What’s the UPK? An Introduction for EPM People

Opal Alapat

Introductions

High Level Features

The Development Cycle

A Case Study

Lessons Learned

UPK Resources

Q&A

Agenda

About Your Speaker

About TopDown Consulting

Learn the basics of UPK

Understand how to leverage UPK with EPM

Realize UPK’s benefits in training, testing, and

user adoption

Session Objectives

This is beginner level session and is intended

for a novice audience

This session will introduce the User Productivity

Kit (“UPK”) tool from an EPM perspective

UPK v11.1.0.x will be covered

All video demonstrations use UPK Standard

(Single User) v11.1.0.1 and ODI 11.1.1.6

Important Notes

Which Factor Most Impacts Project Success?

Project Success Factors

Quality of the project plan

Technology performing as expected

Available budget and resources

Clearly defined business objectives

Skill and dedication of the project team

Clear and effective communications

Other

*Courtesy of International Data Corporation (“IDC”)

Impact of Training on Project Success Study, 2011

In a study of 515 IT projects

“Projects allocating more than 6% of the

project budget to training were

significantly more successful than projects

where 3% or less of the budget went

to training.”

-International Data Corporation (“IDC”)

Impact of Training on Project Success Study, 2011

What is UPK?

Why UPK?

Single Source Content Development

History and Present

History

Today

UPK Installation Options

UPK Professional

Otherwise: UPK Standard

Add’l Features

Adv. Tracking & Reporting

Knowledge Center

Documentation

Standalone player

HTML

Deployment Options

Supports 22 Languages

*UPK Developer languages

Training manuals

Test scripts

Process guides

Job aids

Standardized Documentation

Mobility

UPK User Modes

See It! – video demonstration (simulation)

Try It! – “follow the guide” (simulation)

Know It! – assessments (simulation)

Do It! – Try It! in a live environment

Print It! – documentation for printing

Test It! – “testing the testing” in a live environment

Modes Comparison

Feature See It! Do It! Know It! Try It! Test It! Print It!

Interactive X X X X n/a

Focus on training X X X X X

Assessment of training X n/a

Focus on testing X X

Focus on documentation X

Assists with user adoption X X X X X X

Simulation environment X X X n/a

Live environment X X n/a

Typical Training Development

Preparation (design or outline)

>> 1-3 days

Training presentation deck created (.pptx)

>> 1-2 weeks

Quick reference guide is created (.docx)

>> 1-3 days

Training manual is created (.docx)

>> 1-3 weeks

Training delivered via webcast, classroom, and/or email/file share + creation of training environment

>> 1 week - 3 months

UPK Training Development

Preparation (design, outline, and/or storyboards)

>> 1-5 days

UPK Recording (capturing the initial screen shots)

>> 1-5 days

UPK Editing (adding in the details)

>> 1-3 weeks

UPK Production (exe/html, .docx, .pptx, .xlsx, pdf)

>> 1 day

Deployment + classroom training (training environment optional) >> 1 week - 2 months

Where is the time savings?

Beyond Training: Test Scripts

Piecing together test scripts from training or

capture new screen shots

Distributing test scripts

Compiling feedback

Compiling testing results

Changes

Recapturing screen shots: edit in multiple documents

(training, testing, job aid)

Reviewing revised documents

Redistributing training materials

Creating Documents

Keeping them consistent

Capturing everything necessary for success

Creating manageable chunks for learning

Distributing materials

Creative Uses of UPK for Training

Creative Uses of UPK for Training (cont.)

Canadian National Railway Example

Amount of customization available

Quick development time – example ODI module

● 00:28:00 total creation time

● 00:02:50 (10%) to create initial frames

● 00:20:50 (74%) to edit

● 00:04:20 (16%) to produce

“Automagic” documentation

Recapture screen shots

Edit screen shots

Cool options for navigation

Notable Development Features

Goal: provide internal training to users on EPM

technologies: Planning, Essbase, and ODI

Types of training requested

● Self service interactive, demoing the tools’

components, reference documentation

● Mobile podcasts for use on smart phones and

other devices

Tools evaluation phase

Current project status: in progress

A Case Study

Tools Evaluation: A Comparison

UPK

● Screen recording and editing

● Sound recording and editing

● Ability to add in transitions, etc.

● Turn recordings into LMS/KMS

compatible files

● Testing & documentation

capabilities

● Centralized, reusable content

that can be edited/replaced

easily

● Highly interactive

Camtasia

● Video recording and editing

● Sound recording and editing

● Ability to add in transitions, etc.

● Turn recordings into podcast-

compatible files

● “Creative” testing and no

documentation capabilities

● Reusable content that requires

re-recording if the underlying

systems change

● One-way communication channel

UPK offers

● Interactive learning

● Testing capabilities

● Process documentation

Camtasia offers

● Podcast capabilities

Tool of choice? Both

The Solution

What UPK is…and isn’t

IS

● Screen capture software

● An interactive experience

● A replicator or “buddy” of

real-life situations

● A centralized repository of

reusable components

● A modular editing tool

● Tool agnostic

● Cost effective training

ISN’T

● Video capture software

● A one-way training experience

● Integrated directly into the

host/testing environment

● A static capture of one-time

use artifacts

● A complete “redo” editing tool

● Oracle-only

● Low quality training or a

replacement for classroom

training

Extension of training

Self-service for users

Training options for new/transferred employees

Documentation (training, test scripts, etc.)

Editing options when things change

…Time!

The Challenges that UPK Resolves

Lack of SME availability

Lack of familiarity with tool being recorded

System downtime

Application evolution

Incomplete interfaces/data

User adoption with UPK

Lack of passion/know how

Common Risks on a UPK Project

Where Do We Start?

Pre-Built Content Options

● Agile

● Crystal Ball

● Demantra

● Fusion

● Hyperion EPM

● 11.1.1

● 11.1.2

● Planning Plus

● HFM Plus

● JD Edwards

● E-Business Suite

● PeopleSoft

● Primavera

● Siebel CRM

● Oracle Utilities

● Oracle Communications

LinkedIn UPK group

Dirk Manuel’s books:

● Oracle UPK 3.5

● Oracle UPK 11.1

OTN UPK forum

Oracle’s UPK blog

Oracle’s monthly UPK webinar

OAUG UPK SIG

Oracle Product Documentation

Oracle’s demo UPK player - try it out as an end user!

Where Can I Find Out More?

QUESTIONS?

Opal Alapat

Services Engineering Manager

oalapat@topdownconsulting.com

APPENDIX

Additional Pointers

User adoption of UPK

Capturing long drags of cursor movement can be tricky

Inserting frames (inserts after or before?)

Understanding all of the areas to customize and where they’re

located

Publishing can take awhile – use the command line utility to

schedule this after the first publish

Compatibility issues with Edit Screenshot feature and SnagIt

Sound significantly increases overall player size

Understanding how to deploy UPK to a website

Training issue with users – using the Enter key vs. tab or mouse

clicks

Challenges with UPK

Real-life rule of thumb: 12-13 hours of development for

every 1 hour of content (for a polished solution)

A typical project:

● Design – 5-10%

● Storyboards / mock-ups

● Development – 20-25%

● 4 hours per topic (1-2 per day)

● 20-25 frames per topic

● Editing – 70-75%

● Final reviews – a few hours

● Publishing – a few hours

Pointers – Estimating Development Time

Include time to gather requirements and design the

training

Storyboards, outlines, and/or mock-ups work well

Define standards and naming conventions

Wait until the application development is nearly

complete and the processes are finalized

Designing training is not as easy as some might think it

is – “training is not a list of steps”

Define manageable chunks

Create a script for what you’re going to record

Pointers – Designing the Training

Create and use a special training ID

Ensure the desktop background on your recording computer is

appropriate

Ensure icons are uncluttered and not distracting

Close all programs (e.g. Outlook, IM) that may interrupt the

recording flow

Auto hide Windows toolbars

Mute your computer sounds, if appropriate

Silence all devices that may interfere with sound recording

Get your recording script ready

Pointers – Before Recording

Always record extra frames – it’s easy to delete!

Consider switching to manual recording mode instead

of automatic, as this will give you tighter control

Consider cursor location

Slow down for long cursor drags

Turn sound on during recording so you can hear the

“clicks”

Pointers – During Recording

This is where most of your time will be spent – estimate

accordingly

Blur out all personal information

Blur out the clock, if you have incongruent frames

If there are system changes, plan to replace your

frames

Editing is an iterative process – plan accordingly!

Make sure your SME sees the final result before you

produce!

Pointers – The Editing Process