ERP Insights >> Magazine >> April - 2016 issue
Making End-User ERP Training Viable
Author : Dr. Ayesha Habeeb Omer
Friday, April 22, 2016
End-users close the loop and complete the circuit of a successful ERP implementation. Therefore, end-user training is something organizations cannot leave to chance and need to make it an integral or in fact the critical part of the ERP training plan.
The job of the vendor is to give you the right software. The implementation partner works with your business process owners and project leaders to customize and implement the ERP system as per your needs. They may have a ‘train the trainer’ program where they will train your internal business process owners or power users, who in-turn will train the end-users of the software system. How do you ensure that end-users’training is effective and at the same time viable in terms of cost as well as time?
Instead of making the internal team shoulder the entire responsibility of end-user training, the task can be divided such that people get to do what they are good at. The internal team can compile and collate the training content and the external partner can create online training resources based on learning strategies and adult learning principles.
Let me elaborate what I mean.
Get the Internal Team to Compile and Document Training Content with Support from Consultants
Get the internal team members, power users or business process owners to document the changes, processes and systems. Documentation is the first step in the training process and ensures there is a reference guide or manual that users can refer to when in doubt. Internal employees are the best people to document the processes and procedures in the light of the new ERP system. They understand the internal processes and therefore, are in the best position to record and document step by step procedures and ‘how-to’ guides. They can solicit the help of ERP consultants or implementers to get standardized templates or formats that form the basis for the training content. Consultants can validate the content and also suggest other resources such as interactive videos, simulation based e-learning modules, FAQs and so on. Internal team members can compile the necessary content that can form the basis for creating these resources.
Get an External Training Developer to Create Training Resources
Internal team members (power users or functional heads) are experts in the business processes and help consultants customize the ERP system to suit the business needs. They may be part of the train the trainer program where they are given a complete picture of the system and how it works in the context of their organization’s business processes.
Business process owners/project leaders/Power users – whatever you may call them might have been trained on the ERP system by the implementation partner. They may understand and appreciate the new system and align it with the organization’s processes and business needs. But do they have the time to invest in training end-users? Even if they have time, do they have the skills required for training? Would they be proficient in teaching new concepts, skills or knowledge?
Very often, the power users or business process owners have their own core responsibilities – training being an additional or added responsibility. As a result, they may not give it the time and effort essential to ensure end-users accept the new system smoothly and willingly. Most importantly, you cannot be sure that every trainer will have the same competence which means, end-users may not receive the same quality instruction. It is for these reasons that you should think of outsourcing your end-user ERP training.
The Bottom Line
ERP implementation is usually done in large enterprises with employees spread across wider geographical areas. Business process owners or power users can still be responsible for training but they can be supported with resources that standardize the training across various business units and divisions. These resources can be in the form of online learning modules, digital eBooks and guides that can be accessed by end-users. This way, the training is standardized and the quality of training is under control.
Delegating end-users training to an external service provider frees up your implementation partners and your in-house staff to focus on their core competencies. Your in-house team can prepare the training content while the training resources can be created by external experts, who have more proficiency in creating engaging self-paced modules and assessments to ensure learning is thorough and complete. End-user training will become more viable instead of becoming a burden and a chore.
Making End-User ERP Training Viable
Author : Dr. Ayesha Habeeb Omer
Friday, April 22, 2016
End-users close the loop and complete the circuit of a successful ERP implementation. Therefore, end-user training is something organizations cannot leave to chance and need to make it an integral or in fact the critical part of the ERP training plan.
The job of the vendor is to give you the right software. The implementation partner works with your business process owners and project leaders to customize and implement the ERP system as per your needs. They may have a ‘train the trainer’ program where they will train your internal business process owners or power users, who in-turn will train the end-users of the software system. How do you ensure that end-users’training is effective and at the same time viable in terms of cost as well as time?
Instead of making the internal team shoulder the entire responsibility of end-user training, the task can be divided such that people get to do what they are good at. The internal team can compile and collate the training content and the external partner can create online training resources based on learning strategies and adult learning principles.
Let me elaborate what I mean.
Get the Internal Team to Compile and Document Training Content with Support from Consultants
Get the internal team members, power users or business process owners to document the changes, processes and systems. Documentation is the first step in the training process and ensures there is a reference guide or manual that users can refer to when in doubt. Internal employees are the best people to document the processes and procedures in the light of the new ERP system. They understand the internal processes and therefore, are in the best position to record and document step by step procedures and ‘how-to’ guides. They can solicit the help of ERP consultants or implementers to get standardized templates or formats that form the basis for the training content. Consultants can validate the content and also suggest other resources such as interactive videos, simulation based e-learning modules, FAQs and so on. Internal team members can compile the necessary content that can form the basis for creating these resources.
Get an External Training Developer to Create Training Resources
Internal team members (power users or functional heads) are experts in the business processes and help consultants customize the ERP system to suit the business needs. They may be part of the train the trainer program where they are given a complete picture of the system and how it works in the context of their organization’s business processes.
Business process owners/project leaders/Power users – whatever you may call them might have been trained on the ERP system by the implementation partner. They may understand and appreciate the new system and align it with the organization’s processes and business needs. But do they have the time to invest in training end-users? Even if they have time, do they have the skills required for training? Would they be proficient in teaching new concepts, skills or knowledge?
Very often, the power users or business process owners have their own core responsibilities – training being an additional or added responsibility. As a result, they may not give it the time and effort essential to ensure end-users accept the new system smoothly and willingly. Most importantly, you cannot be sure that every trainer will have the same competence which means, end-users may not receive the same quality instruction. It is for these reasons that you should think of outsourcing your end-user ERP training.
The Bottom Line
ERP implementation is usually done in large enterprises with employees spread across wider geographical areas. Business process owners or power users can still be responsible for training but they can be supported with resources that standardize the training across various business units and divisions. These resources can be in the form of online learning modules, digital eBooks and guides that can be accessed by end-users. This way, the training is standardized and the quality of training is under control.
Delegating end-users training to an external service provider frees up your implementation partners and your in-house staff to focus on their core competencies. Your in-house team can prepare the training content while the training resources can be created by external experts, who have more proficiency in creating engaging self-paced modules and assessments to ensure learning is thorough and complete. End-user training will become more viable instead of becoming a burden and a chore.
The job of the vendor is to give you the right software. The implementation partner works with your business process owners and project leaders to customize and implement the ERP system as per your needs. They may have a ‘train the trainer’ program where they will train your internal business process owners or power users, who in-turn will train the end-users of the software system. How do you ensure that end-users’training is effective and at the same time viable in terms of cost as well as time?
Instead of making the internal team shoulder the entire responsibility of end-user training, the task can be divided such that people get to do what they are good at. The internal team can compile and collate the training content and the external partner can create online training resources based on learning strategies and adult learning principles.
Let me elaborate what I mean.
Get the Internal Team to Compile and Document Training Content with Support from Consultants
Get the internal team members, power users or business process owners to document the changes, processes and systems. Documentation is the first step in the training process and ensures there is a reference guide or manual that users can refer to when in doubt. Internal employees are the best people to document the processes and procedures in the light of the new ERP system. They understand the internal processes and therefore, are in the best position to record and document step by step procedures and ‘how-to’ guides. They can solicit the help of ERP consultants or implementers to get standardized templates or formats that form the basis for the training content. Consultants can validate the content and also suggest other resources such as interactive videos, simulation based e-learning modules, FAQs and so on. Internal team members can compile the necessary content that can form the basis for creating these resources.
Get an External Training Developer to Create Training Resources
Internal team members (power users or functional heads) are experts in the business processes and help consultants customize the ERP system to suit the business needs. They may be part of the train the trainer program where they are given a complete picture of the system and how it works in the context of their organization’s business processes.
Business process owners/project leaders/Power users – whatever you may call them might have been trained on the ERP system by the implementation partner. They may understand and appreciate the new system and align it with the organization’s processes and business needs. But do they have the time to invest in training end-users? Even if they have time, do they have the skills required for training? Would they be proficient in teaching new concepts, skills or knowledge?
Very often, the power users or business process owners have their own core responsibilities – training being an additional or added responsibility. As a result, they may not give it the time and effort essential to ensure end-users accept the new system smoothly and willingly. Most importantly, you cannot be sure that every trainer will have the same competence which means, end-users may not receive the same quality instruction. It is for these reasons that you should think of outsourcing your end-user ERP training.
The Bottom Line
ERP implementation is usually done in large enterprises with employees spread across wider geographical areas. Business process owners or power users can still be responsible for training but they can be supported with resources that standardize the training across various business units and divisions. These resources can be in the form of online learning modules, digital eBooks and guides that can be accessed by end-users. This way, the training is standardized and the quality of training is under control.
Delegating end-users training to an external service provider frees up your implementation partners and your in-house staff to focus on their core competencies. Your in-house team can prepare the training content while the training resources can be created by external experts, who have more proficiency in creating engaging self-paced modules and assessments to ensure learning is thorough and complete. End-user training will become more viable instead of becoming a burden and a chore.
