Bruce McNiven
POCL
20-23 Greville Street
London
ECiN 8SS
11 August 1999
Dear Bruce
Thank you for you letter of 10 August.
Pathway is convinced that it has done everything that it can to
improve the training and prepare users for Horizon, and that the
essence of the remaining issues that you are seeking to address
relate to POCL’s own management of change. This was made
clear to Bruce McNiven in correspondence from John Bennett
(KP/g9Jul339 dated 7* July 99) and a second letter to Bruce
McNiven (dated 25" June ‘99).
Pathway has consistently maintained that user confidence in the
system will be achieved only through managing the change in
POCL business processes such that POCL’s target standard
approach is adopted across the Post Office network. Until this
achieved by POCL, it will be necessary for POCL to substitute
additional support in one form or another. Increased use of the
revised training, which is now a very suitable vehicle, is one such
form. Another is the gradual dissemination of the target business
process through POCL’s own support, however provided, to the
balancing business process.
For these reasons, Pathway believes the Acceptance Incident 218,
which formally relates to training, should now be closed.
Pathway does not accept that any further revisions to the training
courses, other than routine minor improvements already
identified, are required, or indeed are now desirable in light of the
commitments made by both parties to revised courses and
collateral.
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Pathway has made every effort to make changes to the training to
POCL's satisfaction throughout live trial, such that every course
has been significantly changed. Furthermore, an additional 24
outlets were installed in July, at POCL’s request, to form a basis on
which the effectiveness of the training improvements could be -
and indeed have been - demonstrated. At every stage POCL has
had complete approval authority for the changes being made and
has registered its satisfaction with the results of these changes.
The narrative below details the extensive steps taken by Pathway,
with POCL approval, to address the concerns expressed in AI 218.
Counter Manager & Counter Assistant courses revised
In response to feedback received from POCL and formally through
CR Rooszb, ICL Pathway has made a large number of detailed
changes to both the Counter Manager and Counter Assistant
training courses. Crucially, the Counter Manager (CM) course was
much modified to improve coverage and an emphasis placed on
the balancing business process and related issues. The CM course
now devotes much of Day 2 (Workbook 10) to this process and
considerable time is spent explaining the process and checking the
understanding of the delegates.
Both the CM and CA courses have been observed and positively
received by POCL and approved to go forward to National Rollout
including routine minor improvements (Trevor Rollason’s Email
to Andy Barkham of 10/8/99) which Pathway are only too pleased
to incorporate.
ICL Pathway believes that the improved CM training better
prepares Outlet managers for the task of balancing when they
return to the outlet. This improved training, coupled with
changes to the way that Horizon now handles the balancing
process, makes achieving a balance much easier than during Live
Trial and the comparative success of the extra 24 outlets bears this
out.
HFSO course revised
POCL requested several changes to the HFSO training programme
in their CR Roo60. This CR requested changes to the content of
the course, the introduction of a new 4-day MiMAN course and a
new 1-day MiECCO course. These new courses provide more
opportunities to practice the migration processes and to work with
different error detection/correction scenarios — all of which add
value to the migration process.
Additionally, ICL Pathway retrained HFSOs during Live Trial to
provide more training on balancing and related topics.
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Since Live Trial, ICL Pathway has developed a new three-day
course for HFSOs that runs after the POCL induction training and
before the 4-5 day HFSO course. This extended course
(previously it was a two-day event) provides in-depth coverage of
balancing; the cash account; reversals; use of the suspense account
and error detection and correction.
This new course has been very well received by POCL observers
(Ann Cocker and Graham Young) and POCL HFSOs alike, who
were pleased that their comments from Live Trial were taken
onboard.
HFSO role positioning
The HFSO role has always been pivotal to the success of the
programme. In addition to performing migration (a vital function
which sets the scene for the first balance) the HFSO also provides
help and support to the Outlet Manager at what can be a stressful
and trying time. At the point of installation the Outlet Manager
comes face to face with the Horizon system for the first time since
training and will, naturally, be anxious, even apprehensive. It is
important that the HFSO helps the Outlet Manager to complete
the migration process effectively and in accordance with the
defined processes.
Extra trainers for balancing support
On a weekly basis since Live Trial, ICL Pathway has been
providing additional balancing support through the use of ICL TS
trainers. ICL Pathway has borne this cost in recognition of the
need to enhance support levels at the HSH and NBSC.
Extra Transition Executives (TEs)
The Transition Executive role exists primarily to provide expert
help and support to the HFSOs. Since Live Trial, an extra TE has
been added to each IP region bringing the total of TEs to eight -
thus doubling the initial size of this team.
HSH & NBSC training
ICL Pathway has trained HSH and NBSC staff in the revised
processes and systems embodied in LT2. This training was
targeted at those topics most frequently calling for helpdesk
assistance.
CRs/Balancing process changes
A number of changes to the Horizon system and the way that it
deals with balancing were implemented in LT2. These changes
sought to make balancing easier and to remove unnecessary steps
from balancing processes and procedures.
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QRGs and workbooks
The Quick Reference Guides and Training Workbooks have been
revised to reflect the new courses and also best practice. These
QRGs and Workbooks have been signed-off by POCL for use in
NRO.
Yours sincerely
John Dicks
Director, Customer Requirements
Copies: Chris French, Ruth Holleran, John Meagher
Mike Coombs