Lessons Learned in Implementing PeopleSoft ELS 9.0

Kenneth PettyHill-Rom, Senior Project Manager

&Chris Kirsanoff

Oracle Consulting, Solution Director

Lessons Learned in Implementing

PeopleSoft ELM 9.0

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Leading worldwide manufacturer/provider of medical technologies and services

• Patient support systems• Safe mobility and handling solutions• Non-invasive therapeutic products• Medical equipment rentals• Information technology solutions

MissionEvery day, around the world, we enhance outcomes for patients and their caregivers

www.hill-rom.com

Hill-Rom

Frames &Integrated Surfaces

Therapeutic Surfaces and

Support Systems

Patient Support Systems

NaviCare ® Patient Safety Suite

Health Information Technology

Nurse Alerts and Communication

Respiratory Care

SurgicalSupport Systems

Therapy DeliveryPatient Environment

AP & Furniture

Medical Equipment

Management Services

Hill-Rom Products & Services

Agenda

• Why is ELM different

• DIY or Hire an Implementation Partner

• Key Design Considerations

• Data Conversion

• Integration

• Testing

• Training

Why is ELM different?

• Scope of users

o Everyone in the company uses it

o Vast continuum of technical savvy among users

o Intermittent use by user community

• Specialized terminology for ELM

o Programs, Catalog Items, Activities, etc.

• Understanding of the specialized technologies

o AICC, SCORM, Integration Broker

• “Training shouldn’t be required for a training system!”

DIY or Hire a Partner

• Specialized Knowledge Required

o You must have specialized experience in order to be successful or you will pay more in the long run.

� How to install

� Highly configurable – need expertise in translating your needs and process into the system

� AICC and SCORM troubleshooting

� Integration Broker

o Not every “PeopleSoft person” knows what you need to know to set up ELM

o Look for people familiar with your release of ELM

DIY or Hire a Partner – Lessons Learned

• We hired a partner to assist.

o Make sure they have done ELM Implementations in the version you are installing – not just the partner but the individuals you will be employing.

• Don’t short-change post go-live support

o Have a SME stay on to assist in troubleshooting. Need experience in troubleshooting AICC and SCORM eLearning content, and handling general system operations. Valuable time to train you.

Key ELM Implementation Decisions

• Learning Environments (how will the system be administered?)

• Learner Groups (how will learners access content?)

• Internal Learners and External Learners

• Catalog Structure (how will you define courses, classes, programs, etc.?)

• Reporting

• Security

• Data Conversion

• Business Processes

• Customizations

Key ELM Implementation Decisions –Lessons Learned

• Keep it simple!

o We went with a single learning environment for all 23 countries and all employees and contractors

o One learning environment for all external learners.

o Catalog needs to be rationalized and strive to keep it as flat as possible. Time invested here pays big dividends.

o We did not implement supplemental learning to start

o We have it as an intranet-accessible only application

o We allow browsing of the catalog, self-assignment, and do not use manager approvals


• If you suspect you will use Asian languages have the database built using UTF8 instead of ASCII. The “Standard” install is for English and using ASCII code set.

• Limit the number of languages you install based upon those you need and will have content/users for.

o The Verity index builds a separate index file for each language installed and if you install 8 languages it will take 8x as long to build as if you installed only one.

o The multiple languages implementation requires you install patches and bundles made for multiple languages and increases the testing permutations.


• Limit customizations.

o With few exceptions the issues that have arisen have been in our customizations.

o The benefits must be weighed against the costs in time and money, not just for the initial set-up but for years of on-going support.

• We have external learners and internal learners

o Internal learners are all employees and contractors

� These are in our HRMS system

o External learners are people who take training on our products at our training facilities

� These are not in our HRMS system

ELM Data Conversion

• Conversion Strategy

o How will converted data be used?

o “Live” catalog data or Supplemental learning?

o Specific content or users?

o Specific dates?

• What Data?

o Learning Catalog (Courses, Classes, Instructors, etc.)

o Learners/Transcripts

o Supplemental Learning

o Compliant Content (AICC/SCORM) structure files

ELM Data Conversion – Lessons Learned

• Data Conversion?

o We had to do it. We are regulated by the FDA and information on our employees training must be maintained in detail.

o Don’t do it if you can avoid it as will take much longer than you will plan. (2-3x as long is our experience)

o Your data is not as clean as you think and when you undertake this you will find out

o Recommend using ETL�Staging Tables � Run in through Component Interface (CI) method.

o Do many test runs and take several days or even weeks to use the application with the converted data fully to uncover issues.

ELM Data Conversion – Lessons Learned

• Data Conversion?

o Converted all our eLearning content (302 AICC courses, we had no SCORM content at the time) and needed to test all of them in the new environment to be certain they worked. The process was straightforward and only 37 needed troubleshooting. The testing took quite awhile.

o Brought over entire Learning Catalog

� Learners

� Programs

� Catalog Items

� Activities

� Transcripts/Rosters

ELM Integration

Inte

gra

tio

n B

roke

r

EL

M In

teg

ratio

n L

aye

r

PeopleSoft Enterprise

Learning Management

Chargebacks

Financials

ChartFields

e-Mail Server

Competencies

Human

Resources

Person/Org Data

Credit Card

Calendar

Webcast

AICC/SCORM

Content Vendors

LDAP / SSO

Common ELM Integrations

• HRMS

o Person/Org Data

o Competencies

• Sources of External Learners

• Financials

• Portal

• AICC/SCORM Content

• Webcast System

• LCMS

• Credit Card Authorization

• LDAP

• Single Sign-On

ELM Integrations Methods

• Batch / Flat-File

• Enterprise Integration Points

• Component Interface

• Web Services / XML

ELM Integration – Lessons Learned

• LDAP Integration

o Straightforward and WELL worth the work.

o Easiest if all network IDs are similar format and all ELM users log in to their computers.

o 400% drop in calls for password resets once implemented.

• Interface to HRMS

o We have integrated to PeopleSoft HCM 9.1 and it provisions new learners and updates learner status using Web Services

o Also had it integrated to JDE-HR prior to PeopleSoft using automated FTP and Batch processing.

ELM Testing – Lessons Learned

• Plan Lots of Time

o At least three Test-Fix-Test Cycles as a minimum

o Test Converted Data as “early” as possible and as often as possible – more is better.

o Build Test Data – a lot of test data

o Need time for full process to happen to test all system events (assign training – let time pass –complete some and not others – drop and add – then let it expire and check rosters, reports, All Learning page for the various learners and various statuses)

ELM Testing – Lessons Learned

• Plan Lots of Time

o Spend lots of time on reports that will be used for compliance or employee performance.

o Don’t rush it! Bugs found once you go live will be remembered for years to come.

o A brilliant success is for people to say nothing.

ELM Training – Lessons Learned

• We developed eLearning in six languages and rolled out to the company two weeks before the system went live

• Plan on lots of questions

• Communicate that a change is coming

o Give value proposition and “What is in it for me?”

o Make clear the path you want them to follow

o Use as many channels as possible

� E-mail newsletters, posters, lunch-n-learns, etc.

ELM Training – Lessons Learned

• Enlist the learner as an ally-ask them to help you.

• Remember-this is not their “real job” they want as little training as possible in the fastest fashion possible

o Be brief – be brilliant – be gone

• Learners don’t want a training system that requires lots of training to use.

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