time.
  • Number of times any particular content item was accessed by all employees of your organization

Recognizing the importance of tracking metrics, we will continue to add reporting functionality based on user requirements.

Questions about Customization

(This section applies to questions about how an organization can implement a custom version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks. Individual subscribers can not customize the content of NetSpeed Fast Tracks.)

Q: What exactly do you mean when you say our organization could have its own customized version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks?
There are many ways that organizations can customize NetSpeed Fast Tracks:

  • Co-branding – Replace the NetSpeed Fast Tracks logo with your own logo, and change the fonts and color scheme via CSS style sheets to match your corporate look and feel. These changes apply to the entire site. A "Powered by NetSpeed Fast Tracks" logo will appear in a less prominent location.
  • Private content – Add your own content to the NetSpeed Fast Tracks site exclusively for your own employees.

The PodSpots, Community PodSpots, Articles, and Interview sections may all contain private content. Your private content is never available to anyone outside of your organization.

A company can elect to commingle NetSpeed Fast Tracks articles with any custom articles they might write, while at the same time feature only Community PodSpots that were created by their own employees.

Private content appears in keyword searches, right along with NetSpeed Fast Tracks content (if the customer chooses to enable this function by the commingling option).

Q: Can we control which Fast Tracks content appears or does not appear for our internal users?
Yes. There are two cases where a company might want to exclude a specific content item:

  1. The company identifies some content that they disagree with. "We just don't do it that way here."
  2. The company wants a customized version of a piece that exists in the existing library. Or the company requests a custom piece, and we feel that the content is re-purposable, so we create both the custom and a generic version. Either way, there are two versions of the content: one generic and one custom. A user from the company will see the custom version instead of the generic version. We do this by simply blocking the generic version for members of the company.

Companies who want to allow some NetSpeed Fast Tracks content onto their private version of the site while blocking other NetSpeed Fast Tracks content may choose between two ways of handling this:

  • Commingled. Allow NetSpeed Fast Tracks content to appear by default in their private version of the site along with their own custom content. For example, NetSpeed Fast Tracks articles can appear in the Article section alongside custom articles. The site administrator for the company can then select to exclude any NetSpeed content item(s) individually if desired.
  • Non-commingled. Disallow NetSpeed Fast Tracks content by default from their private version of the site. The site administrator for the company can then select to include any NetSpeed Fast Tracks content item(s) individually if desired.

Q: What sorts of custom content would organizations likely want to add to their own custom version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks?
Any important information that you want employees to be able to access 24/7 in a variety of formats. Imagine:

  • Using selected NetSpeed PodSpots to reinforce training in a classroom setting
  • Post-class assignments that request trainees to discuss critical concepts in a personal podspot uploaded to the Community PodSpot section
  • Marketing internal training programs with a creative podspot spoken by an avatar and emailed to all employees
  • Your CEO sharing a new organization-wide initiative using a personally recorded interview
  • Your Vice President of Sales kicking off a new sales contest and announcing it through his or her own avatar and podspot.
  • Retirees creating a legacy by sharing what they know via articles and recorded interviews
  • Your top performers offering their tips for success through their avatars, interviews and articles
  • Human resources staffers letting everyone know about the latest critical policies with Podspots and articles

Q: Can my organization create our own NetSpeed PodSpots outside of the Community PodSpots section? Can we add our own articles?
Certainly. These applications are allowed after we have created a private version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks for your organization.

Q: Can you provide illustrations for our articles like you do the NetSpeed Fast Tracks articles?
Yes. These services are available on a quotation basis.

Q: Is there a limit on how much content we can add?
Unless we see some irregular abuse of the system, we do not intend to restrict the amount of content you can upload. However, NetSpeed PodSpots and Community PodSpots (that is, audio using avatars) may not exceed 4.5 minutes each. (Under 3 minutes is the recommended maximum for avatar content.)

Q: What skill sets are required within our organization to create private content?
Recording podspots and interviews requires some familiarity with audio recording on the computer and converting to the MP3 format (see "How do I create audio recordings?"). Creating text content such as articles requires basic word processing skills. Our Content Management System's editor pages provide Java applets that allow you to enter text in "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" (WYSISYG) format, and convert your text automatically into HTML for delivery on the web pages. Unusual formatting such as tables may require some basic knowledge of HTML.

Q: Can we use audio that we previously recorded, such as talks from our last company meeting?
Yes. Any audio can be used. It should be converted to MP3 format before uploading. If the talks are fairly short (less than three minutes) they can be used as NetSpeed PodSpots or Community PodSpots. Longer talks could be uploaded as Interview segments. The Interview format lets you present the entire talk while also providing shorter clips from the talk that may be accessed individually.

Q: Can you produce recorded interviews with our senior management for us?
Yes. Our experienced interviewers are delighted to conduct interviews with your people that will be used either as general or private content. We conduct the interview over the phone, record the conversation, and handle the postproduction.

Q: Can we prevent offensive content from being posted? Can we exclude content that doesn't work for our organization?
Yes, you can. The NetSpeed Fast Tracks site administrator within your organization will be able to view all postings of any kind and edit the content (if the content was created by your organization), posting only the content he or she deems appropriate for your organization.

Content on your private version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks will come from two sources: 1) from members posting Community PodSpots or 2) from approved content authors and administrators within your organization. Community PodSpots must go through a review process before they appear on the site. Approved content authors and administrators within your organization will have the final say for what is posted on your private version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks. If your organization is aggregating generic content (from the main NetSpeed Fast Tracks web site) with your own content, you may choose to exclude any generic content.

Q: How would my team access the administrative functions?
When you purchase a site license that includes private content, just let us know which of your employees you want designated as content authors/administrators. We will enable their permissions for that activity. After that, when they log into your private version of the NetSpeed Fast Tracks site, they will see an additional tab labeled 'Admin'. This page has links for all the administrative functionality, including editorial tools for creating and editing content, as well as reporting capabilities.

Q: Do you provide training on how to administer NetSpeed Fast Tracks or how to make and upload audio recordings?
We offer one-hour webinars on how to administer the site, including how to record and upload an audio file.

Q: If our organization doesn't really approve of all of the content found on NetSpeed Fast Tracks, is there a way to eliminate certain portions or block it from being viewed by our employees? For example, if the advice provided on a given podspot didn't align with our culture.
Absolutely. Your NetSpeed Fast Tracks site administrator has the ability to include or exclude content from the main NetSpeed Fast Tracks track web site from your private version of this site.

Q: Can we create and implement a private label version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks that that doesn't mention your service or brand?
No. We can, however, create a version of this service that includes a relatively modest reference to NetSpeed Fast Tracks in the form of a small graphic that simply states "powered by NetSpeed Fast Tracks."

Q: Can I upload video?
Not at the present time. However, we are considering adding this feature at a later date. Let us know if this is something your organization would like to do.

Q: If we upload content that we create to NetSpeed Fast Tracks, who owns the intellectual property? How do we get this material back if we terminate our corporate license?
Content that you create and upload to a private label version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks remains your organization's intellectual property. We recommend that you maintain back-up files of all content uploaded to the site, including audio and text files. Avatars remain the property of the third party provider with whom we have a studio license.

Technical Questions

Q: What are the technical requirements for users?
NetSpeed Fast Tracks is designed to work with any modern Web Browser (For Internet Explorer, version 7 or later is recommended). The built-in audio and avatar players require Adobe Flash version 7 or greater. Audio features require a computer with sound card. Downloaded MP3 files can be played from a computer using any media player such as Windows Media Player, QuickTime, iTunes, RealPlayer, etc. Of course, MP3 files can also be transferred by many types of portable devices including MP3 players and iPods.

Q: In what ways will NetSpeed Fast Track's team help us create our own customized content and upload it to our custom site?
With a corporate license that lets you add private content, your staff is able to create and upload content to your private version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks on their own, using our Content Management System (described below) web pages. If you need help with any aspect, we're happy to help. We'll provide training and consultation as needed. In addition, we offer production services at additional costs. (See Questions about Pricing – for Organizations.)

Q: Does implementing NetSpeed Fast Tracks require any work by our internal IT department? Does it require any hardware?
No. We host and maintain the web application.

Q: Do we need special software to upload our own content onto NetSpeed Fast Track?
No special software is needed for uploading. The site has a Web interface for administrators to create, edit and upload their content.

Q: Where does our customized NetSpeed Fast Tracks web site reside?
We provide the hosting for the NetSpeed Fast Tracks web site. For all users, the home page URL is https://www.netspeedfasttracks.com. When a user logs in, the site recognizes which organization the user belongs to and dynamically formats the Web pages with the appropriate branding and/or private content, if any, for that organization.

Q: What if we wanted to host our own private version of NetSpeed Fast Tracks on our servers rather than yours? Is this an option? If not, why not?
We offer NetSpeed Fast Tracks as an application service provider (ASP). We provide the customization that you need on our own servers. This makes it easier for us to provide the highest degree of service. It also means that you can bring the platform to your organization without adding to the workload of your IT group.

Q: Does NetSpeed Fast Tracks support RSS feeds for podcast subscriptions?
Not at the present time. With an RSS feed, you automatically receive all the content in the feed, whether you want it or not. NetSpeed Fast Tracks, however, contains a very large library of material that is available when you need it ("just in time learning"). We consider the search engine and labels to serve as the primary means for accessing NetSpeed Fast Tracks content. That said, we are interested in exploring ways to create narrower content "channels" that people in different types of roles might want to subscribe to via RSS. We welcome feedback from our customers on how we can best utilize the capabilities of RSS, and what these more focused channels might be.

Q: Are you planning to support wikis, chat rooms, bulletin boards, forums, or online discussion groups?
Not at the present time. We believe that these applications are used primarily within organizations and not shared across organizations. Open source software is available to support these applications. As a result, most organizations implement these applications in-house.

Q: How secure is our content and account information?
NetSpeed Fast Tracks is hosted on server environments managed by Pair Networks, currently in its twelfth year of continuous operations. Data centers access is restricted to authorized personnel only; no customer access or co-location services are provided. The facility is staffed around the clock, and video surveillance covers all critical areas, including entrances. Servers are extensively hardened and tested against security exploits. All unnecessary services are disabled, all security patches are up-to-date, and servers are audited regularly for attempted break-ins. Pair Networks systems administrators actively maintain awareness of new security developments, and as an open-source system.

Q: What is a relational content management system?
For the NetSpeed Fast Tracks platform, our technical team designed and built a content management system with a uniquely powerful and versatile design. Rich content is created by joining many types of atomic content items together by means of relationships. In our system, an article is a content item that contains the title, description, and the text itself, while the author of the article is represented by another content item, which contains the person's name, biography, and contact information. The article is linked to the person by means of a relationship called "is by" (the article "is by" the person).

An interview is another type of content item; the interview guest is another "person-type" content item, linked to the interview by means of the relationship called "is with." (The interview "is with" the guest.) A photograph of a person (author, guest, etc.) is yet another type of content item, linked to the person by means of the relationship "is pictured by." Because this approach mirrors natural relationships within the database, it builds an interlocking knowledge base that makes connections in the way that human intelligence works. At the same time, this approach makes it easier for content administrators to author content using reusable content items. We believe that the use of named relationships to link atomic content items in this way is unique to the NetSpeed Fast Tracks platform.






Still have questions? Email us at info@netspeedfasttracks.com.