In today’s digital economy, every company has had to transform into a technology company, regardless of industry or size.
In order to fuel this shift to the Intelligent Enterprise, businesses are not only tasked with implementing next-gen solutions like the cloud, they must also provide continuous training to help employees seamlessly integrate these technologies into their day-to-day roles.
With five generations working together in the modern workforce, taking a static approach to learning and development is no longer an option. Baby boomers through Generation Z need customizable resources in real time to keep up with the pace of constant innovation cycles.
To accommodate this, SAP is facilitating intelligent in-app user assistance through the SAP Enable Now Framework, and making continuous, personalized learning a reality.
What You Need, Where You Need It
Regardless of a user’s learning preferences, they cannot afford significant periods of downtime to search for answers to application-specific questions or sit in outdated classroom-style training sessions. That’s why SAP Enable Now provides context-sensitive assistance through its dedicated Web assistant that comes embedded within select SAP cloud solutions. Through one click, users can pull the Web assistant up within a workflow and access — for example, in SAP S/4HANA Cloud — more than 1,000 learning tutorials, guided tours, how-to videos, and additional resources specific to usage history, personal preferences, and the solution at hand.
Unlike many traditional training platforms, SAP Enable Now Framework allows for instantaneous updates to content, meaning that all learning materials reflect the latest version of a customer’s solution environment. Not only does the SAP Enable Now Framework continuously refresh its content on the back end, it also alerts users of software updates as they occur and offers the opportunity to explore new features through a dedicated “What’s New” area. Instead of waiting for the next iteration of a software manual to be published, users can quickly take advantage of guided tours that walk through the upgraded areas of their solution.
By taking away the added step of searching for assistance and the need to manually update learning materials, SAP customers like Exxon Mobile are maximizing both their time and efficiency:
“SAP Enable Now Framework has allowed us to greatly expand the scope and availability of our training material. Previously, our strategy was to train everyone prior to a system implementation or update, and then make that same classroom material available, in limited fashion, via in-application help. Through the Web Assistant component, our approach has shifted to focus on the provision of all ‘training content’ for ‘just-in-time/point-of-need’ reference via in-application help, and then leverage that same continuously evolving content for in-classroom pre-implementation training where appropriate. This allows us to make sure our users have all the information they need, when they need it, and where they need it.”
Putting Content Creation in the Hands of the User
Another implication of a multi-generation workforce is ensuring consistent knowledge transfer between outgoing and incoming employees, as well as meeting generational, line-of-business, or time-sensitive needs. While automation is a key aspect of delivering real-time learning and enablement, it’s also important to factor in human needs and ad hoc shifts to make sure content is fully in line with business goals.
To address this, SAP Enable Now Framework also provides content authoring functionality that allow users to customize and extend materials to fit their needs. According to SAP customers, continuous updates coupled with the ability to tailor materials has reduced the time to develop training content by 60 percent and reduced the time to review content by up to 50 percent. By focusing on updating training materials with anecdotal information instead of developing them from scratch, users can spend more time applying their knowledge and less time feeling like they need to play catch-up.
Experience Intelligent User Assistance for Yourself
SAP Enable Now Framework is currently available for SAP S/4HANA, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SAP Marketing Cloud, and SAP SuccessFactors solutions, with additional cloud solution availability planned for the near future.
Ready to experience how SAP Enable Now Framework can enable every member of your workforce through continuous, in-app learning? Join the free online course SAP Enable Now Framework on openSAP. Complement your SAP TechEd Learning Journey by visiting our learning experience space this year at the developer garage at SAP TechEd in Las Vegas and Barcelona for a demo.
Jan Meyer is senior vice president and global head of Portfolio Management for SAP Knowledge and Education at SAP.
