This article is part nine of a ten-part series that will focus on lessons learned from decades of project and program management within higher education.
Implementing an ERP system in higher education involves significant change and requires thorough planning, especially in terms of change management and training. Here are some key lessons to help navigate these areas effectively:
Change Management
Prioritizing Change Impacts
- Focus on Significant Changes First: Address the most impactful changes early on. This sets a solid foundation and helps manage potential resistance.
- Measure Success Early: Establish how you will measure success through Benefits Realization Management (BRM), whether small or large. This ensures clarity and alignment throughout the project.
Engaging the Community
- Frequent Demonstrations: Engage your community early and often with system demonstrations (e.g., demos, road shows, day-in-the-life scenarios). These help familiarize stakeholders with the system and reduce resistance.
- Collaboration with HR: Some roles will experience changes in job responsibilities. Collaborate with HR early and support them as they lead reclassification processes.
Tailoring Engagement Strategies
- Audience-Specific Strategies: Faculty, staff, and students may require different engagement approaches. Tailor strategies to address each group’s unique needs and concerns.
- Utilize Business Leaders: Communications, presentations and demonstrations will receive more support if led by the business owners versus project team members. Partner with them early so that acceptance and ownership are evident as you approach deployment
- Innovative Communication Channels: Go beyond traditional email communication. Utilize modern channels such as YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok to reach diverse audiences effectively.
Training
Documentation and Responsibility
- Procedural Documentation: Your implementation partner may not provide procedural documentation unless specifically requested in the contract. Even then, institutional resources and subject matter expertise will be required.
- Design Delays Impact Training: If any design area is delayed, training will be affected. Ensure that design remains on track to avoid disruptions.
Leveraging Tools and Expertise
- Online Tools: Utilize online tools for creating procedural and training documentation. Clearly define who is responsible for maintaining these resources after deployment.
- Supplementing Trainers: Even professional trainers require support from subject matter experts to ensure that content is accurate and institution specific.
Cost-Effective Training Approaches
- Online Training: Consider online training to reduce costs and avoid competition for physical lab space.
- Train-the-Trainer Model: For larger institutions, a distributed train-the-trainer approach works best. This model can be effective both for initial deployment and for ongoing support.
Conclusion
Effective change management and training are critical to the success of any ERP implementation in higher education. By focusing on impactful changes, engaging stakeholders through tailored strategies, and ensuring comprehensive training, institutions can navigate the complexities of ERP transitions smoothly. These lessons learned offer a roadmap for achieving success, ensuring the institution is well-prepared for both initial deployment and long-term sustainability.
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About the author:
Christopher (Chris) Mercer has over forty years of experience in higher education, including the last twenty-five years consulting as an Executive Program/Project Director/Manager and other leadership roles. Chris has managed or been engaged in more than four dozen programs\projects during his career.