Documentation Associates (DA) has joined the Management Reporting and Financial Operations reengineering team to help prepare MIT to use the new software that will streamline the way we do business.
With extensive experience in end-user training and documentation, DA's objective is to ease the transition to the use of the SAP R/3 system scheduled to begin this summer.
Documentation Associates was selected from several firms providing support in developing technical training programs. DA was chosen after several review meetings and demonstrations at MIT in addition to evaluations by a cross-section of staff from departments across the Institute.
An international company, DA has worked on SAP implementation projects in Europe, Africa, Australia and North America for a variety of organizations. Most recently, they helped the University of Toronto, which adopted a two-phase SAP implementation similar to MIT's. Toronto's central administration offices recently went "live" with SAP. DA worked with the university's systems and training personnel in developing courses and supporting materials for the central administration staff, and carried out some of the training.
MIT has contracted with DA to develop training materials and on-line documentation for employees who will use the SAP R/3 system. Work has begun on some of the end-user support materials such as bulletins and newsletters to disseminate information directly to the groups who will use SAP; business process and system task on-line user guides; a series of "quick guide" reference materials to supplement the on-line user guides; SAP system overview and basics training; and classroom-based courses tailored to MIT to give hands-on, function-specific training.
The SAP implementation project includes a plan for comprehensive training for all SAP users including hands-on training in basic navigation, specific business process training, and system transactions related to the various job functions. Training will be provided for all those who will use the system.
Training for employees in the Comptroller's Accounting Office, Property Office, Office of Financial Planning and Management, Audit Division, Office of Sponsored Programs, and Purchasing will begin this spring in preparation for the summer roll-out. Employees in other departments will receive training next fall before the second release of SAP.
All SAP users can look forward to receiving a series of newsletters about the project beginning in March. The newsletter aims to answer some of the questions raised about SAP and to keep users up to date on MIT's Management Reporting and Financial Operations Project.
For information on SAP training, contact: Cindy Vallino, leader for training and human resources of the Management Reporting and Financial Operations Project, x8-6184, <cindyf@mit.edu> or Thomas Brown, project leader at Documentation Associates, x8-8320, .
