Who is responsible for user training

Department resources are responsible for training on software applications for us.  IT just keeps them running for us. -Duane

Where I currently work, for an existing application then typically it will be the department accountable for training up new users.  Usually the department that owns the application has the accountability (so finance are accountable for all user training in the finance apps regardless which department the user is in).  For new applications the project that introduced the new app will usually be accountable.  For horizontal applications (e.g. the office suite, mail system &c) the individual line manager is usually accountable.  Responsibility for actually delivering training usually rests with either the project's training team (for new apps), the department's training team (for existing vertical apps) or the central training team (for horizontal apps and where delegated from a project or department).  IT is typically only accountable for training of their own staff and where the project that delivered a new app was initiated from within IT (e.g. move from MS Office 2003 to 2007).

Size of organisation will also have an impact.  Where I currently work is has 24,000 regular users with another 20,000 or so occasional users, thanks to our new HR system which is very self service oriented.  My previous employer was similar size and had a similar strategy as above.  My employer before that was 70-80 users.  There accountability for training rested with the individual line manager with IT for most apps and the Training team for our core app.

Stephen

--

Skype: stephenbooth_uk  | DiSC: 6137

"Start with the customer and work backwards, not with the tools and work forwards" - James Womack

Well it depends.  Sometimes the vendor provides user training as part of the program when their product is purchased.  Sometimes a podcast or webinar is created and the individuals are required to watch these and then submit their questions to IT (or whoever).  Other times there is a dedicated department for this.  It depends on the size of the organization, the number of users, the scope of the project and more

This sounds like a great question for a product we are creating. I'd love your insights. Click www.incedogroup.com/market-research to submit questions or ideas and a chance to win the product.&nb

Typically, if the software application is unique to an area, then that area's learning group does the training.

If, OTOH, the application is enterprise-wide, my group (IT Learning Services) takes the lead on the training. Due to the size of the company, it's usually some form of self-paced online delivery, but we also do instructor-led if it seems justified.