Laurea University of Applied Sciences wanted to develop management of internships for students of the healthcare sector. Their goal was to improve communication and provide teachers better tools for supervising students during internships.
As Laurea had already used Workseed as a part of a previous pilot project, the choice was simple. Planning and executing a comprehensive implementation project, on the other hand, was everything but.
We had an opportunity to interview project manager Maritta Voutilainen concerning the implementation process. We discovered that ample experience of project management and the commitment of the software supplier were critical for the success of the project.
Extensive LMS implementation project and ambitious time frame
The implementation plan at Laurea was nothing short of ambitious. The platform was to be introduced for circa 2000 users at once. There was a 10-person project team whose responsibility it was to coordinate all work and communication.
The planned time frame left little room for delays. The platform had to be operational before the following semester started. Allowing for project planning, the actual implementation had to be finished within two months. The ample project management experience at both Laurea and Workseed would be a crucial factor.
The supplier’s promises were well founded. Despite the strict goals and the complexity of the project everything happened as planned.
“The entire project was just a week late – which our team considered an exceptionally good result for a project of this magnitude.”
Multiple factors contributed to the success. The experienced project team at Learea, good processes for the implementation and high quality of the training materials provided made everything possible.
Changing circumstances and flexibility
Surprising changes and risks were only to be expected during an LMS implementation project this large. The project team reacted to changing necessities very quickly. Problems were never allowed to accumulate and delays were avoided.
For instance, the supplier noticed towards the end of the project that the integration between Workseed and Laurea’s student management system would be more complex than expected. Despite several key project members being on vacation when the discovery was made, efficient communication helped the project team to implement the additional features within schedule.
Another instance of an unexpected change was when Laurea determined that new users would need a demo environment for training – something that had previously been excluded from the project scope. In cooperation with Workseed the demo environment was created and opened without causing delays.
Overall Laurea project team considered that time management had been efficient and flexible. All parties had committed sufficient resources to compensate for the time pressure, which made all processes resilient to unexpected changes.
Good and clear practices for communication
The project involved a large quantity of stakeholders – IT, teachers, supervisors, management. Good workflow for communication was indispensable – and it was established from day one.
Students, Laurea project team, teachers, and external users had clear channels for questions and support requests. A Teams-channel was dedicated to questions and answers. The supplier’s technical support also reacted to questions very swiftly.
“The project left a positive impression of the supplier.”
At the same time there was a productive workflow for questions and issues that emerged in the daily work of the project team. Smaller and bigger questions were speedily resolved and when needed, meetings were quickly booked.
In their feedback, Laurea emphasized how Workseed always provided support when it was needed. This was perceived as a critical factor of success.
Supplier’s role in providing training was appreciated
The Workseed LMS was implemented for a large audience at once. It was adopted by several programs within the department for health studies. This meant that a large quantity of teachers, students, internship supervisors and administrators had to be trained to use it within a short period of time.
The LMS implementation project comprised multiple onboarding and training sessions. The sessions were provided not only for system administrators and IT, but also for teachers, internship supervisors and content producers. Many participants were external to Laurea – often representing partner companies that provide internship opportunities.
Workseed had a large role in providing training throughout the project – and well after its finish. Workseed was responsible for providing training for teachers and administrators. All in all, Workseed organized 20 training sessions and produced training materials for future use.
Particularly the training sessions tailored for internship supervisors were particularly well received. External stakeholders are easily forgotten during implementation and responsibility for training them is often left to the user organization. Supervisor trainings were popular and received positive feedback.
Commitment to results and cooperation were top-notch
Maybe the single most important factor in the success story of Laurea University of Applied Sciences was the commitment of the project team – both in Laurea and in Workseed.
From the project manager’s perspective, the LMS implementation project progressed from start to finish without interruptions. Even when unexpected issues and problems emerged, the flow of work never lost momentum. The team worked constantly to solve problems and achieve set goals.
“We only needed to put the right people in the right place.”
For management the situation was optimal. The project advances steadily with minimal management input. The commitment of the Workseed team was crucial to meet deadlines despite changes.
Laurea’s greetings for organizations considering digital management for internships
What does Laurea have to say for organizations considering Workseed as their chosen LMS platform? In short:
“The project was implemented just as promised.”
Overall, the Laurea project team was more than content with not only the platform itself, but also with the experience and professionalism the supplier was able to provide since the beginning.
For more details about the LMS implementation project and how the Workseed platform has improved internship management at Laurea, you can contact the project manager Maritta Voutilainen.
In case you want to hear more about the Workseed LMS or how the Laurea implementation project went, you can book a demo here. Our experts can help you understand how Workseed can provide value just for your organization.
