News
More Projects, More Experience, More Success
Optimum were busier than ever designing and delivering end user training programs for Agresso implementations in 2007. Optimum:
- worked on - 24 Client projects
- spent - 1961 days on client sites
- trained - 9634 delegates
- developed - 116 different courses
This means that we were working on our widest breadth of projects to date. The design and delivery of training programs incorporated work on upgrades to Agresso 5.5 as well as new implementations and the integration of service pack 2 to client builds. Our team itself has developed new strengths to meet the varied needs of the projects and thrived on the dynamic working environments Agresso projects provide.
David Blake, Project Manager says “creating solutions that meet the needs of so many different types of users has given us the opportunity to work with a some great teams in 2007 and everyone involved is looking forward to 2008 providing more success, not just for Optimum but for the people that actually use the Agresso systems we train on”.
Projects: A team approach
Coordinating the aspects of any project can be a challenging and invigorating task that involves drawing together all members of the team, their contributions and keeping everything focussed on the tasks in hand.
At Optimum we do this by creating strong teams and use collaborative tools such as SharePoint for document storage, sharing ideas and capturing key information about our client’s projects.
We have project coordinators who help organise the logistics of a project such as booking rooms for training delivery, inviting delegates to attend training, capturing feedback and making sure the trainers are where they need to be, when they need to be.
The secret of our success is our project methodology which has been borne out of years of experience and a desire to define and deliver training programs that are going to create confident and competent end users on the system. Our proactive approach to project management means we have open relationships with our clients helping them at every step of the way to realise the benefits of their investment.
Investment starts right here
When it comes to development and investment in staff we believe we have to start with a positive approach within our organisation before we can encourage it in others. Development in our staff can take many different forms. We run internal workshops for trainers on topics such as: Understanding Learning Styles , a Consultancy Approach to Client Interactions and the Principles of Delegating. Our support staff are able to become more successful by attending other sessions such as Project Management & You, Effective Meetings and Leadership Development workshops.
We create learning paths that show our staff the journey they need to take to acquire the knowledge and skills they need, and while we encourage independent development the whole process is guided by our training manager Rosemarie Brown. Rose says “training consultants need more than just product knowledge these days, they need to be able adapt to many different environments and constructively help our clients create training programs for sophisticated audiences. I see learning as an ongoing process and that’s what makes it really engaging and dynamic.”
Optimum to host workshop at Agresso User Conference
The annual Agresso User Conference is taking place in Dublin on 12 and 13 February. As Agresso's end user training partner, Optimum is hosting one of the workshops, entitled 'End User Training & Post Go Live Support'. This workshop aims to give practical assistance to organisations who are facing the challenge of ensuring that end users of Agresso are able to use the system effectively.
Agresso is one of the fastest-growing enterprise reporting systems, with clients ranging from the public sector to private firms, and including universities and healthcare organisations. Optimum provides end user training for implementations, upgrades and skills enhancement programmes to ensure that clients get the best from their investment in Agresso.
For more information on Agresso see www.agresso.com
For more information on the user conference see www.agresso.com/uk/subpage.aspx
Training for upgrade to Agresso ABW 5.5
Optimum has recently completed a number of training programmes for clients upgrading to 5.5. The new user interface and functionality mean that users may need training or documentation to help them make a smooth transition without having to spend time finding how to complete day-to-day tasks.
Training for the upgrade is often a great opportunity to reinforce best practice and to ensure that people are using the system effectively, as well as to fill any gaps in knowledge. Additionally, many clients use the upgrade as an opportunity to implement additional functionality, often drawing in new users.
If your organization is planning an upgrade, and you’d like to discuss the training requirements, please give us a call on 020 7776 9876.
Optimum to train internationally with Agresso
Optimum has just started the training delivery phase of a large project for the Department for International Development. Optimum has created a series of role-based training courses for the implementation of a new finance, procurement and reporting system based on Agresso Business World. The training will take place in DFID offices in the UK and across the developing world.
For more information on the work of the Department for International Development, visit www.dfid.gov.uk
All Optimum consultants TAP certified
Optimum recently hosted another in-house TAP course, to allow a further 6 Optimum consultants to achieve this important industry-recognised certification. Optimum is committed to ensuring that all training consultants are certified by the Institute of IT trainers (IITT). Optimum is a member of the IITT and fully supports the IITT quality standards for training organisations.
"We believe that the quality of our business depends on our trainers - we know that every penny we invest in their skills development reaps huge benefits for us. Our Professional Development Programme is second to none - a structured development plan for every training consultant, with product learning, training skills enhancement activities, mentoring, sharing of knowledge and skills through our video library, and technical forums all built in. It's my job to ensure that all our training consultants are developed to the best of their ability, and the TAP course is a great tool to help me do this."
Rosemarie Brown, Trainer Development Manager
For more information on the TAP course and the Institute of IT Trainers, visit www.iitt.org.uk
Agresso User Group Conference 2008
Optimum will be attending the Agresso User Group Conference 2008 in Dublin in February, as an Agresso partner. Visit the Optimum stand for information, case studies, or to discuss your training requirements. Training consultants will be on hand to advise you on any end user training needs. The Agresso User Conference is arranged by the UK User Group Council in conjunction with Agresso Ltd. It is a golden opportunity for users to network with other users, attend workshops designed to address your interests and issues, listen to an inspirational keynote speaker, speak to our sponsors and network at the very popular Gala Dinner. For more information on the conference, please contact Caroline Batten of Agresso caroline.batten@agresso.co.uk.
Optimum to provide Agresso Reporting courses in London
Optimum offers the opportunity to attend Agresso's popular reporting courses at a central London training centre. Agresso's suite of courses covering reporting tools such as Excelerator, Enquiry, Browser and Analyser, Balance Tables and Agresso Report Creator (ARC) are now offered at Optimum's Barbican training centre. These courses are scheduled regularly for open enrolment, and can also be provided as closed company courses."This is an exciting venture," says Jenny Dormer, Agresso's Training Manager. "We hope this new centre will give our customers more choice and more convenient access to the training courses that are available."
For all training enquiries, or to book places on our public courses at either Bristol or London, please contact our training centre on: 0117 3020150