Implementing digital knowledge management results in 50-85% decreased time to proficiency

Our Impact

A dental benefits administrator maintains a custom, industry-leading digital claims administration platform. The company uses the platform to run their business—but also offers it as a platform solution for other dental networks. With the platform’s customer community growing, this organization is on its way toward becoming a true digital product company.  

Digital leaders are always listening, evolving, and enhancing their products. This case is no different. But when the company saw how much effort was required to develop and maintain system and process documentation (used for new hire onboarding, employee and customer training, etc.), executives knew there was a better way—one that’s more efficient and reflective of a true digital mindset. That’s where West Monroe came in. 
 
Already a partner to the company, we knew the platform, operations, and biggest pain points. We were well-prepared to help make strategic technology choices and design a digital knowledge management approach that is easy to maintain and delivers better learning outcomes for the company and its customers alike. 

The Full Story 

The Challenge 

The client continuously updates its custom claims administration platform to meet the needs of customers and users. This means that processes for using the platform change frequently – and so must the process documentation and training materials. The company realized its product teams were spending a significant amount of time writing and updating claims platform documentation such as post-release notes, user guides, and training materials. Further, use of SharePoint repositories to post the materials meant that users had to visit a separate application to look for the information they needed.  

To improve its own efficiency and provide a better experience for customers and employees, the company wanted to digitize its process for creating, maintaining, hosting, and sharing claims system documentation. The solution had to integrate with the claims platform so that users can access the documentation within the system. 

To make the change quickly, the company chose to introduce a “minimum viable product” and then enhance it over time with new capabilities: for example, courses and assessments to augment user training, customer support ticketing, client-specific dashboards and documentation, a user-specific library for bookmarked content, and reporting on documentation utilization and effectiveness. 

An Undeniably Different Approach 

The client’s needs required new technology. But we knew that technology alone wouldn’t deliver the desired results. Business results are the product of the skilled use of tools and processes by people. That’s where our unique Resilient Learning approach came in. We employed this approach every step of the way—from selecting a new knowledge management application to redesigning document management processes. 

Our assessment led to the selection of ScreenSteps, an award-winning knowledge management application known for its ease of use and distinctive learning approach for technology-based business processes. ScreenSteps’ embedded tools and templates make it easy for product managers to develop and publish post-release notes, job aids, how-to features, and demonstrations; create new types of documentation; and include videos, GIFs, and e-learning exercises created in other applications.  

Our team built a custom, digital knowledge management process around ScreenSteps that promotes learning and enablement by: 

• Eliminating the need for memorization

• Providing process-specific job aids  

• Building a library of searchable procedures  

• Promoting proficiency, even for tasks that are performed infrequently 

• Using assessments and feedback mechanisms to quantify the value of learning initiatives 

• Enabling system users to easily search for, open, and follow a job aids/procedures in seconds 

• Providing system users access to process documentation within the claims system rather than a separate application 

Our team also worked with the organization to standardize its model for creating system documentation and standard operating procedures to allow employees to search for, open, and follow a procedure in seconds—ensuring new content is designed for maximum effectiveness using principles of Resilient Learning.  

Finally, we employed our Operational Readiness framework to introduce the solution to both internal teams and the platform’s customer base, facilitating the process for onboarding new users and training internal teams and more than 60 stakeholders. Our implemented solution also included recommendations and best practices to ensure a seamless, long-term governance structure and process that ensures sustainability as our client continues to grow. 

Real Results 

The client now has an integrated, digital knowledge management capability that allows product owners to maintain uniform, up-to-date process documentation and training – and system users to seamlessly access the information they need to do their jobs better and faster. Already, the solution has helped the facilitation and smooth transition of product updates and rollouts. 

ScreenSteps has cut training time significantly, and the application’s integrated metrics enable the company to quantify that. For example, product teams can create step-by-step guides 75% faster. Empowered trainers with detailed materials and resources can deliver training to new hires in 50% to 75% less time. And that’s just the start. With the foundation in place, the client will continue to add content and features, increasing the tangible benefits.  

This digital, customer-centric channel for system documentation pushes the company further toward a digital mindset—and closer toward becoming a true product company with robust community and a culture of growth, improvement, and continuous knowledge sharing.