| Martin realized that training was important to the success of the pilot. He also knew that his team did not have the expertise or the time to create customized training. Martin contracted the vendor to reproduce and deliver a number of training courses tailored to his pilot community. This way, the users received first-class training, and his staff was free to keep the warm and fuzzies going. Jason had planned ahead for training. He had the vendor create a personal training course that could be given to each user and administrator. Unfortunately, the consultants wanted four hours of training, but had to settle for two. Jason hoped this bootstrap training would carry the clients through to deployment, when a corporate training plan could be put in place. |
The Methodology Training is quite often the first thing to slide when new technology is put in place. It is also one of the most important aspects for a pilot and future deployments to be successful. Trained users have confidence in the product. Training also provides a controlled environment for user habituation. For the training to be successful for both the end-user and company, the following should be considered : -
Train the initial pilot users ” While this seems obvious, it is quite often not done. By training the initial pilot users, the training itself is also piloted. What seemed like an important area to cover may turn out not to be. What seemed insignificant may generate lots of questions. This type of feedback occurs only when the course is delivered. Getting this feedback early on will make the deployment training better. If bad training is provided for a product, that information spreads quickly within the user community. Once this happens, it will be difficult to get users to attend . If, on the other hand, the training is seen to be useful and focused, it will be easier to attract attendees. -
Train the help desk in support issues ” Again, this step needs to occur. There are already some members of the help desk who were part of the initial POC. They are a good group to ask what type of training should be done, and in what areas of the biometric system should support training be focused. Maybe they found from the POC that knowing how to properly enroll the biometric and subsequently how to verify were very important. Information like this can be used to build the customized training for the help desk. Providing the help desk with training also helps overcome initial fears and concerns. -
Customize and focus the training on the features being used ” Quite often, when a biometric system is being considered for use, the entire function and feature set of the system are not used. There is no use in training on features and functionality that will not be used. -
Realize that time is a limited commodity with the above groups ” The training message needs to be concise and presented clearly. Customizing the training for both end-users and support personnel will limit the time needed to deliver the knowledge both groups need to be successful. -
Have a focused message and stick to it ” It is very easy to get sidetracked while presenting training. This is especially true if the technology is cutting-edge. It is easy to get off on tangential discussions about company direction with the technology and future biometric system direction. What is important is to keep focused on the overall message of the training. At the same time, it may be worthwhile having more detailed conversations around an important question or concern. Remember, the training is meant to indoctrinate and habituate the users to the system. When the users feel comfortable with the training, this will be easier to accomplish. -
Provide additional take-away materials ” While it will not be possible to cover every aspect of the system to be used, it is important to at least document that information in a concise and usable way. In addition, giving the user something to take away when he/she leaves can increase confidence in the system. This way, the user has something to consult when he/she has problems. Many times, the user has a very simple question and does not want to bother the help desk with it or is too embarrassed to ask. Having this documentation will help. -
Follow up with students 4 “7 days later for additional questions ” While the training course was presented in a clear and concise manner, time may have been limited and the pace of the training may have been rather quick. This does not lend itself well to the end-user's being able to take it all in and come up with questions on the spot. Follow up with students with a personal visit, if possible, to allow for questions to be asked. It can also offer an opportunity to solicit direct feedback on the course, or to allow the user to ask any additional questions. Training is an integral part of the success of the pilot and the future deployment. After training, the users feel informed and empowered. In addition, the training itself gets a chance to be piloted, and if necessary, adjusted before being given in support of the deployment. |
