Choosing the right training management software starts with an understanding of the business problems you’re trying to solve, and what your organization stands to gain. For many manufacturers, it’s about strengthening compliance while becoming more efficient to boost both productivity and quality. Below we explore in more detail.
Making data-driven decisions
In many cases, companies have been able to replace their learning management system (LMS) with training management software that’s part of an integrated QMS. With this approach, forms, tasks, and workflows are standardized across multiple processes such as training, document management, audits, and CAPA. Teams only have to learn one tool, helping accelerate adoption and reduce IT costs.
Conclusion
An automated training management solution allows organizations to implement more effective reporting systems for making data-driven decisions, so they can:
• Set targets related to training (e.g., improving on-time completion rates) and track progress against them
• Develop leading metrics to predict and prevent training-related problems
• Easily communicate with stakeholders in the organization about important training trends
Not knowing whether staff have completed required training creates significant quality and safety risks.
Strengthening accountability
With software, you can set training frequencies to provide automated reminders when refresher training is due. Automation reduces the chance of it slipping through the cracks while ensuring you aren’t caught without the proper records when auditors request them.
Dashboarding capabilities
That’s why it’s so important to choose a solution that can be easily configured without changing the source code and requiring additional validation. The software should make it simple to change:
• Training assignments
• Integration workflows and rules
• Forms and approval routing
• Reminders and escalation rules
Training exams
All-in-one integration
It’s one of several factors motivating companies to switch to automated training management software. The underlying problem: Manual recordkeeping methods of the past simply can’t keep up with the pace of modern manufacturing.
An analysis of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letters by the Food and Drug Law Institute reveals a perhaps not-so-surprising link between training gaps and FDA violations.
Supplemental documentation
Built-in compliance
For example, imagine an employee is moved to a different production line but hasn’t received the required training to operate the process correctly. Hidden risks here create opportunities for problems ranging from defective products all the way up to serious safety incidents. Software reduces these risks by:
• Helping identify training gaps where people are overdue for training
• Allowing companies to monitor training effectiveness over time
• Ensuring that key changes (e.g., process changes or equipment changes) trigger new training requirements
Reducing quality and safety risks
In terms of exams, the software should provide flexible question types, including true/false, yes/no, multiple choice, and even free-text responses. You should also be able to specify the threshold for passing the exam to verify that employees have assimilated the material.
A robust training management solution will come with built-in tools to ensure compliance, acting as a centralized repository for tracking:
• Comprehensive employee training histories
• Attachments such as certifications and licenses
• Post-training test results
• Time-stamped signatures and audit trails
Download a free case study to learn how a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) of specialized biomedical polymers and additives for medical devices revolutionized its training management system.
Benefits of automated training management software
Any solution you choose should come with fully functional out-of-box workflows. This will allow you to get up and running quickly, and can be especially helpful if you’re looking to standardize your training workflow around industry best practices.
Remember, it’s not enough to say that you have a training program. The auditor will want to see evidence. With paper-based records, that’s harder to prove and much harder to provide those records quickly. With an automated system, you can access training records with just a few clicks, which also helps make a positive impression on auditors.
Automated training assignments
Improving audit readiness
Bulk data import can prove helpful here, for instance when uploading existing training materials or other related documents.
Being able to create multiple dashboards is also something many production facilities might want to consider. For example, it can be helpful to have one dashboard for managers to view the status of direct reports, with separate dashboards for users to view their records and upcoming assignments.
Employee training nearly always comes up during audits. While companies may have initial training records for employees, one area where they tend to drop the ball is providing evidence of refresher training.
In many cases, companies have been able to replace their learning management system (LMS) with training management software that’s part of an integrated QMS.
Out-of-box functionality with flexibility
Here you want to look for a system built to support compliance with regulatory and standard requirements, including FDA and ISO compliance.
While companies may have initial training records for employees, one area where they tend to drop the ball is providing evidence of refresher training.
Published April 4, 2024, by Assurx.