Implementation

• Training Plan

1. Prepare for training.
2. Carry out training.
3. Assess and make any adjustments after training.

• Staff trained and ready to use the new system

Carrying out the training will entail:

• Confirming bookings
• Organising the venue
• Preparing materials
• Training delivery
• Training assessment

Although people will confirm, there are always people who will drop out at the last minute. Expect this to happen and be prepared to reschedule. A good tactic is to use the approach that if they do not come back to you by a certain date, they are enrolled in that course. Send them a reminder a few days before and even a text message the day before training is to take place.

An offsite venue is preferable as you will be less likely to be distracted by people who "urgently" want to talk to a participant. During the delivery, have all phones turned off, and provide a facility for people to receive messages during breaks. It is good to have regular breaks to ensure everyone is fresh. This also gives people the opportunity to check messages and return calls.

If you require system access from another site, check response times are workable. Poor response times for a new system can be a major negative in acceptance.

Materials will probably consist of a "how to" document but be sure to add a context that provides a "why to". Some people are just happy to do their bit without thinking how it all hangs together. Others want to see a big picture. Use the Business Process Modeling documents to give a context to their part of the process. If possible, make the process model available online for them to refer to.

The data used for training may also require some thought. You will not have a perfectly converted database so you have to either create data - which can be time consuming - or use imperfectly converted data. There may be considerable time required to get the data in order.

If training is being delivered by the Vendor, be sure that enough information is captured for someone to deliver the training to new staff.

An assessment of training effectiveness should be made both ways. The participants should be able to assess the training and trainer. The trainer should be able to assess the competency of each participant. There is no point in finishing the training to find the training failed in the same area in every session. Make changes based on feedback. The last training session should be a significant improvement on the first.

Similarly, you do not want to get to go live with a person who didn't really understand the training. Some people will pick it up immediately and some will just not get it. The latter group may need more training and even one to one sessions. The training can be reinforced for all participants by formally scheduled practice sessions in the time between the training and go live.