5.7 User Support and Training within a Management Information System

5.7 User Support and Training within a Management Information System

No matter how good a system is, it will fail to reach its potential if it is not used properly. Yet, despite this fact, many users adopt inefficient working methods simply because they do not know how to use it to its full potential.

This section deals with the training of users and the process of solving users’ problems once they are trained.

5.7.3 Types of Training and Support
A variety of training methods are available to companies and to private individuals. These are chosen depending on the needs of the company or individual concerned, although not all methods may be suitable in all scenarios.

Documentation supplied with a software package
Most packages are supplied with user guides, and provided the user has a reasonable amount of knowledge, this is a useful first line of support. If the user has very basic skills, the guide may be confusing, particularly if the documentation uses a number of technical terms.

User documentation can be supplied in one or more of the following formats:
- Getting Started instructions. Includes basic instructions on how to install software or hardware and often refers to printed or electronic manuals for further help.
- Printed Manuals. Due to high printing costs they are not usually supplied with commercial packages any more, although users have the option of paying extra for them.
- Manuals supplied on CD. Many vendors supply entire manuals electronically instead of printing them, It is cheaper and easier to search than a printed manual.
- A searchable help index. This allows the user to type keywords relating to their query to search all available help topics.
- Tutorials built into online help. These take users step-by-step through common tasks
- A list of FAQ’s. Many users can learn a lot from browsing through a compiled list of common queries and their answers
- Tip-of-the-day. When some applications start, a random tip is displayed, often telling them of a feature in the product that they may not be aware of.

Computer Based Training
This extends the idea of the tutorials which are built into the package by adding a separate program that replicates aspects of the software that a user is being trained to use. The tutorial takes users through a series of exercise and may have a test at the end.

Telephone Help Desks
Many vendors operate support lines for their products. The advantage is that users can describe the problem to someone who had often seen the problem many times and knows precisely how to help. If the user can’t describe the problem or if the support personnel do not understand the problem, frustration may occur.

Online user groups
Many programs have unofficial groups of users who help each other, often via an online conference. Experienced users often welcome the interests of new people and are willing to help them. Archives of old material from groups are often available on the internet.

Vendor Newsletters
These are often sent to registered users of products, usually by e-mail. A newsletter can tell customers about product updates are other services provided by the vendor. It can also be used to tell customers of security alerts immediately. Newsletters will often include useful tips on using the software.

Organised Training Courses
In an organised training course the user receives personal attention from a tutor and can compare learning experiences with others. Although this training must be paid for, many people find that it is a worthwhile investment.
People usually take part in these courses to learn about unfamiliar software or to gain formal qualifications.

Companies can also use training courses, and often fund employees to complete formally recognised courses in their own time. A company may arrange for employees to be sent on a few days/weeks intensive training on one single topic. Those trained may then be expected to train their colleagues.
This is more expensive but has the advantage that an ‘expert’ is present within the organisation.

Large organisations may even run training course in-house, where a group within the company will have the responsibility of providing training courses for staff. This has the advantage that courses are designed for exactly what the company requires. However the expertise may not be available internally. In this case a company may choose to out source their training. This ensures that tutors are proficient in the subject taught. However it may not be possible to tailor courses to a company’s precise needs.
A major advantage of training courses over any other form of training is that a person’s time is dedicated to training alone. The course usually takes place outside the usual workplace and therefore well away from distractions.

Video Training
This involves a user, a series of videos, and a set of exercises to follow. The video tutor describes and demonstrates a topic, and may refer users to exercises. If the users miss something they can rewind and watch again, but have no opportunity for questions. Companies can invest in a set of tapes as a “one off” and pass them around employees, rather than sending many people on the same course at a huge cost.

Printed Tutorials
Theses are unlike the workbooks used in some schools and take a student through the main features of common software packages. A good index allows the user to find topics of particular interest if they do not want to work through the entire book. Such material can be provided by software developers or may be written by a third party. It may be presented as a book or a series of tutorials in a periodical.

Company Intranets
Intranets can be used to publish support material that has been written internally or for hosting company wide forums. Some companies prefer to use and intranet to hos their internal discussion boards because of concerns over the security of sensitive material and also the accidental redistribution of copyright material.

5.7.4 Choosing training and support methods
The precise nature of the training and support chosen depends on a number of factors. For private users, the financial cost will be a greater concern than it is to large companies. However, within a company, other costs will be considered such as the disruption caused by sending an employee on a course, as compared to the costs of them using equipment inefficiently.
Other considerations include the following:
- Needs of the User
For example. Senior management have different training needs from a secretary. Likewise, new graduates need different training regarding the operations of a network than a senior network manager. The contents of any training must be relevant to those being trained.
- Qualifications Awarded
Popular suppliers, such as Novell, Microsoft and Cisco certify training. Employers often prefer such a course because they know it is of a definite standard. Employees may also prefer them because it gives them something valuable for their cv.
- Is the software off-the-shelf or bespoke
For bespoke software, a company may have little choice but to use the vendor as the source of training until they have sufficient internal expertise
- Is the software popular?
If the software has been available for a long time a number of dedicated materials and courses are probably available online. If new software is likely to have a wide user base, training organisations will probably develop courses as soon as it is available, or use pre-release copies of the software to prepare in advance.
- Level of the course
Before choosing a course or a book, it is important to know if it is aimed at novice or advanced users.
- Does it disrupt work?
In some environments, tutorial methods that do not take a person away may be preferred. This is often true if the material involved is not vital to work at that moment in time e.g. if they are researching it for future use. For some course it may be desirable to get away from all distractions.
- Cost
Sending people on training course is expensive. If managements do not feel employees will significantly benefit, other training methods will be preferred.