Saeed AhmedBusiness Readiness Manager – National Grid

Ancile uPerform / SAP Productivity Pak

IntroductionSaeed AhmedBusiness Readiness Manager – Solution Optimisation Centre

• Over 8 years hands-on experience with Ancile uPerform and predecessor products

• Share a passion for wanting to educate users in the best way possible, harnessing technology and maximising the learning experience

• Work with a professional team of training developers to create content catering for different audiences. Also look after Training Environments using realistic data

• Have been actively involved in the creation of 1,000+ training simulations and 100+ eLearning courses and Knowledge Checks (Assessments)

• Always seeking new and innovative ways to reach out to audiences

• Member of the Best Change Management Team 2012 @ the National Management and Leadership Awards

National Grid – Who Are We

National Grid is an international electricity and gascompany based in the UK and North-Eastern US. We play a vital role in connecting millions of people to the energythey use, safely, reliably and efficiently.

In the UK we own the electricity transmission system in England and Wales, and operate the system in Great Britain.We also own and operate the gas transmission system in Great Britain as well as four of the eight gas distribution networks.

In the US our electricity and gas distribution business provide services to customers in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. We also own and operate an electricity transmission network spanning upstate New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Common Perception

IT Support Roles

Strong Business Readiness/Customer Focus background

GDFO (Gas Distribution Front Office)

• The largest IT Project in National Grid history (£200m +)

• 6000 End Users

• Field Based and Office Workers

• Blended Learning was key

• Hands-on experience essential in addition to strong Post Go Live Support

First Challenge was to find a training tool which met all these complex requirements

Following a comprehensive review of training simulation software, Ancile uPerform (SPP) was selected as the tool of choice for the whole company to develop training materials

My Role – Business Readiness Manager

Pre 2006

• SIMPLE – from a live system and ‘paste’ into a Word document

2006-2009

• First opportunity for National Grid to use a Training Simulation tool (RWD InfoPak)

• Limited usage due to functionality of application and knowledge of full capability

• Mainly office based users; training supplemented by on-the-job exercises

• Not time critical (no on-day activities impacted)

2009 - present

• We required a much more versatile product to cater for a broader range of users

• Application needed to have a web interface - strong authoring features - eLearning capability – assessments not linked to Simulations

• Learning Management System integration

Historical Usage

National Grid – Gas Distribution

Field Based Office Based

Key Challenge

• Developing training material using a ‘blended learning’ concept in a way we could train all users in a consistent manner regardless of process area and background

Following a comprehensive review of Training Simulation packages we opted for Ancile (RWD) uPerform

1. Designed and created a Generic Template

2. Agreed the outputs required (PDF only for WI, Auto/Standard for Sims)

3. Assigned authors to content development dependant on expertise

4. Agreed on end user access (Internal InfoNet linking to uPerform server – Compliance with Company Policy)

5. Tested publishing to LMS for eLearning and Knowledge Checks

Usage of uPerform has grown steadily

since installation in 2009

What Did We Do

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Pro

ject

s &

Do

cum

ents

Projects

Documents

Online Training

Internal InfoNet Training and Procedures – Landing Page

Categorisation by System

… by Module Name

Simulation

Wo

rk In

stru

ctio

n

Assessment Success

Learning Management System

Course Catalogue

Knowledge Check

Questions in Different Formats

Assessment FeedbackReporting

Statistics

13 Live Projects

1k+ Training Simulations

/45 Authors50+ Knowledge Checks

… and Growing

• Server and Client Version upgrade as new developments arise

• Continue providing consultancy services to other Lines of Business

• Create a Training Catalogue

• Expand Offering to extend beyond purely systems based training

• Video Standard Operating Procedures

Continue excellent working relationship with Ancile …

The Future …