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

In recent years, technology has produced complex new systems designed to integrate business functions and revolutionize the way business is done. Organizations in all industries are betting that they can significantly improve their productivity by implementing multi-million dollar systems designed to help them achieve the age-old goal of working faster, cheaper, and better than ever before.

One impact of this technology boom for the training and performance improvement industry is the opportunity for us to assist our clients in their bids to maximize their technology investment-but this will only happen if the training you develop proves effective. The following "Successful System Conversion Don'ts" will help you steer clear of some common pitfalls when developing training for your next system conversion project.

Don't just train the system. One of the most common reasons system conversion projects fail is that training gives users "knowledge of the system" without teaching them how to apply that knowledge to their jobs. Training fails to take into account how employees' jobs and the environments they work in will change because of the system. When this happens, studies show that top performers (usually no more than 10 percent of the workforce) figure out over time how to make the needed changes in their jobs to accommodate the new system. But the majority of performers-the backbone of the operation-typically never fully utilize the system as it was intended. The result is that both system and ROI goals are never achieved.

Don't wait until the system is complete to begin thinking about training. This is a common mistake executives make-they get so caught up in the timetable for the system design and its potential benefits that they forget about training. Even though some system design must be done before analysis and training design can begin, training should be built into the conversion plan from the start. All the people and resources you need should be in place when it's time to begin training.

Don't use system documentation in training. For most systems projects, the documentation developed for users is extremely long and difficult to use. It's also typically organized around system functionality rather than user job tasks. When training is based on this documentation, modules become very long and laborious to work through.

Don't finalize training until the code is frozen. When a system is being developed, the code (or the way the system is designed), changes frequently. Although you can often test out and use "draft" versions, it's unwise to finalize training based on anything but the absolute, final version-or when the code is frozen. Otherwise, the system could change and your training would no longer match it.

Don't underestimate the time required from Subject Matter Experts. The time needed from SMEs on a system conversion project is significant, and their input is key to ensuring accurate, effective training. Be sure at the project's beginning that you'll have the access to SMEs that you need. If they aren't available, you could encounter serious project delays.

For advice or support on your next system conversion project, call Paula Alsher at 770-458-4080 or email her at palsher@cepworldwide.com.