Throughout the project’s duration, iTrain assigned a dedicated Training Project Manager to Eversheds Sutherland with a brief to undertake such essential tasks as training needs analysis, attendance at project meetings, consultation, meticulous planning, and the generation of weekly reports for the Programme Manager. Working closely and collaboratively with the internal project team daily and Fulcrum GT, who provide the SNAP solution, the Training Manager ensured seamless coordination and effective progress throughout the project lifecycle and ensured key tasks and milestones were on track or escalated if not.

The Training Project Manager also worked closely with the internal Learning and Development team to schedule and manage over 300 training sessions via the firm’s learning management system.

Change Management

The Training Project Manager worked closely with the Change Manager and Communications Manager to help manage the change curve. A face-to-face kick-off day was delivered in March 2023 for all the UK and Europe finance teams. The objective of the day was to help prepare people for the changes that were ahead, to give people visibility of the new system and to answer as many questions as possible, as well as to provide an opportunity to network within those teams impacted by the project.

iTrain Legal trainers and internal contractors hosted and facilitated several breakout sessions on the day to demonstrate the SNAP system in areas such as Billing, Accounts Payable, Financial Management, Credit Control, Cash Management, Reporting, Rates and Client Matter Intake.

With the scale of the project, iTrain Legal also assisted the Communications Manager with communication messages to ensure high attendance at training sessions, where to find additional support in the way of eLearning, videos and guides, and to signpost drop-in sessions during post implementation support.

Finance and Billing Team Training Design and Delivery

For the finance and billing teams, it was essential that they had in-depth, hands-on training of the system. Due to the spread of geographic locations the time, cost and logistics of delivering the training onsite would have been a huge impact.

The SNAP implementation was a significant undertaking and given the nature of the product iTrain Legal introduced Eversheds Sutherland to tools and systems available to ensure that it was implemented in an efficient, effective, and timely manner – Assima and Hurdle.

Assima

Assima offered hyper-realistic simulations of the application, enabling people to learn through practical experience, problem-solving, and trial-and-error, thus fostering confidence. It provided the closest simulation to training in a live system, eliminating associated risks.
Assima was a cost-effective solution for delivering realistic training across multiple applications and business processes. Unlike static image-based solutions, Assima offered fully interactive interfaces that users could freely navigate, click, scroll, and input data, replicating real-system interactions.
Employing Assima eliminated the necessity for a separate training environment, sparing trainers and delegates from the hassles of maintenance and data refreshes.

hurdle

hurdle was used as a live training platform that combined the personal touch found in the classroom with the flexibility and freedom of an online environment.

• Watch to see – The instructor was able to watch each learner on their computer in real time to keep them on track and assist during practical exercises.
• Two-way chat – Everyone in the training session could talk to each other with the instructor having complete control.
• Virtual hand-up – Each attendee could raise their hand virtually to get the attention of the instructor for help.
• Click to control – The instructor could take control of the learner’s computer effortlessly to help the learner understand further.

Front Office Training Design and Delivery

The training programme for the front office teams was designed to ensure that the learners were able to assimilate enough information to get up and running on the new system.  The programme was delivered as close to go live as possible to maximise knowledge retention.  

Focus was placed on system concepts and core new functionality. The training dealt with the key system and process changes, but it also generated excitement by ‘selling’ the features of the new system and generating positivity.

The training focussed on key messages, key skills, and any changes to workflow.

The training was modularised to break sessions into smaller chunks and allow learning to be digested more easily.  It involved several modules around core subject areas such as Reporting and Billing.

Multiple Languages

Training for the finance, billing and front office teams was delivered in French and German by iTrain trainers and training materials were also translated into those languages from English.

Resource Creation

iTrain provided two full time resource creation specialists for the duration of the project to create bespoke guides, videos and eLearning using a variety of tools such as Word, Articulate, Captivate and Assima. Over 100 supporting resources were created in total and hosted on the internal Learning Management System and intranet for people to access during and after the training sessions and during post implementation support.

Post Implementation Support

Once the SNAP system was live it was important to encourage and enable fast user adoption and best practice working methods.  iTrain utilised several ways for Eversheds Sutherland to support and smooth the transition for both the short and longer term. 

Several trainers provided a traditional face to face floorwalking service in key locations, alongside our selection of remote support options for a 3-month period after go live:

• Virtual drop-in remote clinics were available across all time zones. Participants received a link and could join anytime during the working day to ask questions or seek help with knowledge gaps. Breakout rooms facilitated smaller group discussions on particular subjects or training areas.
• In addition to the group training, the training team also provided one-to-one supportfor any colleagues who needed further guidance or assistance with the new system. This ensured that everyone was comfortable and confident with the change and could benefit from the improved efficiency and functionality.
• Online refresher training and workshops were also offered to staff who had previously completed the initial training but wanted to refresh their skills or learn about new features. These sessions were interactive and tailored to the needs and feedback of the participants. They also provided an opportunity to share best practices and tips with colleagues from different regions and departments.