RISE with SAP is much more than an IT offering. It is a novel approach to the transformation of an entire organization into an intelligent enterprise – and this affects everyone involved. That’s why it’s essential for project teams and all end users to be involved and trained effectively.
Networked systems, analytics for decision-making, and modern infrastructures form the IT foundation of an intelligent enterprise. RISE with SAP, which is already empowering global organizations such as Pfeiffer and the NBA, is more than the technical implementation of SAP S/4HANA and the move to the cloud. It places equal importance on transforming existing business processes for the digital age and developing completely new ones. After all, innovation is the basis of tomorrow’s business models. And any transformation must pay close attention to a third aspect: people.
With the courage to change and the knowledge of new processes and tasks, project teams and end users determine the success of transformations. That’s why change management and employee training are key for RISE with SAP efforts.
Basic learning opportunities for the transition to the new digital world are already included:
- SAP experts gain access to e-learning, learning communities, training systems, and regular updates via included SAP Learning Hub licenses.
- Users learn how to use the software within the application via a Web assistant, which features a content library of free standard guided tours, documentation, and tutorials.
Sascha Thiery, head of Deutsche Telekom’s SAP S/4HANA Academy, also sees the relevance of further training. The academy plays a decisive role in ensuring that Europe’s largest mobile communications provider maintains its own “innovation leadership in the digital market,” as Thiery puts it. “Due to digital transformation and the resulting technological changes, there is a huge need for retraining all skill roles,” Thiery said.
Those who want to fully prepare their teams should also take advantage of additional offers.
Ensuring Acceptance for Change and Adoption of Solutions
The first question is: how can we motivate all employees for the transformation project right from the start? After all, teams that have been working together for years are accustomed to their existing workflows and tools.
The holistic approach of SAP Training and Adoption can help with change management as well as training. Starting with a change impact assessment and a training needs analysis, SAP experts first examine the specific status and options for action. To put it simply, the goal is to transparently communicate the course of the project and the benefits of the new solutions and processes to everyone involved so that they can see their concrete personal advantages.
However, in order to also change practices after the transformation and to use the full potential of the new solutions, more than motivation and ownership of the project is needed. All users must be familiar with the capabilities of the new software that are relevant to them and be able to use them confidently. A well-thought-out training strategy can therefore increase the success of a RISE with SAP project many times over. In combination with change management, it turns employees into agents of change.
Moving to Continuous Learning
SAP Training and Adoption can support companies in creating and implementing an individual training strategy. At the beginning of the project, SAP experts focus on training the project members. Employees acquire the latest SAP knowledge firsthand and practice directly on training systems that support knowledge transfer. Even in-depth content is quickly internalized during the exchange with trainers and other learners.
In the Intelligent Enterprise, processes and software functions are constantly evolving. Because of this, every skill and every piece of knowledge has a shorter half-life than before. Continuous learning is correspondingly important. A cloud-based learning platform like SAP Learning Hub makes this possible. Whether they choose from online courses that interest them or through the software that automatically suggests learning depending on their role – employees continue their educational flexibly at their own pace and on their own time. Last year, for example, Porsche subsidiary MHP used SAP Learning Hub to train 500 employees on 6,000 topics alone.
The SAP Learning Journey guides can help you find the right courses among the extensive training options. The visualized recommendations illustrate the best-practice learning path to mastering a solution, subdivided by specialist area and industry. Among the many SAP Learning Journey guides on RISE with SAP, there is now also one specifically for SAP solution architects.
Another option for efficient training for RISE with SAP is SAP Blended Learning Academy, with separate programs for RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud. Here, participants can benefit from the advantages of different learning methods and flexibly prepare for their RISE with SAP projects in a blended learning approach. They can combine virtual SAP Learning Class courses, which are moderated and guided by SAP instructors, with self-study via SAP Learning Hub and conclude with SAP consultant certification.
For end users, formalized training with standard SAP content is okay, but not the most efficient method. With the Web assistant service, employees can receive immediate support for their questions directly in their SAP applications. This includes interactive documentation, embedded learning programs, and guided tours providing answers in the flow of work. A wide range of learning content on SAP S/4HANA and other solutions is available and is constantly being expanded by SAP. With the help of SAP Enable Now, companies can adapt the existing content or create new content and thus individually design the continuous training of their team.
“RISE with SAP is a complete package; in addition to software and services, learning for experts and users is also integrated,” explains Guido Grüne, head of SAP Training and Adoption, Central and Eastern Europe. Customers and partners keep reporting back on how crucial this is. “These topics are sometimes forgotten, but they are critical to success,” he added.
In a new openSAP course, you will learn the prerequisites for a successful business transformation to the cloud, how the technical migration works, and on which methods and concepts an intelligent enterprise is based. Register now.
Regular updates on SAP training and certifications can also be found in the monthly newsletter. Also, visit SAP Training and Adoption’s web seminars for more information and discussion with experts.
Thomas Jenewein is a business development manager for SAP Training and Adoption.