Comments for EAConsult http://www.eaconsult.com Enterprise Applications Consulting – Josh Greenbaum Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:39:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on SAP buys Datango, and the Race to (Finally) Give End User Training its Due Begins by James Webb http://www.eaconsult.com/2012/01/16/sap-buys-datango-and-the-race-to-finally-give-end-user-training-its-due-begind/#comment-627 James Webb Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:39:39 +0000 http://www.eaconsult.com/?p=700#comment-627 Josh, I absolutely agree with most of what you say - I sell and manage end user training on a variety of ERP systems and most of my effort goes not in to creating a valuable training programme but in educating the consumers in the fact that there is any value at all in training. Sadly, this attitude is to be found in many of the major software implementation houses and many of the direct vendors too. As you say, training is an essential part of ensuring that customers achieve their ROI but it seems to be overlooked at the sales stage because: a) the provider is trying to keep the cost of the bid down, and does not have the confidence and knowledge to sell training as the valuable product it is b) most software vendors make a big thing of how intuitive and easy to use their software is, which immediately torpedoes the training proposition. It's not true to say that training is always a failure though - we've been working for several years in this area and have hundreds of happy customers to show for it. It's a rare but undeniable pleasure to work with clients who really understand the value of what we do, and who are prepared to make an investment in their people, and as you say it's down to the industry as a whole to get this up the agenda. One final word on Datango - having looked at it ourselves, customers have to be aware that it is only a tool, and it requires good instructional design skills in order to create a training programme from it that will have a lasting impact. Microsoft Access is a great product, but just buying it doesn't mean you have a database that your company can use, and elearning software is exactly the same. Josh, I absolutely agree with most of what you say – I sell and manage end user training on a variety of ERP systems and most of my effort goes not in to creating a valuable training programme but in educating the consumers in the fact that there is any value at all in training.

Sadly, this attitude is to be found in many of the major software implementation houses and many of the direct vendors too. As you say, training is an essential part of ensuring that customers achieve their ROI but it seems to be overlooked at the sales stage because:
a) the provider is trying to keep the cost of the bid down, and does not have the confidence and knowledge to sell training as the valuable product it is
b) most software vendors make a big thing of how intuitive and easy to use their software is, which immediately torpedoes the training proposition.

It’s not true to say that training is always a failure though – we’ve been working for several years in this area and have hundreds of happy customers to show for it. It’s a rare but undeniable pleasure to work with clients who really understand the value of what we do, and who are prepared to make an investment in their people, and as you say it’s down to the industry as a whole to get this up the agenda.

One final word on Datango – having looked at it ourselves, customers have to be aware that it is only a tool, and it requires good instructional design skills in order to create a training programme from it that will have a lasting impact. Microsoft Access is a great product, but just buying it doesn’t mean you have a database that your company can use, and elearning software is exactly the same.

]]> Comment on SAP buys Datango, and the Race to (Finally) Give End User Training its Due Begins by The End User Training Arms Race | HarrisData Blog http://www.eaconsult.com/2012/01/16/sap-buys-datango-and-the-race-to-finally-give-end-user-training-its-due-begind/#comment-625 The End User Training Arms Race | HarrisData Blog Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:33:28 +0000 http://www.eaconsult.com/?p=700#comment-625 [...] conclusion should we reach from SAP answering Oracle’s investment in training technology? That the big ERP players care about the successful use of their products? While that spin may work [...] [...] conclusion should we reach from SAP answering Oracle’s investment in training technology? That the big ERP players care about the successful use of their products? While that spin may work [...]

]]> Comment on Enterprise Gamification: How Gamification will Make the Social, Collaborative Dream a Reality by Bart Benson http://www.eaconsult.com/2012/01/05/enterprise-gamification-how-gamification-will-make-the-social-collaborative-dream-a-reality/#comment-615 Bart Benson Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:06:17 +0000 http://www.eaconsult.com/?p=696#comment-615 Thanks for posting some thoughtful articles. Agree completely that gamification can help drive outcomes. I spent many years working with enterprise scheduling and optimization systems. The problem always was...how do you actually make those optimal plans into "action". There just wasn't a closed loop, because the planning was just a theory that real life managers would ignore. It seems Gamification, social tools, and mobile tools with a dash of collaboration (or what we used to call a Community of Expertise in the old days) gives us a combo that actually creates change and nudge people (positively) towards an optimum outcome. We can measure KPIs based not only on achievements at the "end" of the project, but based on activity streams mid-way. Or that's the theory. Thanks for posting some thoughtful articles. Agree completely that gamification can help drive outcomes. I spent many years working with enterprise scheduling and optimization systems. The problem always was…how do you actually make those optimal plans into “action”. There just wasn’t a closed loop, because the planning was just a theory that real life managers would ignore.

It seems Gamification, social tools, and mobile tools with a dash of collaboration (or what we used to call a Community of Expertise in the old days) gives us a combo that actually creates change and nudge people (positively) towards an optimum outcome. We can measure KPIs based not only on achievements at the “end” of the project, but based on activity streams mid-way. Or that’s the theory.

]]> Comment on Microsoft Dynamics makes manufacturing a game, sort of…. by Microsoft Dynamics Still Killing It During Difficult Quarter for Redmond | ServicesANGLE http://www.eaconsult.com/2011/04/11/microsoft-dynamics-makes-manufacturing-a-game-sort-of%e2%80%a6/#comment-614 Microsoft Dynamics Still Killing It During Difficult Quarter for Redmond | ServicesANGLE Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:26:27 +0000 http://ematters.wordpress.com/?p=568#comment-614 [...] Kinect [...] [...] Kinect [...]

]]> Comment on The Customer Comes Second…..Oracle’s Engineered for Investors Software Stack by Boomer http://www.eaconsult.com/2011/10/10/the-customer-comes-second%e2%80%a6-oracle%e2%80%99s-engineered-for-investors-software-stack/#comment-613 Boomer Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:23 +0000 http://ematters.wordpress.com/?p=645#comment-613 When will oracle customers understand that ULA's are bad as they force you to combine all your CSI's into one CSI, making it virtually impossible to every reduce support costs again. More importantly, only the investors win when you sign a ULA. Maybe some companies just like paying more? When will oracle customers understand that ULA’s are bad as they force you to combine all your CSI’s into one CSI, making it virtually impossible to every reduce support costs again.

More importantly, only the investors win when you sign a ULA. Maybe some companies just like paying more?

]]> Comment on SAP buys Datango, and the Race to (Finally) Give End User Training its Due Begins by Michael Doane http://www.eaconsult.com/2012/01/16/sap-buys-datango-and-the-race-to-finally-give-end-user-training-its-due-begind/#comment-612 Michael Doane Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:42:28 +0000 http://www.eaconsult.com/?p=700#comment-612 Josh, fine post and I will be curious to follow this promising acquisition. The sad secret is that SAP itself has been as negligent about end user competency as has been their clients, so any attention, especially in the form of an actual acquisition, is welcome. What I would advise SAP to do next is to "MAKE THE CLIENT CARE", something they have no succeeded at in their history. Josh, fine post and I will be curious to follow this promising acquisition. The sad secret is that SAP itself has been as negligent about end user competency as has been their clients, so any attention, especially in the form of an actual acquisition, is welcome. What I would advise SAP to do next is to “MAKE THE CLIENT CARE”, something they have no succeeded at in their history.

]]> Comment on SAP buys Datango, and the Race to (Finally) Give End User Training its Due Begins by SAP acquires workforce performance software from datango AG - SAP Watch http://www.eaconsult.com/2012/01/16/sap-buys-datango-and-the-race-to-finally-give-end-user-training-its-due-begind/#comment-611 SAP acquires workforce performance software from datango AG - SAP Watch Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:55:34 +0000 http://www.eaconsult.com/?p=700#comment-611 [...] his blog today, Josh Greenbaum advised that “SAP is doing something significant in the acquisition of Datango,” [...] [...] his blog today, Josh Greenbaum advised that “SAP is doing something significant in the acquisition of Datango,” [...]

]]> Comment on Enterprise Gamification: How Gamification will Make the Social, Collaborative Dream a Reality by JoshEAC http://www.eaconsult.com/2012/01/05/enterprise-gamification-how-gamification-will-make-the-social-collaborative-dream-a-reality/#comment-600 JoshEAC Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:13:06 +0000 http://www.eaconsult.com/?p=696#comment-600 I think reward-based behavior is biological in humans -- it's the foundation of sociobiology and much of behavior science as well. Collaboration for the sake of it is a misnomer, and if my business goal is to get you to collaborate then I should be willing to share the rewards of achieving my goal with you: hence the rationale for enterprise gamification I think reward-based behavior is biological in humans — it’s the foundation of sociobiology and much of behavior science as well. Collaboration for the sake of it is a misnomer, and if my business goal is to get you to collaborate then I should be willing to share the rewards of achieving my goal with you: hence the rationale for enterprise gamification

]]> Comment on Enterprise Gamification: How Gamification will Make the Social, Collaborative Dream a Reality by Dennis Howlett http://www.eaconsult.com/2012/01/05/enterprise-gamification-how-gamification-will-make-the-social-collaborative-dream-a-reality/#comment-599 Dennis Howlett Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:13:17 +0000 http://www.eaconsult.com/?p=696#comment-599 There's one niggle with this. If my experience is anything to go on it seems that those who are most willing to collaborate do so because of the satisfaction they get from that activity. Those I have met cannot rationally explain why they collaborate and are often shy about talking to the personal sense of joy that brings although that is a common aspect of their unstated rationale. The rest are simply being bought through a reward system and I'm not convinced that is sustainable. At least not right now. On KPI/ROI - if you're starting with outcomes then the equations should work out for themselves. RIght? That helps prioritise and rank whatever projects/goals are in management's thinking. There’s one niggle with this. If my experience is anything to go on it seems that those who are most willing to collaborate do so because of the satisfaction they get from that activity. Those I have met cannot rationally explain why they collaborate and are often shy about talking to the personal sense of joy that brings although that is a common aspect of their unstated rationale. The rest are simply being bought through a reward system and I’m not convinced that is sustainable. At least not right now.

On KPI/ROI – if you’re starting with outcomes then the equations should work out for themselves. RIght? That helps prioritise and rank whatever projects/goals are in management’s thinking.

]]> Comment on The Customer Comes Second…..Oracle’s Engineered for Investors Software Stack by Oracle Misses So Much in the Quarter: Applications are Down, but Can Hardware Fix the Problem? | EAConsult http://www.eaconsult.com/2011/10/10/the-customer-comes-second%e2%80%a6-oracle%e2%80%99s-engineered-for-investors-software-stack/#comment-574 Oracle Misses So Much in the Quarter: Applications are Down, but Can Hardware Fix the Problem? | EAConsult Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:20:20 +0000 http://ematters.wordpress.com/?p=645#comment-574 [...] actually integrate them to the rest of the suite. This is the essential fallacy of the company’s “engineered for investors” strategy: buying all these pieces makes it hard on customers who actually have to pay the price of [...] [...] actually integrate them to the rest of the suite. This is the essential fallacy of the company’s “engineered for investors” strategy: buying all these pieces makes it hard on customers who actually have to pay the price of [...]

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