Proudly announcing that the answers given by 139 developers were compiled into a complex analysis. Reading all the answers has helped me discover some interesting correlations. The report containing the detailed analysis of the responses can be found here: http://picourse.com/learningsurvey
Conducted in March 2015, the survey proved itself to be a real success. Respondents were eager to share the details of their learning path and career in the field of SAP. In total, 139 professionals participated in the survey. From their answers, I was able to deduct that real experts are always ready to learn more, and to share their knowledge as well.
There is no universally accepted way of learning SAP XI/PI/PO - in fact, several methods seem to work just fine. Options include regular classroom courses, online classes and in-house training sessions, such as those offered by consulting companies.
However, maintaining a mentorship with a more experienced consultant or colleague seems to lead to the best results. In fact, several questions present in the survey focused on the effect such professional collaborations have on the learning process. It seems that most beginners have a positive attitude in regards to mentorship.
Time is also a crucial aspect of learning. Naturally, the speed of learning and acquiring new skills differs from one person to another. Still, the survey has revealed that most developers need at least 1 to 2 years of assistance before being able to work independently. Unfortunately, the responses have also shown that courses are merely detailed introductions - most of us need a helping hand with specific issues when starting out in this field.
I also looked at continuous improvement. It turns out that the majority of developers (especially the more advanced ones) review their work. Furthermore, those working at bigger companies tend to be even more keen on reviewing their own projects.
The entire report is available here:http://picourse.com/learningsurvey/