1. Executive Summary –2014 CFE FCU Core Conversion
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Training Curriculum/ Event – CFE Core System Conversion Training
BACKGROUND
At the onset of 2014, CFE Federal Credit Union set out to convert its core banking system to Episys
(Symitar). The Training & Development Department was tasked to build and execute a training strategy to
effectively educate all CFE Employees (appx 440) on the new system functionality by Nov 1st 2014. It was
quickly determined a project of this size and scope would involve high collaborative efforts and training
tactics never before seen in the organization.
Many groups and individuals throughout the credit union were fearful and apprehensive, as CFE had
been operating on its incumbent system for nearly 30 years. A change of this magnitude was quite frankly
scary for numerous people.
In determining a delivery strategy, the training department sought to build a curriculum of events to
engage each employee at all levels while also leveraging tactics with the following goals in mind:
 Lessen the fear factor of the on-coming change
 Use elements of basic micro-learning, prior to classroom events, to build content familiarity
 Build excitement through the use of a strong, recognizable theme/branding
 Use of interactive, post-classroom activities to reinforce concepts and reduce the learning gap
from classroom instruction to application
 Build a sense of unity, support and camaraderie across the organization as we approach the
conversion live date of Nov 1st, 2014
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Several learning objectives emerged throughout the design process; however the core objectives for all
employees were clear:
 Learners will be able to identify and demonstrate behaviors to navigate and perform role
related job functions using Episys.
 Learners will apply their Episys expertise during one-on-one practice sessions and role play
simulations.
 Learners will operate with 80% effectiveness by the conversion go-live date of Nov 1st, 2014
 Learners will demonstrate behaviors to navigate CPD and enroll participants in instructor- led
classes.
Historically speaking, the learning culture of the organization and the perception of the training
department were unfavorable. Newly appointed training leadership was aware of the opportunities the
conversion offered as the department would be poised in the spotlight and positioned to lead a culture
shift that would extend beyond this project. In addition to the core objectives, training leadership identified
the following objectives as critical to facilitate this change:
 The Training & Development (T&D) team will actively seek learner feedback on their training
experience in order to facilitate continuous improvement of the training department.
 The T&D team will actively engage learners in ongoing dialogue to continue refining and
improving the accuracy and relevance of training materials, content, and programs.
 Learners will develop an ongoing relationship with the T&D team to foster innovation,
confidence, and an improved culture of learning.
 The T&D Team will initiate collaborative efforts with key partners and leadership throughout
the organization and invite them into the design process thus providing more relevant and
impactful resources.

2. Executive Summary –2014 CFE FCU Core Conversion
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CONVERSION TRAINING DESCRIPTION & COMPONENTS
Thinking of learning as more than a one-time classroom event, a comprehensive training strategy was
developed which would use multiple elements to engage learners’ pre and post instructor-led. This
included interactive communications, leadership engagement in training design and delivery, engaging
and themed classroom experiences and reinforcement techniques post instruction.
Please see below for an outline of each component:
 Joint Efforts
In order to carry out the desired training strategy, CFE felt it imperative to temporarily grow
the size of the T&D team to eight Training Specialists (TS’s). Three additional employees
(from Marketing & Branch Operations) were carefully selected to join this team for the
duration of the project. This was a significant step towards building relationships among these
departments in addition to adding key perspectives from operating areas that would ultimately
shape training materials and delivery.
 Theming - Heading Home
CFE knew a system conversion would be a daunting task for all employees. There was a
desire to build a strong, recognizable theme, employees could easily identify and rally
around. Therefore highly collaborative brainstorming sessions were held among various
departments to generate ideas as well as excitement.
The theme, Heading Home, was chosen and used throughout the credit union with an
emphasis on training materials and marketing communications. The theme was developed as
an illustration and comparison to embarking on a journey together that would lead CFE to a
new core system, or “home”. The theme was heavily applied and integrated into all training
materials and resources. Highlights included:
o Custom Logo (Fig. CFE-1) - Developed to be a visual signal to employees that items
using this icon were important and relevant to the core system conversion
o Training Rooms (Fig. CFE-2) - Training rooms were renamed after famous rail lines
around the world. These railways changed the rail system by making them faster, more
user-friendly and streamlined reinforcing the idea that our conversion to a new system
would do the same for CFE.
o Compass Memento (Fig. CFE-3) – Each employee received a compass during their first
training class as a reminder we were all “Heading Home” on a learning journey together.
Our final destination: Episys. Throughout our journey, it served to remind folks who may
have felt lost at times, that the T&D team was there as a guide and, much like a traveler
looks to his compass to find the way, employees could look to us to ask questions.
o Commitment Piece (Figs. CFE-4a&b) - All employees attended a series of training
classes. At their initial training session, each employee, including our CEO, signed a
commitment to their individual learning journey and to the new system. Keeping in tune
with the theme, each employee included their hometown below their signature. The piece
was framed and now hangs in the Training Department as a memento of the successful
journey.

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 Communication – Heading Home Training Alerts (Fig. CFE-5)
Everyone knows communication is key. As such Training took the lead on the internal
communication strategy. On a weekly basis, Training would generate and share information
pertaining to conversion training. These alerts began well ahead of any training classes and
contained a wealth of information delivered in small chunks (micro-learning). This was
intended, in part, to ease employees into the learning process as well as bring familiarity to
new content before a classroom experience. In addition to reducing the intimidation of the
change ahead, highlights of the communications included:
o Theming - Use of custom logo and color scheme and “Heading Home” title in each piece
to reinforce branding.
o Quotes – Each alert contained an inspirational journey quote relevant to the content of
the communication and/or phase of the learning journey.
o Content – Training Alerts were formatted to always include the following:
1. Important Information: Example - Class registration info, new system concepts,
system functionalities, procedures, timelines and reminders
2. Links: To provide additional tools/resources which could include job aids, new
system screenshots, review activities, class schedules, etc.
3. Action Items – Clear direction on what actions the reader needed to take, could
include instruction for class registration, communication items, scheduling items,
practice requirements, etc.
o Leadership Editions (Fig. CFE-6) – Special leadership editions were created specifically
geared toward leaders. Content would identify specific leader actions needed or provide
resources particular to their role with efforts to aid them with tools to reinforce learning
outside the classroom.
o Interactive Content (Fig. CFE – 7) – Training Alerts were designed to be interactive,
engaging the learner to ‘dive deeper.’ In many alerts, learners were encouraged to share
and apply knowledge and receive rewards for their efforts! This was a great success and
created a fun win for the employees.
o Designated Points of Contact (POCs) (Fig. CFE-8) - Each department and branch were
assigned a specific T&D team member (Training Specialist) to be their primary point of
contact for all things related to conversion training. It was the responsibility of the Training
Specialist (TS) to reach out to their areas at least twice a week to validate employees had
received the latest training alert, address any questions and ensure the appropriate
action items were being taken. Following any classroom training, the specialists would
also check in with their areas to see what additional support they could provide.
Furthermore, areas were heavily encouraged to contact their TS with any questions at
any time.

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 Instructor-Led Training (ILT)
Training developed a curriculum of nine separate courses offered in phases over the course
of a 12-week training period. Employees attended classes relevant to their roles within the
organization. Course content and course requirements, including prerequisites, by role were
determined thru intense collaboration with senior leadership. Key highlights included:
o CPD for ILT Class Enrollment – Historically, CFE’s LMS platform, CUNA Professional
Development Online (CPD), was severely underutilized for class enrollment. Throughout
conversion, employees were continually guided and educated on CPD functionality.
Training Leadership leveraged this opportunity to improve class tracking capability as
well as shift responsibility to leaders to be engaged and responsible for participant
enrollment. This trend continues today.
o “Leaders First” Training Approach – All ILT classes were offered to leaders first. This was
intentional for two reasons:
1. We wanted leaders to have first exposure to the content so they could reinforce
concepts, address questions from their staff and maintain credibility.
2. Our leaders our quick to raise concerns or potential challenges with the material.
We needed them to, so we could make appropriate changes to content. In
addition, keeping the leaders separate allowed them to voice these concerns
without alarming or confusing their direct reports.
o Number of Classes Delivered - Over the course of a 12-week training period, the T&D
team delivered 191 classes equating to 696 hours of classroom facilitation.
 Heading Home Training Binder (Fig. CFE-9)
All employees received a Heading Home Training Binder during their initial class which they
were required to bring to each course they attended. The binders housed important training
materials that employees could reference and study pre and post conversion. With each
course, participants would be provided additional modules to add. In essence, depending on
the courses they attended, at the conclusion, they would have a customized training binder
specific to them and their role.
 As a design element, the bottom of each page depicted a train. As a participant
added more modules, the train would advance across the page. At the
conclusion of the last class, the train would appear as if it had traveled across the
width of the page, symbolizing the completion of the journey.
 Surveys
All employees were given the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback via Survey
Monkey. Survey questions centered on training delivery methods, content, ability to practice
outside of the classroom and participant confidence levels. In addition employees could
provide any thoughts or suggestions for training leading up to the conversion. Results were
shared with senior. leadership and steps taken to implement suggestions.

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 FAQ’s – Answers Volumes One thru Three
As employees progressed through their learning journeys, there quickly became a need to
capture frequently asked questions, determine the appropriate answer and provide the
information in a central area. To address this, training produced three volumes of FAQs,
posted them to the organizations SharePoint site and updated them regularly. Important to
note:
o Combined, the three “Answers” Volumes comprised 100 pages and 200+ questions.
o For each question, the T&D team often would consult between departments and or
Symitar directly to determine the appropriate answer. These volumes are reflective of
hundreds of hours of collaborative ‘digging.’
 Mobile Reinforcement
Two weeks prior to our launch date of Nov 1st, all ILTs were complete and all Training
Specialists (TS) went mobile. This was the first time in CFE history members of the T&D
team were deployed directly to branches and support areas. TS’s coordinated dates and
times to visit their designated areas at least twice and perform the following:
o Connect with each employee to review materials, provide one-on-one practice sessions,
provide supplemental training resources (Job Aids) and answer questions.
o TS’s would provide email recaps to local leadership on employee performance and any
areas of opportunity leading up to conversion.
 Symitar Support Line
The T&D Team functioned as the CU internal support center for the initial two-weeks of the
conversion. Any and all calls related to Episys were first filtered thru this hotline.
o TSs were available to provide step-by-step support in addition to initial troubleshooting.
Calls were filtered to tech support as necessary.
o In this two week span, the T&D team fielded 1,795 calls.