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Digital transformation can be tough for organisations that have been using the same ERP systems for a long time or have a majorly tech-resistant workforce. Any new technology, without hands-on, bottom-up training, can seriously affect productivity and morale. Yet, digitisation cannot be overlooked in an age where the world is hurtling towards fully automated systems. This is where simulation software for systems training comes in. By smoothing the kinks that conventional training methods have, simulation training software can help you integrate even the most complicated technology in record time.
If you are genuinely interested in incorporating simulation systems training in your company, Assima Train can be one of the most helpful tools for you.
Why is Simulation Software Essential for Employee Training in This Age
Systems simulation training has been popular for a long time not just in the professional field but also in academics and research. To train pilots, they use flight simulators to give hands-on, real-world experience rather than learning from videos and pictures. In basic terms, simulation training involves putting the user in an environment that realistically replicates actual scenarios that the users may face while using the new technology. Simulation software for systems training is meant to utilise a dynamically mirrored version of the real platform that bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Being a type of experiential training method, information learned through simulation training is much easier to retain.
One of the major hurdles in digital transformation is the lack of skills and confidence among workers to operate these systems. Salesforce reported in 2022 that 76% of global employees felt out of depth in working in a digitally optimised work environment, yet only 28% were actively trying to acquire the necessary skills for the same. Systems simulation training can be the elixir in L&D to cross these hurdles. It can help workers learn how to work the new digital tool without the fear of making mistakes that can affect the live system.
Benefits of Simulation Software Training
With systems training simulation software, you can achieve better, faster, and more cost-effective employee training. When compared to the advantages of existing learning methods, systems simulation training benefits outnumber them combined.
Better Understanding and Retention
There are 4 main types of traditional learning styles, represented by the acronym VARK (visual, auditory, read/write, kinaesthetic). However, a learning style that encompasses all of these is best for maintaining a consistent training technique and module. Simulation training caters to the needs of all types of learners. Moreover, being an immersive technique that enhances learning by allowing the user to experience the cause and effect of a decision within the system, it leads to better information understanding and retention.
Easier Skill Acquisition
When learners are supplied with only theoretical material without any room for application, it can take a long time to adopt a skill. By allowing realistic practical application at the point of knowledge acquisition through simulation training, a learner is able to ingrain that knowledge into their long-term memory better. This ensures a higher degree of ease in skill assimilation. It also lowers the chance of forgetting in case a worker remains out of commission for some time by leveraging muscle memory.
Contextual Decision-Making
A lot of times, despite intensive training, a person ends up making mistakes on the field due to poor intuition development. Unless taking an action is backed by the consequence of it, it can be difficult to evolve a sense for what the right thing to do in a complicated situation is. By emulating such circumstances during simulation training, you can ensure that your workforce grows the instinct to make the right decision in any context.
Time and Effort Efficiency
Conventional L&D involves supplying learning materials, testing the acquired knowledge and then letting the learners use the new technology. There is little to no overlap between these phases, which means a lot of effort and time must be allocated to each worker before they are ready to go live. Simulation training takes up all these steps simultaneously, which does wonders in conserving valuable time, effort and resources.
Scalability and Agility
When a new technology is introduced, one must update all the old training resources to reflect the changes. You may even need to hire external help if your own people feel ill-equipped to develop learning materials on a system they themselves might not be overly familiar with. This can be a taxing process, especially in an ever-evolving world with constant updates. You can bypass this by plugging in a training simulation software that automatically mirrors the updates and grows with the system, making it scalable and agile.
Higher Confidence and Motivation
Traditional learning methods can often be counter-intuitive in teaching, especially when it comes to the senior population and people with learning or attention issues. This can severely discourage them from accepting new technologies wholeheartedly, if at all. Fear and inertia when it comes to trying new things can result in many users backing out completely. You can instil them with confidence and motivate them to learn better through the interactive and engaging methods of simulation training.
Standardised Training
When it comes to traditional learning materials, the variety can be daunting. Texts, videos, infographics, audio, and more are available, with myriad formats of each. Different workers will choose different media to consume the material, resulting in difficulty in regulating how well or how much information is actually inculcated. Simulation training provides a much higher level of consistency in this respect, making it easier for you to track overall progress.
Hands-On but Mistake-Free Experience
Hands-on learning always fares better than other methods due to multi-dimensional stimuli input, giving learners a better chance to understand the system from all angles. However, one issue with this is that if you make a mistake while learning on the live system, it could affect the business adversely. With simulation software, you can give your employees a chance to work on a realistic version of the system without the fear of mistakes hampering your live operations.
Learning Analytics
By training every employee on a single simulated platform, it becomes easier to gain data and perform analytics on user behaviour for the real system. This can be used not only to improve the simulation software but also the technology it is mirroring. It can also help you identify specific pain points of each employee and address them in a tailored manner without hampering anyone else’s progress.
Tips and Tricks to Integrate Simulation Software for Systems Training
As with any change, adding simulation software for systems training to your L&D approach can only be successful if it is done with a solid plan. Otherwise, you might end up with a bigger mess than you set out to solve. Training is the foundation of the well-oiled machine that any company is, and it should not be taken lightly.
Curious about how Assima’s own 4X patented cloning technology works in providing simulation systems training? Check out Assima Train now!
Create a Game Plan with Clear Targets and Pain Points to Address
When you plan to integrate simulation software for systems training in your company, do it only after you have thoroughly researched the requirements and expectations of the brand from its employees. Accordingly, decide on the objectives you wish to accomplish and the issues you want to address by introducing systems training. Make sure you generally stick to these but are not reluctant to re-evaluate the priorities for the training if and when the need arises.
Identify Key Players and Do a Smooth Roll-Out
Not every employee will benefit from simulation training and not everyone needs it either. Some are fast learners who pick things up easily and without external help. Some may not be using the new technology you are using simulation training for as much as would warrant investing in them. You should first make a list of who would best benefit from this training method and then do a soft roll-out of the resource, i.e., introduce the training software to a few selected initial participants and based on their response, introduce it to others. If you are hesitant, do trials and demo runs before finalising the deal.
Conduct Thorough Research to Find the Best Tech Fit for Your Company
There are myriad training simulation software applications out there with different feature sets and target users. Before you choose any simulation software for training your employees, you must ensure that it is the right fit for your workforce. Tally your requirements with the solutions offered by the software you are considering as well as factors like budget, tech compatibility, etc. Ask for demos and trials to check firsthand if it works for your company. Only then should you choose it.
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Design Learning Experiences that Accurately Reflect Your Daily Operations
Gather Constant Feedback and Adapt the Platform to Apply Them
Do not make the mistake of thinking that your work is over after onboarding your employees to the new or updated system. If anything, your job has just begun. You need to keep track of how your colleagues are using the system and if any challenges have been raised that were not found during UAT. Regularly survey the users to find out what they do and don’t like and what they may want to change. Keep the door open for suggestions. Actively take steps to incorporate this feedback into your learning approach.
Back Up Your Simulation Software Application with Other Resources
Learning is not an activity; it is an experience. The same rules do not apply to everyone. Simulation software for systems training is a highly efficient learning method, but it is not the be-all and end-all of learning. Whether you are making it the focus of your training structure or not, back it up with other learning resources, including conventional ones. In fact, this will help alleviate people’s fear and help cater to your colleagues’ different learning styles.
Ensure that the Training Solution is Scalable and Adaptable
Even though systems simulation training has been around for quite some time, its use has only recently started becoming widespread. It is proven to yield great results and has helped companies across many different niches to train their workforce with high satisfaction. If you think it can come of use to you and your business too, feel free to ping us at Assima and learn more about the endless possibilities of simulation software for training.
Final Words
Even though simulation training has been around for quite some time, its use has only recently started becoming widespread. It is proven to yield great results and has helped companies across many different niches to train their workforce with high satisfaction. If you think it can come of use to you and your business too, feel free to ping us at Assima and learn more about the endless possibilities of simulation software for training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s Answer Some of Your Questions.
Simulation software has been proven to enhance retention and recall abilities of learners, improve application judgement and innovative thinking and make learning more interesting. We can guarantee that the ROI will be worth the investment.
Most simulation tools create training materials using screenshots which can be an issue if you are implementing systems training for systems that only work with live data. Either the team must manually start scrubbing data from screenshots or find another way of training.
Assima Train works differently using its patented cloning technology by creating systems training materials using objects rather than screenshots. This means that data can be changed during capture or after by your team to something more relevant, allowing your colleagues to train on critical system tasks.
No, a sandbox system or training client is usually a replication of the live environment and in an ideal world, works in the same way. However, sandbox environments require lots of upkeep in terms of maintaining and refreshing data to ensure that they can be used over and over again. This usually involves high expenses, something simulation software does not need.
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All simulation tools can produce learning content for any system in any language. However, when multiple languages are required, a team would have to re-capture their training materials for every language required. This creates multiple copies of content for every language which becomes unmanageable.
Assima Train works differently with its patented cloning technology, allowing teams to translate the system training from a single source, reducing maintenance when the language changes.
There is no reason to discard conventional training resources just because you got a simulation training platform. In fact, it is best to use a combination of all types of learning methods and formats to create an employee-friendly learning environment.
