Providing Effective Training
by Bob Riess
Are you an IT professional, or a “soft skills” training expert struggling to make end-user training an interactive, measurable, and rewarding experience for you and the recipient of the training? Regardless of your background and expertise, the key to providing effective end-user training is to focus on the learner rather than just the technology.
When I first started providing end-user training, I received the traditional “Death by PowerPoint” approach to learning. I did not learn much from what I received. What taught me to use technology was designing training for others. The exercise of training development made me think of creative ways to use the information that had been provided.
This experience forced me to ask the question, “If the best way to learn is to figure things out and teach others, why do so many end-user training programs spell out in boring detail each and every step that can be taken to use the technology?” My answer is that effective training does not have to provide all the answers, it just has to provide a framework by which the user can effectively figure out the answers and what works best for THEM.
I encourage you to take the following actions the next time you need to put together end-user training:
Determine what the user should be able to do
Ask someone, preferably the potential recipients of the training, what they MUST be able to DO as a result of the training. If, for example, you are training on a financial application, it might be a good idea to focus on producing the 20% of the financial reports that the user will need to generate 80% of the time. Note – I know what you are thinking. You have to trust me that after the critical 20% of activities are learned in class (or by taking an e-learning module), the other 80% will be learned on the job and when needed.
Focus on what the user should be able to do
Remember that it is much more important to be able to DO the critical things well when using technology than it is to be exposed to all the “bells and whistles.” Some exposure to rarely used features is alright if you are promoting the benefits of the tool, but the majority of training should be focused on user learning.
Present problems and have user produce measurable output
Present problems and let the participants use the technology to solve the problems. Have the users produce a measurable output as a result of the session. For example, if you know that the most important thing for a salesperson to do when using a new customer relationship management package is to produce a customer list, have the user produce a report that shows the level of detail that is necessary for them see real value in the new technology.
In summary, the most important step in providing effective end-user training is to understand what the users must be able to DO as a result of the training, and then design the training that will provide a framework that will help the participant produce measured output.
Now, let’s expand on the topic to include steps you can take to measure the results of your training initiatives.
As mentioned, training design should focus on what the learner should be able to DO as a result of the training. If it is necessary for a learner to use a new order entry system as a result of the training, then the training practice sessions should demonstrate competency in using the new system. This same principle applies to “soft” skills training. If the learner is expected to work more effectively in a team environment, then the training should have practice sessions that allow the learner to clearly demonstrate their ability to do so.
Measurement of successful training is made much easier by first developing training that focuses on the learner’s ability to perform. Assuming that your training sessions have the correct focus, I encourage you to take the following actions to measure results:
Beware of training measurements that claim outstanding business results
It is true that not all business improvements can be attributed to training. Beware of any trainer that tells you they are directly responsible for an increase in profits by X%. There are several variables that contribute to business success (or failure) and effective training is just a part of the overall results.
Provide measurements that show how training contributed to business results
A good training professional should be able to discuss business performance and how training will contribute to that success. For example, I recently conducted a short training session to help a manager increase her staff’s ability to close sales. The staff improved considerably (as proven by the numbers) but the overall success was primarily a result of the manger’s ability to apply and reinforce the concepts presented during the training session. There were many factors that led to the improvement, and training contributed to the manager’s ultimate success.
Provide a report to the business leader that details the learner’s performance
All too often, training measurement focuses only on how the trainer performed. If the training is properly designed, there should be ample opportunity for the trainer to comment on how well the learners performed and answer questions such as:
- Did the learners complete the exercises and demonstrate competence?
- Did the learners provide ideas for specific actions they will take for their success?
- It is the responsibility of the trainer to report back to the business owner his or her observations regarding the ability of the learners to perform.
By focusing on what the learner should be able to DO as a result of training, it will be much easier to measure results. Measurement should be realistic, discuss business results, and provide examples of how training contributed to those results.
Finally, let’s focus specifically on how to provide training to your customers for a competitive edge in the marketplace.
We have all seen customers reluctant to change to a new type of technology or a new type of service because of the fear that learning something new will be difficult. As a former trainer of custom applications, I understand the customer’s reluctance to change, because they are usually right. They are not normally offered the user training they require.
To stand out from your competition and use customer training as a sales advantage, try these suggestions:
Study your product or service for ways to provide customer training
Does your product or service offer the opportunity to educate your customers? If you are selling any kind of technology or related service, you are a prime candidate to implement customer training. I am working with a technology provider that knows their technology is so user friendly that training is not required. However, they now recognize that by offering customer training, their sales will increase because of the added comfort their customers gain when comparing their products to the competition.
Promote the fact that you provide customer training
If you do offer customer training, promote the fact that you offer it. I recommend you charge your customers for the user training you provide. If you “throw in” the training, your customers will not value the training and not take the training you provide seriously.
Use customer training to indirectly sell your product or service
Customer training is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about your customers and outline the next steps for a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. This will require you to learn more about how to design and deliver training that is an interactive experience and captures critical customer information. However, your extra effort will pay off with future sales opportunities and long term relationships.
Customer training can offer you a significant edge in the marketplace and help you generate more sales opportunities while learning more about your existing customers. If the product or service you provide is the least bit complex, you have a tremendous opportunity to provide customer training that will remove many of the barriers between you and your customers.
Bob Riess is the President of Innovative Training Services, LLC and can be contacted through www.innovativetrainingservices.com or at (859) 240-2550.
 Article PDF
You may need the Adobe Acrobat Reader™ to view and print this document. You can download the FREE Reader at www.adobe.com.
Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. While you may copy this publication, its content may not be modified. You may, and are encouraged to, share the publication with others who may benefit from receiving it.
|
