Organizations who leverage PeopleSoft applications likely know how users and staff value its robust functionality and benefits to business processes. While PeopleSoft has been around for a long time, there is still opportunity for new module implementations, optimizations, and upgrades that will optimize your PeopleSoft applications.
With these opportunities comes a need to ensure that PeopleSoft is consistently valued by staff, users, and companies alike. Ensuring that users understand its value means having an effective PeopleSoft training system in place. If you want to get the most out of your PeopleSoft investments, proper training that allows people to embrace the changes and development of new upgrades and enhancements is vital.
Below, we’ll discuss why PeopleSoft training is essential, how to create training for PeopleSoft modules, what resources and tools will be needed, associated costs, and how to ensure that your training is evergreen for future PUM image updates and enhancements.
What are the benefits of effective PeopleSoft training?
Training provides an opportunity to encourage adherence to the optimization of business processes built into Oracle products. Not only do users need to be trained to navigate the current PeopleSoft environment, but they also need to be equipped to handle future changes that come with PUM updates and enhancements in order to fully leverage the power of the application. Organizations that practice effective user training see staff who are more capable of processing data efficiently, identifying and handling exceptions, and need less helpdesk or technical support, ultimately saving time and resources in IT.
PeopleSoft training can also facilitate streamlined adoption of new features & functionality from new PUM images. This saves time, reduces transactional complexity, improves controls, and allows for better analytics and insights from your data.
Finally, effective training on a reliable application can foster a sense of competence and achievement among staff. If employees know how to execute their jobs successfully, job satisfaction will improve.
What resources are needed for training?
From a human resource perspective, you will need functional staff who understand both the current state of the application as well as the future potential state of the application. This includes staff who understand the complexities of new features. Although staff who understand the future potential of PeopleSoft applications is vital, the basis of effective training involves an effort to meet the capabilities of staff in the present state of the application, while also communicating the value proposition of a better future state.
From a technical perspective, training may include interactive LMS courses, or may be as simple as a one-sheet educational document. PeopleSoft upgrade tools like a SCORM compliant LMS course creator, a screen capture tool, video editor, or animation software are all effective training tools that can educate staff and get them ready for future developments.
Ultimately, training materials should be interactive, engaging, and paired with opportunities to practice what has been learned in a test or non-production environment.
The most important training requirement will be an overarching training strategy developed by an Organizational Change Management resource. A robust training plan which lays out required training courses, level of change necessary, training modality, and distribution or publishing approach will build a framework for employees to successfully respond to change.
How much does PeopleSoft training cost?
The key driver that impacts PeopleSoft training cost is the level of complexity and current level of employee skill. Highly skilled resources who are learning a simple new tool will only need minimal support, whereas the introduction of an entire module or need to train net new users will require a multi-phase training plan with several levels of reinforcement. Technology tools to create engaging courses or videos may come with license costs, but the biggest investment is in skilled internal or external resources to support the creation of these materials. While the dedicated training resource cost may not always be high priority, the ROI realized by having your staff understand and be able to efficiently use their applications far outweighs the cost of initial investment.
How do you ensure your training is evergreen for PeopleSoft PUM Image updates, etc.?
Elire utilizes an “Evergreen Strategy” that bolsters maintenance and support for developments of applications. As future updates and enhancements are planned, training must be evaluated to ensure that projects are growing and maintained successfully.
The best way to ensure the longevity of your training materials is to build them in a modular fashion. Building a hierarchy which separates individual transactions makes it easier to update resources with the incremental changes that are often released in PUM images. For larger features released as part of the PUM cycle, a net new course or subsection can be created without impacting existing materials.
Leveraging a Change Management resource or an Instructional Designer can be a valuable source to create robust, long-lasting training materials. These resources have the appropriate skills to lay out content in an engaging and structured way and have design and technical capabilities that an operations employee does not have. Large organizations may have an in-house training team which has the necessary skills, but smaller organizations without dedicated resources should consider staffing Training resources specifically on their projects.
To learn more about what’s involved in Change Management, check out our article “Building a Change Management Methodology.”
Although complex, developing effective training for PeopleSoft updates and enhancements will allow your organization to maximize the value of your PeopleSoft applications. If you’re looking to implement new PeopleSoft modules or to conduct upgrades or enhancements, Elire is here to help. Our Change Management experts can help make sure your staff is engaged, have the right tools to embrace change, and ensure that your training techniques bolster an Evergreen Strategy.
To learn more about Elire’s expertise in PeopleSoft Change Management, visit our Management Advisory Services page, and reach out to [email protected] to speak with our experts about training in your PeopleSoft upgrade or enhancement project plan.