The best way to ensure adequate communications with all staff members during system implementation is to develop a comprehensive training plan early in the implementation. Staff who are well informed can contribute a great deal to the entire process.

All staff who will be affected by the new system must be taught, even if they will not be day-to-day users. The exact content of their instruction will vary based on the actual use which will be made of the system. Management staff and others who are not directly affected may require an overview of the system's functionality. Staff members whose functions are being automated will need more in-depth training in specific tasks. All staff will need to know how the system will affect their jobs and what, if anything, they will need to do differently.

Similarly, various levels of instruction will be required during the process of implementation. Initial instruction should provide an overview of system features to let you complete the orientation and software testing phase of the implementation. Later, when the system is about to be moved into production, staff will need comprehensive instruction in the actual use of the system. Marlene Clayton (Managing Library Automation, London: 1987) suggests that the training program for an automated library system should consist of at least these seven steps:

1. Identify the people to be trained--those who need a basic introduction to the system as well as those who need specialist skills and detailed system instruction.

2. Identify the activities that require special training, e.g., command searching, report development.

3. Establish desired method(s) of training (formal seminars, onsite or off, individual instruction, etc.).

4. Prepare any training programs to be run internally.

5. Arrange the schedule for courses.

6. Conduct the training program.

7. Review and evaluate the training plan.