Customising help in bought packages?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Hanlie Pretorius wondered: <<The retail company I work for is moving 
from developing software to buying the software we need for our 
business. We're probably going to go for 'wall-to-wall' SAP. I was 
wondering whether any one else on the list has experienced 
thistransition and how did it affect your job?>>

I haven't gone through this myself, but a consultant friend reports 
that the buzz in the consultant community is that SAP is considered the 
"consultant income-security program". That's primarily for those who 
oversee the implementation--time-consuming and lucrative work--but I 
get a strong impression that enormous amounts of custom documentation 
and training are required to teach employees how to use the software 
once it's installed.

Perhaps this is something that could be tied in with ISO-9001 
certification. If you're going to all the trouble to document all these 
new processes, why not get a nifty new certificate for your business at 
the same time?

<<We've been assured that no one here will lose their jobs, but I fear 
that even if this is true, the nature of my job might change to 
something I don't enjoy. Or perhaps it'll change to something I enjoy 
better!>>

There's an old cliche that every major scary change represents an 
opportunity in disguise. This may be true for you too; someone will 
have to teach all the employees how to use the software. If you enjoy 
that kind of work, maybe it's time for you to ponder a career 
transition--or at least a break from your regular job until the 
employee docs are done. (Careful, though: if they hire someone to 
replace you while you're working on the SAP docs, you want to be very 
sure your original job is waiting for you when you come back.)

--Geoff Hart   ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca
(try geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com if you don't get a reply)


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