Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2023 - 42

is regarded as " defined, " meaning that
both the problem and the solution are
perceived as well known. However, as
the previously cited numbers illustrate,
certainty in outcomes is rare in digital
adoptions. Certainty about specific
business processes and tasks can
become apparent later in a technology
implementation, which causes a learning
team to scramble to salvage their
original plan and unearths concerns
about the " sunk cost " of the originally
designed solution.
You cannot possibly predict
everything; but you can
smartly prepare your people.
A common situation is that of a
learning team unable to adapt quickly
to changing circumstances. The team
reacts by creating
learning
solutions
that are content dumps - a torrent
of information, much of which is not
relevant to a front-line user. The typical
result is unmotivated end users who
are confused about how to do their
jobs after a go-live. Users do adapt
under these circumstances, but those
adaptations often result in workarounds
as employees struggle to get their work
done using the new technology.
For example, in a recent postmortem
of a failed adoption, front-line users
had failed to understand the impacts
of selecting from one of the various
options in a field of an SAP S/4HANA
transaction.
these
After
live,
users
the
system
almost
gouniversally
selected
the generic option. This was
problematic, as most of the automated
functionality that was designed to help
the organization become much more
efficient was based on the selection
made in that field. The net result was
that, because of an overwhelming
amount of information in the learning
solution, the critical information was
buried. This caused the organization to
become less efficient after their digital
transformation, and the return on their
investment was extended indefinitely.
THE LEAN LEARNING
APPROACH TO DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATIONS
A lean learning approach for a digital
transformation
emphasizes
two
aspects to help promote the ability
of front-line digital transformation
| 42
adopters: 1 ) a flexible and adaptable
learning team, and 2 ) a go-live solution
focused only on the critical learning
that
front-line
adopters
will
need.
Since the go-live is just " the end of
the beginning, " this solution preserves
learner motivation (because users do
not get overwhelmed) and provides
them with a firm foundation so they
can continue their learning journey.
When these two elements are at play,
the business results expected from a
digital transformation can be delivered.
Principles from agile practices are key
to this approach. The learning team
itself must be resilient and adaptable
so they can respond quickly to changes
as an implementation unfolds. The
Agile principles of transparency (within
the learning team and externally to the
changing solution), inspection (honest
and open evaluation of a learning
solution's effectiveness) and adaptation
(rapidly changing a learning solution
based on facts on the ground) enable
a learning team to have the mindset
they need to create the most effective
learning solution they can.
Equally important is the concept
of a minimal viable product (MVP).
MVP learning solutions are ones
that achieve specific, goal-oriented
learning objectives at the times they
are most needed. Ideally, a digital
transformation learning solution has
early, middle and continuous learning
opportunities before, during and after a
large enterprise technology change. A
lean approach to digital transformations
considers the " absorptive capacity "
of front-line technology users in
learning and applying new enterprise
technologies - people can only absorb
so much information at a time.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Aside from having training in Agile, there
are a few things you should keep in
mind to be more prepared for your next
technology adoption:
♦ ERP implementations are harder
than you think. There is nothing cut
and dry about overhauling an entire
system used regularly throughout your
organization.
Understand
that you
cannot possibly predict everything; but
you can smartly prepare your people.
♦ An adaptive and resilient (i.e., agile)
learning team is critical, so they can
adapt to the complexity inherent in
a digital transformation and succeed
in creating a highly effective learning
solution.
♦ Support your end users with pointof-need
learning opportunities and
simplify your training approach. While
you want to provide ample opportunity
for learners to gain new knowledge,
providing less information at regular
intervals will improve learning.
Just because you build it does not mean
that they will come. Proper preparation,
expertise and learning approaches are
always needed for successful digital
transformations. If you prepare your
people with the right information at the
right time, your entire organization will
reap the benefits.
Scott Barber, who has over 22 years of
experience in training and performance
and is currently engaged in research
as a doctoral candidate in strategic
leadership at Liberty University, is the
director of enterprise technologies at GP
Strategies. Email Scott.
https://www.gpstrategies.com/ https://www.gpstrategies.com/
Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2023

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