The Forgotten Ones "The Three Overlooked Areas of a Project"

 

Written by Jeff Geiger, Duane Brown, and Tommi Himmel

Testing

  • Stress Testing

  • All Scenarios

  • End-to-End

  • Integration with other products/software

  • Integration with non-system procedures

Reporting

  • Are all reports useful?

  • Can requirements be consolidated?

  • Executive Dashboard -

    • What is needed?

    • How often?

    • How do executive use this information?

Training

Or

  • Training to Win

Objective of Training to Win

  • Confident, Knowledgeable end users who:

    • Embrace the change

    • Are not afraid of the new system

    • Have demonstrated competency in it

    • Accept ownership in the success of the implementation

    • Ongoing, will achieve advanced proficiency levels post go-live

How to Achieve Training to Win

  • Manage the change

  • Set standards:

    • For Training

    • For Training Documentation

    • For Procedural Documentation

  • Have users demonstrate knowledge of system and procedures

Make Your Plan

  • Define and Commit to “Success”

    • What will it look like in your organization?

  • Define Methos of Communication

    • How will change issues and training be communicated?

  • Define Resources

    • Who will train?

  • Define Measurement Requirements

    • What metrics are needed for management and training validation?

  • Define Maintenance

    • How to keep the spirit alive?

Define and Commit to Success

  • Definition:

    • Confident, knowledgeable end users who:

      • Embrace the change

      • Are not afraid of the new system

      • Have demonstrated competency in it

      • Accept ownership in the success of the implementation

      • Ongoing, will achieve advanced proficiency levels post go-live

  • Commitment:

    • Commit to achieving what you defined as success

Methods of Communication

  • How will we communicate change?

    • Rumor Mill?

    • Disgruntled/unhappy supervisors?

    • Planned information releases with full management support?

  • How will we train?

    • Computer Based Training

    • Classroom style with instructors?

    • “Cascade” style?

    • Distribute manuals and hope they “get it?”

    • Practice laboratory

Resources - Who Will Train

  • Contract Trainers?

    • Professionals in training development / delivery and adult learning concepts

    • Responsible to do the knowledge transfer and validate student competency

  • Internal Trainers?

    • Company has existing training program w? dedicated trainers

    • Implementation Team members and / or super users train as “additional duty”

Measuring Success

  • What should we measure?

    • Total training hours @ an average Dollar value?

    • Total number of classes?

    • total attendees for each class?

    • High scores on students’ evaluations of trainers?

    • Number of student competency demos?

    • High frequency of student demos?

    • Total cost of training?

  • Why???

Maintain the Success

  • How to keep the spirit alive?

    • Commitment. Or continuing to do the thing you have promised to do, long after the spirit in which you promised it has left you

  • Continue to grow a “learning” organization

    • When you’re green, you’re growing; but what happens when you’re ripe,?

  • Prevent stagnation

    • Encourage curiosity about additional improvements and best uses of ERP - continue to learn and grow

Review & Wrap-Up

  • Remember to Incorporate Reporting, Testing & Training into Early Planning

  • Use the Three Tenents of Training

    • Manage Change

    • Set Training Standards

    • Require Employees to Demonstrate Competency

  • Define:

    • Success & Commitment

    • Methods of Communication

    • Resources for Training Delivery

    • Measure of Success

    • Maintenance of Learning Environment

Jordan Geiger