Delivering End User Training and Performance Support
At a Glance:
- SAP ERP Central Component 6.0 implementation
- ANCILE uPerform™
- 800 End Users
- Deployed in 2 languages, with 5 more to be added
- Initial deployment was 12 months
Office Furniture Manufacturer Looks for a Smooth Transition
Haworth, Inc., is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of office furniture and organic workspaces. Needing a more comprehensive enterprise resource planning system, Haworth chose to implement SAP ERP 6.0. They affirmed that SAP would support their growing business and allow them to manage their processes on one platform. But a number of implementation challenges threatened to make training for this transition difficult, specifically, a globally diverse workforce and a short timetable. Haworth needed a learning partner that could match its global reach and handle these challenges. Haworth turned to RWD Technologies, a global leader in human and operational performance improvement, and its solution, uPerform. ANCILE uPerform is a comprehensive performance support system that allows for the ability to collaboratively create, store and manage application simulations and procedural documentation. With this tool, Haworth could overcome these issues and ensure a smooth transition to the SAP ERP System.
Hurdles to Jump
Considering many of Haworth’s offices are scattered across the globe, one of their most obvious challenges involved translating end user training documents into more than 7 different languages (Simplified Chinese, English, Portuguese, French, Italian, German and Spanish). Because of multiple acquisitions bringing many processes under one company, Haworth’s documentation process did not readily support language translation. Before implementing uPerform, every translation had to be created manually. This lack of an efficient method increased the amount of development time needed to deliver end user training materials to their employees. This was a huge concern for their team.
Haworth’s other challenge was the tedious method in which they created training materials. “Our previous process was extremely manual in nature,” said Kendra Cribley, SAP training project manager at Haworth. “Software training consultants were tied to subject matter experts (SMEs) throughout the entire process.” Through the initial stage of the process, both the software training consultant and SME sat side-by-side to begin creating training documentation.
After this arduous phase, the training consultant would create a document layout and eventually submit a draft back to the SME for edits. Each edit process potentially went through multiple revisions, all of which were created using paper drafts, until the documentation was complete and published to an end-user performance support website and training manuals.
Cribley also noted that if learning simulations were needed in addition to the documentation, a separate development process was necessary. “As one may imagine, the process created inefficiencies and bottlenecks as the base work needed to be performed side-by-side.” Haworth sought a solution that could streamline these tasks, as well as make the implementation process and maintenance of business more efficient.
Maintenance of business being yet another challenge that needed to be addressed. As their processes evolved, several Haworth sites required updates to already existing training materials. “Our team needed to have a process and tool that could support continued deployments while simultaneously supporting maintenance of business,” said Cribley. “Our timeline for implementation is also ambitious, but we remained optimistic that we could find a partner to help smooth out the potential wrinkles and help us meet all of our goals and deadlines.”
Assistance to Overcome
Haworth is known for creating a flexible workspace to meet all of its customers’ business goals. Similarly, RWD is flexible with any customers’ current learning environment and creates a strategy that utilizes assets already available to maximize return on investment.
“With such a diverse and disparate workforce, we needed a partner that could help us reach all of our employees efficiently,” said Cribley.
By leveraging uPerform’s features, a training consultant can begin the process of developing end user training materials without the immediate presence of a subject matter expert. The subject matter expert is then able to continue the process independently, thus streamlining the task and allowing more time for other projects.
ANCILE uPerform allowed Haworth to create multiple output formats automatically from a single source file for flexible distribution to employees. Previously, Haworth had to create separate documents and simulations and then edit both if changes to the process occurred. “It was a hassle to create each separate document and develop simulations from each of these. uPerform made this process much easier by streamlining the document creation process.” ANCILE uPerform has also made the process documentation easier for Haworth staff.
“The RWD team truly listened and responded to our needs,” said Cribley. “They took the time to evaluate our situation and various requirements and build a strategy that would best fit our company and our people. They really helped us make our vision a reality.”
A Brighter Outlook for the Future
Haworth set a goal to create an efficient way to re-record processes with little need for manual intervention. They have achieved this goal by utilizing uPerform. With a simplified translation process, Haworth now maintains a streamlined method for language translation.
Haworth’s next major scheduled deployment is in 2010. “With the help of RWD, we feel equipped to handle this deployment with a more robust end user learning experience…RWD has become an integral part of our business and made our success a top priority. This type of commitment from vendor partners is rare and without it, I doubt we would be as far as we are today.”