Hello
I would be really interested to hear from any Trainers who currently train staff to input deals/orders/customer requests onto their organisation's computer systems.
I am particularly interested in how this training is carried out.
Do you use the live system to show staff how it is done (and if so how do you deal with the fact it is a live deal/order/customer request you are putting through?) or do you have a "dummy" system for them to use (and if so, how effective and realistic is it?)
Thanks very much.
Lucy
Lucy Sleigh
3 Responses
Case Studies on Test System
Hi Lucy,
I train staff to input deals on our internal system. We use a test system that is set up by our IT department and use examples and case studies to work through the process with delegates.
The test system is a replica of the live system and is used by IT to test system enhancements etc. The system gets refreshed regularly so that it is an exact match of the live system so that any testing done is as realistic as possible.
It would be good idea to liase with the business to make sure that you get a good cross section of realistic examples or case studies to work through with delegates.
Once I have walked through the process with delegates a good exercise is to get them to put laminated screen prints in the order that they are seen on the system (these are also very useful if you were to have any problems accessing the system).
Becky
systems training
Hi Lucy,
I used to train a lot of people on a very intricate in house system initially in an induction period covering each segment with time for practice, quiz and questioning. Any upgrades or changes where then communicated to manager, rolled out to staff via team briefings and most of the time coupled with a handout or “cheat sheet”.
As per your first response we also had a replica training system so that we could create new records without it causing someone else an administrative nightmare, however prior to that happening we had no “training system”. What we would do was take note of the reference numbers used that day and have IT cancel them from the system. The taking of reference numbers, or new records formed part of the training so that we wouldn’t miss any. We also used the same names (usually the cast of some soap or another) in order to alert anyone looking at that particular record that it may be training.
I don’t know what type of system you use, but have to be honest and say that it usually does not take an IT bod very long to create a copy for you to use as practice.
We then produced a “cheat sheet” for the most important features of the system (only as the training manual was 56 pages long!) This followed either screen images with text boxes pointing out features etc, or a flow diagram depending on how detailed that particular segment.
As I also had to be involved in the migrating of systems and then upgrading of system I am used to putting these “cheat sheets” and manuals together, so if that’s something you need to do and are having any difficulties get in touch and I will be happy to try and help in any way at all.
Hope it helps,
d
Annotated Walk through
By and large, I agree with the other comments on this page.
I use an standard version of our system, typical of that installed at a user site.
Throughout the course, the users are guided by annotated notes to walk through a typical procedure (such as adding new user accounts, then activating them). Later on, they use the information they have previously entered as part of more complex configuration examples.
The beauty of this is that the students feel that they are working on a real system and the procedures that they follow will be almost identical to those used at their home base.
Additionally, the workshop manuals provide very powerful reference notes for the first few times that they try to perform the same task on their own.