How to Guarantee the Effectiveness of Your System Conversion Training Part 1 of a 2-Part Series

As performance improvement professionals, system conversion projects give us the chance to make a valuable and highly visible contribution to our organizations. However, these opportunities can be difficult to capitalize on due to their complexity, scope and lack of time, resource and executive support. Yet despite the challenges, developing successful system conversion training is possible.

One of the best weapons you'll find is information-about what to expect, what works, and what doesn't. The following list of "Successful System Conversion Do's" will give you some basic parameters on how to develop system conversion training that works (in the next issue of this newsletter, we'll examine some "System Conversion Don'ts").

Do have every learner practice on the system using job-simulated exercises. Practice should mirror as closely as possible the way trainees will have to perform back on the job. In some cases, this can be difficult -trainees often can't practice on the system because it's still being developed, and creating a simulated system is time consuming and expensive. But whatever is required, it's well worth the effort to make sure trainees can practice in job-simulated environments. It's the only way they will become proficient with the system and confident in their ability to use it.

Do have a contingency plan for changes to the system's code. For any system, there's always a certain amount of rework that must be done after it's tested. These changes will also impact training. To avoid unplanned delays, build time and dollars into your training plan for these inevitable, last-minute changes.

Do use analysis to identify discrepancies between system functionalities and business processes. When doing analysis for training development, it's common to uncover areas where the system lacks functionality to support critical job tasks or procedures, or to discover company processes that need to be changed or initiated to accommodate the new system. Such issues prevent you from moving forward with training so, when they occur, track them closely and ensure they are resolved. Doing so can help save significant time and money by identifying potential system problems before the system is rolled out.

Do plan to devote 10-13% of the total project budget to training. Organizations often don't budget enough for training development or delivery. Being realistic about the costs upfront will save time and increase the chances of creating successful training.

Do look for chances to use job aids rather than full training. With systems projects, job aids can be used effectively in many situations. They save the expense and the development and delivery time of creating a full-scale training program when it's not necessary, while reducing the time users spend in training.

Do ensure that job aids are task-based and user friendly. Job aids that are organized around job tasks and written in the user's language are easier to use. Rather than repeating the content of job aids in training modules, have trainees refer to the job aids separately and build them into practice exercises. This makes training modules shorter and encourages trainees to use job aids after training.

Do use self-paced training when possible. Self-paced training is well-suited for systems projects since users typically work alone anyway. Based on experience and skill levels, trainees can vary greatly in the speed with which they master the new system. By letting trainees progress on their own, you can minimize the time spent away from the job-as soon as each user completes training, he/she can return to work.

Do develop a plan to manage system changes. It's wise to implement a review process for any proposed system, process, or procedure changes that will be made after your analysis is complete. This process will provide a formalized way to review requests for changes and approve them before they are implemented, while enabling you to ensure you have the time and resources to adjust training as needed.

Conversions can go smoothly, and organizations can achieve anticipated ROI. But successful training must be meticulously developed and recognized as a critical factor in ensuring the overall success of the project.

Watch for System Conversion "Dont's," which will be featured in our next issue!