HR Technology covers how organizations choose, implement and use human resource information systems (HRIS) to run HR efficiently and support strategic decisions.
It is a 3 competency unit course in term 7 of WGU's B.S. Human Resource Management standard path. WGU notes that HR technology knowledge is in demand across industries.
The challenge is that the course is about business judgment, not software skills. You need to justify why a system is needed, what it will cost and return, and how people will adopt it.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course | D356 HR Technology |
| Level | Undergraduate, 3 competency units |
| Program | B.S. Human Resource Management (term 7) |
| Subject area | HR information systems and analytics |
| Typical work | HRIS needs analysis, implementation planning, ROI and privacy discussion |
What D356 Covers
WGU's four competencies are:
| Competency (summarized) | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Describe HRIS and system considerations for decision-making | Types of systems and what to weigh when choosing |
| Describe HRIS applications, metrics and analytics | How HR functions use system data and measures |
| Analyze needs analysis, design and acquisition, ROI and change management | The full implementation journey |
| Describe strategic aspects: privacy, security, social media and the future | Data protection, risk and emerging trends |
Key Concepts Explained
What an HRIS Does
An HRIS stores and processes employee data and supports functions such as payroll, benefits, recruiting (applicant tracking), performance and learning management. Some organizations use one integrated suite; others connect specialist systems.
Return on Investment
ROI compares the benefits of a system with its costs, including licenses, implementation, training and ongoing support.
Example: A system costs $90,000 over three years in total. It is expected to save 2,000 HR staff hours a year at $30 an hour ($60,000 a year, $180,000 over three years) and cut payroll errors worth $10,000 a year ($30,000). Total benefit is $210,000, so ROI = ($210,000 - $90,000) / $90,000, about 133 percent. A credible analysis states its assumptions so they can be challenged.
Change Management
Systems fail when people do not adopt them. Communicating the reason for change, involving users in design, training them and supporting them after launch are as important as the technology.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Needs analysis | Identifying requirements | Gather input from HR, managers, employees and IT |
| System selection | Weighing options | Score vendors against weighted criteria |
| ROI case | Financial justification | List all costs and realistic benefits with assumptions |
| Privacy and security discussion | Protecting employee data | Cover access control, consent, retention and breach response |
HR Metrics and Analytics
The analytics competency is about turning system data into decisions. Common HR metrics include turnover rate, time to fill, cost per hire, absence rate, training completion and engagement scores.
Analytics goes a step further by asking why. For instance, linking turnover data with manager, tenure and pay data may show that new hires leave most often in teams with weak onboarding. Strong answers move from a metric to an insight to a recommended action.
The HRIS Implementation Journey
The third competency follows a system from idea to launch. Organizing your answer by stage keeps it complete:
| Stage | Key activities |
|---|---|
| Needs analysis | Define problems, requirements and stakeholders |
| Design and acquisition | Requests for proposals, vendor demos, weighted scoring, contract |
| Implementation | Configuration, data migration and cleaning, testing, integration |
| Training and launch | User training, pilot group, go-live support |
| Evaluation | Compare results with the ROI case and user adoption targets |
Data migration deserves special mention. Moving inaccurate records into a new system simply automates the errors, so cleaning data before launch is part of a credible plan.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Technology before needs. Start with the problem the system must solve.
- Underestimated costs. Include training, data migration and support.
- Thin privacy sections. Employee data is sensitive; treat security seriously.
- No adoption plan. Change management is named in the competencies.
Study Tips for D356
- Practice a simple ROI calculation with clearly stated assumptions.
- Make a weighted scoring matrix for comparing systems.
- List the HR metrics each function would want from a system.
- Link change management ideas to the Change Management course on your path.
How We Help with D356
Send the task, scenario, rubric and feedback. An HR writer prepares a model HRIS analysis, explains ROI and change management, or reviews your draft. Our human resources assignment help guide covers our wider HR support.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Our work is a study aid; you write and submit your own work under WGU's academic integrity rules. Every order is written from scratch, plagiarism-checked and covered by free revisions within the scope of your original request.
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Frequently Asked Questions
WGU's standard path places HR Technology in term 7 of the B.S. Human Resource Management.
WGU lists it at 3 competency units.
No. The course focuses on choosing, justifying, implementing and using HR systems strategically.
A human resource information system that stores employee data and supports HR functions such as payroll, recruiting and performance.
Subtract total costs from total expected benefits, divide by total costs and state your assumptions.
No. We provide custom analyses and feedback so you can write your own.