First, capability requirements are defined in behavioral terms and tied directly to business processes. These aren’t generic competency statements. Instead of “users will understand the procure-to-pay process,” the requirement becomes “users will independently resolve invoice-receipt mismatches within system tolerances without escalation in 95% of cases within 60 days post-go-live.” These behavioral standards become acceptance criteria that must be demonstrated before processes go live.

Second, building capability starts early, often in parallel with configuration. As soon as process designs stabilize, users begin practicing in sandbox environments—not to “learn the system” but to validate whether the process design is actually executable by people with realistic skill levels. This early involvement surfaces design issues that are expensive to fix post-go-live but relatively cheap to address during build.

Third, performance data, not completion metrics, drive readiness decisions. Rather than tracking how many people completed training, these organizations measure how consistently people can execute critical transactions under realistic conditions. They use pilot groups to test whether the combination of training, job aids, system design and support infrastructure actually produces reliable performance. If performance doesn’t meet standards, go-live doesn’t happen.

Source link