Training the Client and Support Staff for Go-Live

In the article title, “Project Phase 6 – Training” I covered the activities necessary to prepare for and apply training and knowledge transfer to the customer and other necessary staff. At this time, I’d like to present an alternative view-point from Jason Charvat’s book “Project Management Nation.”

Training and Knowledge Transfer

Frequently, users of the solution are either not trained properly or they are not trained at all, which results in rejection of the solution within the client organization. It is important that users of the system receive all the training and support they need to use the new system effectively. The implementation of an IT system is not an end in itself. It is important that staff members are able to use it and that the impact of its introduction on their productivity has been fully considered during the planning stage. Without these considerations, is it is unlikely that the anticipated business benefits will be realized.

Training of staff can take up considerable resources, often a significant proportion of the overall cost of the project. Training must address the needs of users and of those operating and maintaining the system. The project manager has a few options when it comes to training resources on the developed solution:

• Outsource the training to a reputable, accredited training vendor
• Provide the training in-house at the client
• Provide the training at the project manager’s organization

Project managers need to realize that proper training must be provided to the users of the solution, and the following types of training can be provided before the solution is implemented and delivered for use:

• Classroom-based lectures
• One-on-one sessions
• Self-paced, computer-based tutorials
• Providing the user with an operations manual

Sufficient time and resources should be spent in order to help the staff learn how to use the IT system. Consideration should be given to the possible effect the new system may have on productivity in the period following implementation. In particular, it is important to make a realistic assessment of the impact that introducing the new IT system will have on the productivity and effectiveness of staff.

Addressing the Training Infrastructure

Providing the training for users at a suitable training location is imperative in ensuring that the users are satisfied with the quality of the solution being implemented. If the training facility is situated at the back of the office, it immediately gives users the impression of an inferior solution. Sufficient thought and user acknowledgement must be given to training, and it starts by making sure that the users have (1) adequate training material, (2) training in a proper facility, and (3) the correct training resources. Using these three factors can only result in successful training.

Once training has been synchronized with the implementation schedule and approved by all the stakeholders, it becomes necessary that the system is tested and fully functional by the time that user staff return to their environment.

Technical Support Training

Before implementing a project for a client, the project manager should be sure that the client IT operational support staff are adequately trained and knowledgeable on the technical support issues of the system being commissioned. After all, the IT support staff are responsible for maintaining the various technologies and platforms once the project is handed over.

Related posts:

1. Project Phase 6 – Training
2. Establishing Objects and Gaining Conceptual Agreement with the Client
3. The Importance of Testing
4. The Project and the End User Perspective
5. When Your Management Lets You Down