Client Overview
Our client, a leading health and beauty organization sells its products principally through direct selling channels and representatives, as well as operates a consumer website that helps its representatives to manage their business electronically. The company is strongly focused on manufacturing and marketing its beauty products for women worldwide.
Project Description Summary
Our client began a global supply chain planning implementation of Manugistics in 1997. In that time period, Manugistics was implemented in 4 regions that span the globe. In 2006, our client implemented the upgraded version of Manugistics v7.2.x. MEBC personnel were contracted to design, develop, and deliver a comprehensive training program.
The primary business objectives of the comprehensive training program were to:
Develop a training plan and approach that meets schedule, cost and business objectives.
Work with the client to "decompose the integrated Supply Chain planning processes" to ensure that specific activities and responsibilities have been defined at a sufficient level of detail in the courseware material.
Create and develop a process based training curriculum that delivers the necessary knowledge, training, and education to the user community.
Create standardized course materials that are robust enough to support the global initiative and also taking into account the client's local requirements and following their phased approach to implementation.
Develop "Day in the Life" program/courseware that provides sufficient level of detail to ensure the delivery of effective role based education and training.
Deliver "Pilot" training program, using the "train the trainer" approach, to appropriate core team members, preparing them to effectively deliver process and application training to the end user.
Role and Approach
MEB Consulting (MEBC), selected as the prime courseware development provider, utilized a 4 step approach to design, develop and a deliver the training curriculum and associated courseware to the client. The cornerstone of our approach was to focus on the business process and how end-users utilized the technology to make decisions to support the business.
The MEBC team consisted of a half dozen individuals with varying degrees of focus. During the planning process and infrastructure review phase, MEBC personnel focused their efforts on:
Supporting the client Project Manager by finalizing the project plan and conducting a review of available process documentation, policies and procedures, and systems/data the supported the global implementation.
Conducting on-site interviews with core team members, planners and casual users in an effort to enhance our understanding of planning processes and needs of end-users.
Developing a detailed requirements plan for the training curriculum & courseware and identified additional infrastructure needs based upon outcome of on-site interviews.
Upon completion of the planning process and infrastructure review phase, MEBC personnel defined course outlines and developed the associated training material for the client. At a high level, the training curriculum detailed the following supply chain concepts:
Basic Manugistics Navigation Training for Casual Users
Advanced Manugistics Configuration for Super Users
In addition to defining and completing the associated training courseware for the Manugistics v7.2.x implementation, MEBC personnel conducted onsite training for the client at several international locations. In the case of "train the trainer" courseware delivery, an MEBC consultant was on-site to assist the client trainer while they delivered training to the end user community.
Accomplishments
MEB Consulting successfully designed, developed, and delivered a comprehensive training program for the global roll-out of Manugistics v7.2.x. Course material was delivered on-time and under budget with accuracy and precision. While originally being contracted to assist with the build of a comprehensive training curriculum, our scope of service was broadened to include assisting the client in defining and finalizing business processes to support the enterprise while also participating in the actual delivery of supply chain process and application training to global users.
