WGU D356 Human Resource Technology
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
Section 1: Human Resource Information Systems
Lesson 1: Introduction to HR Technology
Pages 1-26
What is human resource Is a broad term used to describe a system of software applications and
technology? the supporting hardware necessary to operate and automate the work of
managing an organization's workforce.
What is a workforce? Human resources or everyone that leads, manages and accomplishes
the work of an organization who is compensated in some way for their
efforts.
What was the primary Is a department within an organization that is responsible for overseeing
responsibility for human resource the formal systems used to manage a workforce.
functions? - Historically, it's primarily responsible for acquiring, paying and
possibly developing employees.
- No matter the size or maturity of an HR function, we generally see
that it is overseeing several critical practice areas that include:
- Core HR administration
- Service delivery
- Time management
- Talent management
- Analytics and planning
- Emerging HR practices
What are the critical areas of
human resource? Provide an
example of a software application
that associates with the practice
area. (6)
,WGU D356 Human Resource Technology
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
● Learning and development
● Performance management
● Compensation and reward
management
● Succession and career planning
Analytics and planning ● HR and people analytics
● HR data visualization
● HR reporting and dashboards
● HR data management and storage
● Organizational planning and
forecasting
● Workforce planning and forecasting
Emerging HR practices ● Intelligent processes and insights
● Data capturing and monitoring
practices
● Communication approaches
● Workflow and work augmentation
Computer program A collection of data and instructions that can be
What is an HR Technology executed by a computer to accomplish a
system made of? Please define specific result or perform a specific task.
each one. (7)
Software application A program or group of programs designed for
end-users
Software module A part of a software program that creates a
separate space or unit in a software application
that may partition off data sets, security or
content.
Application A software intermediary or function that allows
Programming two applications to communicate with each
Interface (API) other by creating guidelines for accessing data,
external software components, operating
systems or microservices.
Enterprise Resource Business management software application that
Planning (ERP) includes a suite of integrated software modules
application necessary to manage an organization’s
business effort, including but not limited to
finance, supply chain and HR applications.
These are highly configurable applications.
Functional Suite A functional set of software modules built on
Application industry best practices, tied to a specific
functional area, such as a talent management
,WGU D356 Human Resource Technology
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
suite, learning management suit or time
management suite.
Best of Breed A single software application developed to
application address a specific niche area of business
practices; a more focused software application
designed to be the best or earliest in industry
over a broader integrated application suite.
Where are the actual HR
Technology systems housed? Mainframe environment An early computer format, designed for
Identify and define each one. (4) high-volume, processor-intensive
computing, initially used only by the largest
of organizations as the central processing
unit and main memory for thin clients (non-
processing computers). The earliest HR
applications were housed in these
environments.
Client-server application A distributed structure that partitioned
model programs and workloads between back-
office servers and desktop clients. The
desktop clients ran the applications but
requested centralized data and information
from the remote servers.
Public cloud (infrastructure as a service or IaaS) - a type
environment of on-demand computing environment that
makes resources/applications and data
available via public internet like Amazon
web services or Microsoft Azure. It is highly
scalable and allows for regional data
locations and multiple redundancies.
Single tenancy Single instance of a software application
and supporting infrastructure that houses a
single customer’s data. In a cloud
environment, vendors maintain a standard
code that is duplicated for everyone, but a
customer’s individual instance and data are
housed separately from those of every
other client. This environment allows for
minor customization.
Multi-tenancy An environment where multiple clients
share a single infrastructure and single set
of code and may even share databases. In
this environment customers share
resources, reducing cost and security
, WGU D356 Human Resource Technology
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
issues, and separate their personal
instance virtually. This environment allows
for no customization , only configuration.
Which human resources HRMS is a set of software applications the HR professional uses for
technology system describes a managing HR functions. HRMS refers to the idea of more overarching
broad set of software modules for software that uses HRIS, but also features more complex functionalities
a specific HR practice category? involved in talent management.
Lesson 2 - HRIS Users and Owners
Pages 29-42
Identify HR technology users and Almost everyone inside an organization uses HR Technology in one form
owners. or another.From entering their personal info when getting hired to filling
out time and attendance info.
What is the first step in selecting Understanding your user personas or roles is a first critical step
and configuring an HR
Technology system?
What is an end-user? End-users are really everyone that uses the technology to accomplish a
specific task.
What is an application user or Is a specific person or role that uses the application to accomplish a task.
persona?
What are the two types of users? End-users & Administrators
(2)
What is a technology Administrators are end-users that are given additional permissions inside
administrator(s)? the application that allow them to maintain the permissions and security
of other end-users within the system.
What is the biggest change in Will be the expectation that organizations and institutions see every
tomorrow’s workforce? employee as individuals and value their individuality. Included in
individuality is how and when they interact with technology.
What provided both a voice and Allowed for crowdsourcing, sharing sites, and even simple likes and
tremendous power to individuals dislikes provide both a voice and power.
in technology?
All HR Technologies are designed Gather data effectively, but to meet the needs of our changing workforce
to do what? they also need to be able to analyze that data, provide context and
understanding, and present end-users with an experience that is unique
to them.
What provides the greatest insight ● Regionally approved demographic information
about users for the future? ● Current reporting structure
● Current work team environment
● Education experience
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
Section 1: Human Resource Information Systems
Lesson 1: Introduction to HR Technology
Pages 1-26
What is human resource Is a broad term used to describe a system of software applications and
technology? the supporting hardware necessary to operate and automate the work of
managing an organization's workforce.
What is a workforce? Human resources or everyone that leads, manages and accomplishes
the work of an organization who is compensated in some way for their
efforts.
What was the primary Is a department within an organization that is responsible for overseeing
responsibility for human resource the formal systems used to manage a workforce.
functions? - Historically, it's primarily responsible for acquiring, paying and
possibly developing employees.
- No matter the size or maturity of an HR function, we generally see
that it is overseeing several critical practice areas that include:
- Core HR administration
- Service delivery
- Time management
- Talent management
- Analytics and planning
- Emerging HR practices
What are the critical areas of
human resource? Provide an
example of a software application
that associates with the practice
area. (6)
,WGU D356 Human Resource Technology
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
● Learning and development
● Performance management
● Compensation and reward
management
● Succession and career planning
Analytics and planning ● HR and people analytics
● HR data visualization
● HR reporting and dashboards
● HR data management and storage
● Organizational planning and
forecasting
● Workforce planning and forecasting
Emerging HR practices ● Intelligent processes and insights
● Data capturing and monitoring
practices
● Communication approaches
● Workflow and work augmentation
Computer program A collection of data and instructions that can be
What is an HR Technology executed by a computer to accomplish a
system made of? Please define specific result or perform a specific task.
each one. (7)
Software application A program or group of programs designed for
end-users
Software module A part of a software program that creates a
separate space or unit in a software application
that may partition off data sets, security or
content.
Application A software intermediary or function that allows
Programming two applications to communicate with each
Interface (API) other by creating guidelines for accessing data,
external software components, operating
systems or microservices.
Enterprise Resource Business management software application that
Planning (ERP) includes a suite of integrated software modules
application necessary to manage an organization’s
business effort, including but not limited to
finance, supply chain and HR applications.
These are highly configurable applications.
Functional Suite A functional set of software modules built on
Application industry best practices, tied to a specific
functional area, such as a talent management
,WGU D356 Human Resource Technology
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
suite, learning management suit or time
management suite.
Best of Breed A single software application developed to
application address a specific niche area of business
practices; a more focused software application
designed to be the best or earliest in industry
over a broader integrated application suite.
Where are the actual HR
Technology systems housed? Mainframe environment An early computer format, designed for
Identify and define each one. (4) high-volume, processor-intensive
computing, initially used only by the largest
of organizations as the central processing
unit and main memory for thin clients (non-
processing computers). The earliest HR
applications were housed in these
environments.
Client-server application A distributed structure that partitioned
model programs and workloads between back-
office servers and desktop clients. The
desktop clients ran the applications but
requested centralized data and information
from the remote servers.
Public cloud (infrastructure as a service or IaaS) - a type
environment of on-demand computing environment that
makes resources/applications and data
available via public internet like Amazon
web services or Microsoft Azure. It is highly
scalable and allows for regional data
locations and multiple redundancies.
Single tenancy Single instance of a software application
and supporting infrastructure that houses a
single customer’s data. In a cloud
environment, vendors maintain a standard
code that is duplicated for everyone, but a
customer’s individual instance and data are
housed separately from those of every
other client. This environment allows for
minor customization.
Multi-tenancy An environment where multiple clients
share a single infrastructure and single set
of code and may even share databases. In
this environment customers share
resources, reducing cost and security
, WGU D356 Human Resource Technology
Comprehensive Study Guide V2
issues, and separate their personal
instance virtually. This environment allows
for no customization , only configuration.
Which human resources HRMS is a set of software applications the HR professional uses for
technology system describes a managing HR functions. HRMS refers to the idea of more overarching
broad set of software modules for software that uses HRIS, but also features more complex functionalities
a specific HR practice category? involved in talent management.
Lesson 2 - HRIS Users and Owners
Pages 29-42
Identify HR technology users and Almost everyone inside an organization uses HR Technology in one form
owners. or another.From entering their personal info when getting hired to filling
out time and attendance info.
What is the first step in selecting Understanding your user personas or roles is a first critical step
and configuring an HR
Technology system?
What is an end-user? End-users are really everyone that uses the technology to accomplish a
specific task.
What is an application user or Is a specific person or role that uses the application to accomplish a task.
persona?
What are the two types of users? End-users & Administrators
(2)
What is a technology Administrators are end-users that are given additional permissions inside
administrator(s)? the application that allow them to maintain the permissions and security
of other end-users within the system.
What is the biggest change in Will be the expectation that organizations and institutions see every
tomorrow’s workforce? employee as individuals and value their individuality. Included in
individuality is how and when they interact with technology.
What provided both a voice and Allowed for crowdsourcing, sharing sites, and even simple likes and
tremendous power to individuals dislikes provide both a voice and power.
in technology?
All HR Technologies are designed Gather data effectively, but to meet the needs of our changing workforce
to do what? they also need to be able to analyze that data, provide context and
understanding, and present end-users with an experience that is unique
to them.
What provides the greatest insight ● Regionally approved demographic information
about users for the future? ● Current reporting structure
● Current work team environment
● Education experience
