Training on Demand: Fusion Applications Extend Applications with ADF

Recently we followed the training Fusion Applications: Extend Applications with ADF in Training on Demand format.

What is Training on Demand?

"You train online via an Internet connection, 24/7. Access streaming lectures, whiteboarding and lab activities, with the ability to search video, pause or rewind. These courses are recorded. Courses are made available on a named user basis for a term of ninety (90) days from the effective date of your order." 

The training consists of a 5 day schedule and both of us were not able to schedule 5 consecutive days with all the projects that we are working on. This was exactly the training format we where looking for. We could follow the training whenever and wherever.

Although the recorded videos are available for 90 days, we were very surprised by the fact that we had to reserve lab time to execute the practices.

"As part of this course, you are eligible for 1 time, 5 days access to live Lab Environment. Please follow the steps below to test, configure, reserve and access your lab. You can click each section title to view each full step. We highly recommend testing and configuring your system before reserving your lab." 

In fact we still had 5 consecutive days to plan away from our projects to be able to execute the practices. This was number 1 of many disappointments to follow during this training.


What will you learn during this training:

• Use JDeveloper and Oracle ADF to extend Oracle Fusion Applications.
• Customize the User Interface of an Oracle Fusion application.
• Extend the data model of an Oracle Fusion application.
• Describe Design-time and Run-time customizations and determine when to use each.
• Use Fusion Middleware tools to customize Fusion Applications, while maintaining supportability.
• Identify the options for customizing Oracle Fusion applications.

That sounded like a great course, however during the first practices we were missing a key component in the course, which was Fusion Applications! The practices are not preformed on Fusion Applications, but on a three page custom application called Event Registration System a.k.a. Gary's Little App. We don't even know how to react to that, but that was not what we singed up for.

When you look at the Learning Path Oracle advises for a technical role, we see that for a developer role Java and ADF are recommended prior to following this training.

We both have a basic understanding of Java and ADF, so following this training would be no problem. But the content was at such a level, that we could not even call it ADF basics, but an introduction to ADF. The training consisted mainly about what ADF was and the abilities of ADF. To be frank, these trainings and even at a more detailed level, are available for free via Oracle By Example.

What we missed/expected during the training?

• Fusion Applications (sounds logical, but not present)
• Setting up a developer environment
• Working with Flexfields
• Security of customization
• Deployment of customization to Fusion Application
• Migration of customization to other environments

Was it all bad?

We hate to trash Oracle, because we have been working with Oracle technologies with passion for a combined 25 years now. But if you signup for a training specific for Fusion Applications, the least you may expect is Fusion Applications. This training really does not represent or prepare a developer for Fusion Applications. The only educational part of the training was the detailed content of MDS, Online Composers and Sandboxes. This training would be a nice way to get introducted to ADF for functional people, but you still can't call this a training for Fusion Applications.