An ERP is a mightily complex system, with almost countless integration points. If consultants are used as part of the implementation project—either from the vendor or an organization like Deloitte—they will help the project team members learn to an extent. But if the culture is such that growth and learning are encouraged, the users and project team should be allowed to “play” in a test environment and develop a deep knowledge of the system. This knowledge will help them adapt their business processes to the new system, rather than giving up and trying to force the system into the current model.
Users cannot be expected to immediately understand the new ERP system, nor can they know the intricacies of a major systems project. They must therefore be given the opportunity to grow into and learn their role. This learning applies to both those on the technical side and end-users who were engaged in the project. Bjerknes and Bratteteig (1995) labeled the phenomenon “mutual learning”, as the varied groups grew together and made collective decisions.