Rolling Out GroupWise

A critical element for successfully rolling out new technology is training ... from the new hire to the VIP to the power user and even the IT staff. Although everyone in the company will be using the same software, they won't be using it in the same way. Casual users, secretaries, and VIPs have different job functions, so their training should be focused on how the software works for them.

We've taught GroupWise since 1991, when it was called WordPerfect Office. Because we're experts on GroupWise, we tailor training, on-the-fly when necessary, to provide users with practical information that fits their needs. Our fast-paced, task-specific approach shortens the learning curve and heightens retention levels for all users. We call our strategy Targeted Learning and it's the most effective way to learn. We guarantee it.

Description of Classes
A successful training strategy is comprised of several stages. Even if this is simply an upgrade this blueprint for training is the most effective way to roll out GroupWise.

IT Staff Working Session
Specificially for the IT team, help desk and trainers, participants learn the client side of GroupWise in a hands-on, fast-paced environment with an emphasis on common user errors, tips and tricks, and various technical issues. During this training, you will make decisions about customizing GroupWise, which dramatically decreases the Help Desk calls down the road. The tips and troubleshooting you'll learn in this class will save you months of discovery on your own.

Pilot Group
Recommended but not practical for some organzations, a pilot implementation helps work out the kinks of a new technology rollout. Even if the group is just a couple of people, it can save you headaches down the road.

The pilot group should be a software savvy group, not a political group. It should be a different set of users than your IT and Help Desk staff, preferable a mix of staff and management (as long as the managers are willing to be tolerant of hiccups). Participants should use a wide range of features. They need to be more thoroughly trained than the average user.

After and during implementation, this group often inherently becomes a support resource for other employees.

End-User Training
The Working Session has taken place, customization has been implemented, and the pilot test is over. All of this reduces the amount of information that end-users need to learn, which means less time in class and greater production sooner. We incorporate practical uses, your policies and procedures, Netiquette, and specifics about how your GroupWise is implemented (i.e. synching with PDAs, using Shared Address Books, using department-wide calendars, etc.).

Executive Briefings
VIPs who use technology casually usually have no need (or desire) to know software in-depth. In these short, one-on-one training sessions (usually about an hour and a half), we cover just the features that are pertinent to the way the executive works. Often conducted very early in the morning, it allows the busy exec to still have a full work day. Their secretary/assistant should already be well-trained and experienced with GroupWise since the boss is likely rely on them for support.

On-site Coaching
We're where your users need us most: at their desk. As a supplement to your help desk or working one-on-one, we walk the floors or handle the phones to troubleshoot, solve problems and answer questions.

HITS! (Hints, Information, Tips and Shortcuts)
These hands-off sessions are packed with practical uses, undocumented how to's and work-arounds. We can cover any topic: calendaring, managing messages, rules, sharing information with others, address book issues, netiquette, working with attachments, document management.

Often conducted as brown-bag lunches, HITS! is designed to fill in the gaps for people already using GroupWise, even if they've not had formal training. HITS! are also ideal for introducing new procedures or simply handling Q&A's. See our Lunch and Learn information for a complete list of sessions.

GroupWise Document Management (DMS) for the IT Team
Whether you plan to rollout DMS to everyone or just a few, you need to know the backend. Save trial and error time by spending a half day with us. Set up a library, create lookup tables, customize property sheets, and tailor the GW client to work the way you need. Learn the gotchas to avoid and the shortcuts to take.

We recommend that DMS be implemented at any any time after GroupWise has been successfully rolled out, not simultaneously.

Document Management (DMS) for End Users
If DMS is going to be integrated with applications, end users will need to know how to profile and find documents. GW is taking over their save function on their desktop applications and users often cannot find the document later unless they understand how DMS works.

Depending on the participants' experience with and knowledge of document management services in general and experience with using some of the core GroupWise features, these hands-on class can be an hour long to a half day in length. If DMS is not integrated, a simple 30-minute hands-off class usually is sufficient for end users.

972.255.0555
info@loriquinn.com
©1998-2007 Lori Quinn

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