Successful Strategies for Software Training

A critical element when rolling out new technology is training ... for everyone. Although executives, casual users, secretaries, and IT staff may all use the same software, they each use different features or they use the same feature differently to accomplish their work. Training should be focused on how the user works rather than how the software works.

Unlike canned training, we go beyond the scope of the outline. In fact, there is no outline! That may sound crazy but this is why. Today's users are not beginners. They have experience in some other software, some other version. They're just new to this particular software. Or this particular version. Or they just need knowledge in specific areas on software they've been using for months. So we base their training on their current knowledge.

Because we're masters on the software we adjust the pace, customizing-on-the-fly when necessary, to address specific topics and structure the class to best fit those users at that moment.We call it Targeted Learning and it's simply the best way to learn.

By basing the training on the participants' current knowledge, whether that's from an earlier version of the software or a completely different brand, we bridge the gap between what users currently know and what they need to know.

Sometimes it just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do. Check out our list of mistakes to avoid.

General Recommendations
Every situation is unique but generally there are some key training strategies that apply to every organization. One of the most critical is training for the Help Desk and IT team. You may be thinking "Our IT team is savvy. They can figure technology on their own." Yes they can . . . eventually. In the meantime, users are frustrated, Help Desk is being bombarded, and the bosses may begin to question the decision to make this technology change.

Working Sessions are Criticial for New Technology Implementation
Because the IT team, help desk and trainers are the first line of support for users they need to be trained first and must have a period of burn-in time. They need to know the ins and outs, the pros and cons, the benefits and limitations and a heads-up on the common mistakes users will make. Unless they understand how the software works, the decisions they must make about the installation may not be the best ones.

See details on our unique IT Working Sessions, along with descriptions of other classes, for GroupWise or WordPerfect.

Why Application Design is So Important
End users usually have an active role in this since they know what macros or templates are used.

Consistency of documents. Is the formatting of documents consistent from document to document and from user to user? Are the email signatures standard (indeed, is everyone using a signature)? Are you sure that correspondence with the outside looks like it came from the same (your) organization?

Speed Equals Productivity. Spending more than a few seconds on creating common documents is such a time waster. Company-wide forms and documents should be created as masters or templates which makes them just a click away for users. No more hunting for the right form on the network, only to realize that someone has accidentally filled in the blanks of the form.

New Hire Training. A key element for creating applications is new hire training. Productivity shouldn't take a nosedive just because an employee left and took all their knowledge with them. Your company should own that knowledge. The way to do that is with macros, templates and other customized processes.

VIPs and Casual users. Having applications in place is especially important for VIPs and casual users. The majority of their workday is not spent with this particular — or for that matter, any — software. For that reason, they don't know the software as well as, say, a secretary. So common, repetitive, time-consuming tasks should be just a click away.

Train Users in a Specific Order
Power users should be trained first, VIPs go last. Managers are trained after their secretaries. Bosses and subordinates should not be in the same class. High level casual users are one-on-one. Put newbies together, casual users together and power users together. For law firms, put attorneys in the same class but separate the casual users from those who are technologically self-sufficient.

Don't let users sign up for classes. Assign them a class based on their type of work and knowledge level. Don't let them decide if they're 'advanced' or 'intermediate'. In fact, don't label classes 'beginner', 'intermediate' or 'advanced' at all.

Don't let people double-up or audit classes. It causes confusion and classes actually take longer. Having two people at the same computer means one is driving and the other is directing, translating what the trainer has just explained — often not quite correctly. So the driver muddles through, often lagging a little behind. Just the noise volume in the room makes it difficult for other participants to concentrate and for the class to keep on track.

Don't roll out new technology to a VIP first, especially if they are a casual user. Generally, the higher someone is on the organizational chart, the lower they should be in the training order. Their time should not be wasted with the hiccups that accompany new technology implementations. And the IT department certainly doesn't want these hiccups on upper management's radar.

Follow-up Support
Knowing that help is a phone call away is a comforting thought for many users, even if they don't actually make the call. Sitting at their desks with their real work is a different atmosphere than during training. Specific issues that didn't come up in training are suddenly critical and need immediate attention.

Beyond the normal support provided to users on a regular basis, a intensified presence of support following training can be very beneficial — for both the user and the IT team. The users get their answers and the IT team gets a sense of how the users are using the technology and how well the technology is working for the user. More importantly, potential problems may be averted because IT looks at software differently than does the end user. Recognizing that a series of minor issues is actually a precursor to a widespread problem may simply be the act of putting all the pieces together.

Support can take many forms: phone calls, emails to a special Help Desk, posting FAQs, searchable and printable reference information, walking the halls, brown-bag lunch seminars, and follow-up training. Implementing all of these methods are the most beneficial to the users. Because some of them are self-help, the demands on IT personnel can be reduced.

Follow-up Training
Now that users have been using the software for a couple of weeks, they're ready to broach some of the more obscure or advanced features. It's likely they now need to use the software in ways they didn't realize they needed before. They have specific questions for which the answers can simply be explained to them and, because they now know the software, they will understand how to resolve their problem.

Providing hands-off follow-up training is an easy way to meet these needs. Brown bag lunches are one of the most productive because they don't take users away from production time. A lot more information can be packed into a hands-off session than a hands-on session.

That's not to say we're ignoring hands-on training. Sitting at a computer to learn is always the best method because users retain the information better when they actually do it. And it certainly is the best method when learning new technology and concepts.

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info@loriquinn.com
©1998-2007 Lori Quinn

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