Dec 8 2021

Interview with Glen Banks

Read about why Glen Banks, one of our Power Users, finds the depth of our training so valuable as he goes about transforming his organization from the inside.

It’s All in the Details – Making the Most of TM1

One of the hallmarks of the TM1 product is that it handles business complexity better than anything else on the market. It’s the core feature that makes it such a powerful tool for implementing world-class planning analytics throughout an organization. Thus, it’s somewhat strange that so much of the training material out there tends to be rather generic and broad. It seems that many training providers fear digging into the weeds because they might alienate new users who are overwhelmed by what is possible.

The truth though, is that for a large section of the TM1 user base, the value is actually in the details.

The Value of Depth

When we started to ramp up our training programs at Cubewise EDU, we were determined to create programs that gave much more depth to our users – to match the real practical use cases that are in play at organizations of all sizes. Sure, having some material for beginners is crucial, but we also wanted to serve the Power Users who leverage TM1 in all its glory – because that’s where a lot of the value comes in.

Glen Banks, one of our Power Users from Mercury Insurance, brought this exact point up in a recent conversation – as he found that the Cubewise material was the only training that actually went into the level of detail and specificity that was helpful at his level. He runs all the TM1 training and development within his company and is constantly looking for ways to improve how the tool is being utilised.

Having been through plenty of self-paced training sessions over the past couple of years, he really values the depth that comes with our programs. We were very happy to hear that because it shows that our vision is being manifested, as we aim to serve those users who have a good understanding of what’s possible and want to bring that to their organization. Working with TM1 at a deep level is the sort of skill that needs to be constantly refined and improved upon because there is just so much there.

In Glen’s case, he needs to be continually sharpening his sword so that he can pass that on to the rest of his internal users who can benefit from the deep expertise that he obtains. In order to drive the TM1 strategy and implementation, he needs more than just what’s on the surface level. And we saw that when we spoke to him – his passion for this technology is immediately apparent. We hope that we’ll see other training companies follow this route, avoiding being pulled into the generic, and instead diving into the details where the value lies. Because there are plenty of TM1 users out there who know that there’s more to learn but can’t find the training material that can match their ambitions.

With Cubewise EDU, we work hard to meld together the theoretical knowledge that you just can’t escape, with practical exercises that you can run in a virtual image – without having to worry about setting up your own database along the way. This combination has proved very effective for our students and we continue to see people like Glen immersing themselves in the detail and emerging with a renewed sense of what is possible.

Built For All Levels

As the Mercury Insurance team grows, they should become good candidates for our enterprise training plan, but that’s only if they want to outsource the internal training and focus on other things. The self-paced courses that we offer are designed to be more than sufficient in providing the sort of detail and substance that can support a large organization with all the complexity that it offers. We’re proud to be able to do that and open the doors for dedicated users and developers to upskill themselves to the upper echelons of practitionership, all at their own pace.

It feels like we’re only just getting started with Cubewise EDU, and with every class and program that we run – we seem to learn from it. It’s incredible how a tool like this can act as a constantly evolving platform whose applications seem to grow with every month that goes by. We’re dedicated to continuing our learning and development, while passing that on to all our users, regardless of where they are in their TM1 journey.

Thanks to Glen for your time, and we can’t wait to see what you do with your constantly evolving skills.

If you are a Power User and are looking for deep insights and learning opportunities, then be sure to check out what we have on offer (link). We’re confident that you’ll find some real value in the detail – and if we don’t have what you need, then it’s about time we build it! We aspire to offer the sort of substance that you just won’t find anywhere else. Because, after all, this is what we live and breathe every single day.

Related content

Loading related content