Implementing an ERP system like Dynamics NAV involves several major tasks which are interrelated and carry varying significance and weight towards the success of the project. User Training is one of those tasks but it is commonly undervalued and at times is compromised in order to meet deadlines and budget.
User Training is critical to project success as it introduces the new system to most end users. It’s their first taste of a system that they will be using everyday. Effective training sessions make life much easier during Go-Live as they give employees the required skills to use the system. Further, with the right training, implementing a new system becomes smoother, less disruptive and less stressful.
With the right training, implementing a new NAV ERP system becomes smoother, less disruptive and less stressful.
User Training should be considered a process not just an event. In order to carry out an effective and successful training session, preparation is required from both parties—Fenwick and the Client. To achieve a realistic training senario, process specific data is required within the system, this is a client driven step. Further, clients need to clarify expectations and ensure that the correct people are involved during the sessions. We, as consultants, ensure that the system is in its final state and is stable to be used for training. We ensure that client specific data is set up within the system to replicate daily activities, which gives users a realistic experience during these sessions. Training therefore should be looked on as a combined effort.
Poor and ineffective training results in complicated and stressful Go-Lives. Rather than carrying out daily processes within the new system, users are trying to learn how to use it. Investing in a comprehensive training plan definitely outweighs the cost and consequences of having users who do not know how to use the new system—additional Go-Live support is required, frustration creeps in, morale drops and the daily running of the business is impacted.
At Fenwick Software, with years of experience in user training for IT projects, we have built standard training documentation that covers Training Agendas and Objectives. We have also built exercise documents to cover day to day processes that are used as part of the training program. As most business processes are unique, we have been able to update these documents to match specific client requirements in order to make our training sessions more practical, engaging and interactive.
Investing time and money in good user training delivers great returns such as: a smooth Go-Live, minimised Go-Live support, reduced stress, faster user adoption of the new system, and quicker delivery of business benefits.
