Lisa Herbst

In 2018, with a significant 5-year pipeline of technology transformation projects, QIC realised the need to invest in developing change management capability within the organisation to ensure these new technologies were implemented and adopted. In addition to this, at least three current technologies were also not being utilised as designed, or were being used with great difficulty and therefore not realising the benefits they were set out to achieve.

The organisation’s culture supported a traditional face-to-face, high touch training approach. However, participation rates were always very low (30% in some cases), and anecdotal feedback suggested that learning retention was very poor and the experience varied significantly by office location. In one instance, the training for a new finance platform required 15 users to attend the equivalent of 5 days of training prior to go live.

Due to the historical training difficulties and the scale of change, QIC identified a need for a more sustainable training and adoption approach. This needed to be supported by strong leadership and a shift in culture toward a more progressive learning approach and adoption.
Our biggest priority in implementing WalkMe was to achieve a shift in culture, which in many ways is unquantifiable and arguably more difficult than gaining process and system efficiencies.

In late 2020, an audit was conducted on a finance platform that had been implemented almost 18 months prior. It found that the system was not being utilised as designed, resulting in high error rates, a negative user experience, and high staff costs to fix errors (approximately 1.5 FTE).

Part of the improvement plan included building a WalkMe ‘proof of concept’ to demonstrate its value to the Executive in November 2020. Following a demonstration of how Smart WalkThrus, SmartTips, and Launchers were able to eliminate many process pain points, WalkMe was approved instantly. The team quickly built 28 unique solutions for this application.

Following this, momentum continued with WalkMe and other tools being overlaid on Salesforce, Oracle, SharePoint, and SkyFii between June 2021 and February 2022.
Because the use to digital adoption tools required quite a significant culture shift, each implementation included a mixed method of training, including:

• LinkedIn Learning to start introducing a self-paced eLearning approach
• MyTrailhead was used with Salesforce to complement WalkMe – MyTrailhead covered the ‘what’ while WalkMe covered the ‘how’
• Salesforce, Oracle and SharePoint implementations were trainer-led and demonstrated how to use the system using digital adoption tools
• A digital communications tool with applied change management was used to introduce WalkMe.

Lisa has been responsible for the implementation of “Qurious” (our DA Tools) for eFront, SharePoint Online and Oracle. The benefits she has brought through the implementation include:

• New processes (e.g.,. timesheets, updating personal information, employment details, leave applications), which previously would have required individual communications and/or training
• Our 800+ employees were able to focus on their day job, as opposed to attending time-intensive training sessions for some processes that are not frequently used
• Provided users with the knowledge and ability to complete their HR & Finance activities, as and when they need it.
• Engagement has been extremely high and error rates and frustrations have decreased.

Insights Lisa has been responsible for implementing include:

• Oracle: 94.1% user engagement and more than 45,000 interactions since June 2021
• SharePoint: over 900 interactions across 27 items, including ShoutOuts, Launchers, Smart WalkThrus, and Shuttles

eFront

• External technology trainers were replaced with WalkMe, saving c.$45,000
• Reduction in support queries from 1.4 to 1 FTE per month spent on calls and improvements
• Reduction in data errors by users saved the finance team hours in inefficient cancellations and re-entry
• Improved system experience for existing and new users
• Immediate notification of system outages stopping users from wasting time trying to identify the cause of an issue and then making calls to the helpdesk

Oracle

• Reduction in development of static training materials, operational procedure manuals, and face-to-face training delivery across 3 time zones
• Traditional “floor walking” was replaced by Qurious Smart WalkThrus and other solutions
• Consistent training methodology regardless of location
• Modernised way to onboard new employees, removing the need for repetitive training sessions and making new starters effective faster

Digital adoption tools have helped QIC to execute major transformation initiatives more effectively. In the case of the Oracle implementation, we were able to achieve operational excellence faster across 30+ modules impacting 800 employees throughout QIC.

Our identification and adherence to regulatory and legal requirements across our HR and Finance functions has strengthened as a result of standardising systems and processes.

The rate of change and adoption would not have been possible without the continued use of digital adoption tools.

QIC has traditionally provided face-to-face training for new technology platforms. In implementing digital adoption tools to support a shift to self-paced and self-led learning of new technology, Lisa used digital communications tools that were engaging and complementary to WalkMe capability and functionality.

Platform owners are now seeking out digital adoption tools over traditional learning methods and project SMEs have gone from “not having time to identify DA solutions” to taking active ownership to find new ways of using them. For example, using targeted messaging via ShoutOuts rather than email communication.

We have also seen a significant shift in user perceptions around learning – they are now easily able to self-help and learn these new technologies in a way that suits them. This has all culminated in a reduction in support tickets being raised with IT help desks.

Lisa was involved in delivering the proof of concept that ultimately led to the approval of WalkMe at QIC. Her passion and enthusiasm for DA tools has been instrumental in shifting QIC’s culture to accept these new learning methods and the effective implementation of new systems.
Lisa was also responsible for the implementation of DA tools over Oracle, including the delivery of the training strategy for 30+ modules across various stakeholders with no experience in DA. Through a well-planned and executed project plan, Lisa achieved high SME engagement and higher adoption rates than previously experienced with new systems.

Lisa also implemented WalkMe over SharePoint Online. She calmly engaged some resistant stakeholders to address concerns and provide a strong case for digital adoption. In addition, she worked tirelessly to build complex solutions on a platform WalkMe hadn’t been used on in Australia with other clients which identified significant complexities.

Our implementation of WalkMe and other digital adoption tools to date has been successful, evidenced not only by quantitative statistics, but also the culture shift from traditional learning methods to more self-paced, real time and targeted learning.

The next stage of our DA strategy will be to further embed these tools across QIC. This will be achieved through training SMEs on the newly developed digital adoption strategy, change release processes and the required technical skills. Workshops will be run to utilise the insights, retire content not being used, and identify common errors and opportunities for new content and automation of processes.

Created in 1991 by the Queensland government to serve its long-term investment responsibilities, QIC has grown into a leading long-term specialist manager in alternatives. We deliver to over 115 like-minded Institutional investors in Australia and internationally. Our investment capabilities include infrastructure, real estate and private capital. We also specialise in liquid market solutions, providing multi-asset portfolios, liquid alternatives, active fixed interest and tailored overlays.