July 12, 1999

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Staff Training Can Help Deployment Efforts

A well-trained staff makes new software more efficient

By Charles Trepper

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PDF file: Deployment Training: You'll need to take the following steps as you develop a training program that coincides with application deployment To view a PDF file, you must first have the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

eveloping training for a software rollout is often seen as a necessary evil. The core activities of a rollout usually revolve around the development and deployment of the software, and training is treated as an afterthought.

What managers seem to forget is that the new multimillion-dollar software package isn't valuable unless business and technical staff know how to use it. Changes made to job tasks, working conditions, and work schedules during software implementations often deeply affect employees and can dramatically change the way a business functions. The training team has a major opportunity to help the company through a difficult time by preparing the workforce for the new environment in a smooth, comfortable manner.

The process of developing a training program is similar to that of a software project. As with any other project, the idea of a formal training program must be sold to management. Then, a needs analysis is done to determine the training requirements. Once the initial project is scoped, a budget and time line are drawn up for its design and implementation. A make-or-buy decision must be made, and if training is purchased, vendors must be found, evaluated, and selected.

Purchased or packaged training must usually be customized to the company's needs. The training program is implemented, and the implementation is communicated to the company. A measurement process must also be put in place to determine the program's success. Trainers should be given useful tips to help them through the process.

The key to selling a training program is developing a cohesive team of senior management backers, project-level heads and managers, users, and technical staff. The first step is to get the software-rollout executive sponsor on board, because without someone at the top to back the training program, it will almost certainly fail.

The benefits of proper training for new software rollouts include improved productivity, higher employee morale, and significant cost savings. Without proper selling and planning, however, these benefits can be reduced or eliminated by swirling organizational and political issues.

Once you select the project's team members and structure, keep the activities aligned with the software rollout project team. This is accomplished by training team leaders and members attending the software team's meetings and vice versa. Rollout and training-team members can also share information by using groupware tools such as Lotus Notes. The training team should also participate in the systems analysis for the new software.

Once the program is sold to management, a needs analysis is done to determine the required training on the new software, the staff's skill set, and methods for addressing the gap. A training-needs analysis identifies who needs to learn which parts of the software. It also identifies at what depth different trainees need to learn the new software. The order in which various parts of the software are installed determines the priorities of training topics.

A training-needs analysis also defines solutions to provide the training required by various employees. The process of discovering and documenting training needs involves four steps. The rollout training team first identifies what knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences an employee or group of employees must have to use the new software effectively and efficiently. Next, the team measures an employee's or group's skill level. The training team then compares the current skills with the required skills. Finally, the team creates training specifications to bridge the gap between the two.

Program Plan
Once the training needs are known, the program plan is prepared. The program plan details the steps, effort, dates, and dollars necessary to produce the training for the software rollout. The steps taken to complete this activity include identifying critical path activities and players, documenting drop-dead date ranges, estimating activity hours and costs, and estimating hardware and software costs. The plan also includes calculating the total project budget, generating alternatives, and communicating the program plan to partners and management.

The training development effort should parallel the rollout schedule, which makes changes to the training schedule easier and helps the training staff maintain some familiarity with the software rollout process. It's important for the training team to establish itself as a full partner with the rollout team. As the project progresses, the training team must continually exchange information with the rollout team. This lets the training team stay up-to-date with changes to the rollout schedule. Trainers should talk to the rollout team and get a copy of the project plan to determine the critical dates for the training project.

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