What is good training? That’s almost a trick question. Which of these are true?

1. Good training is when somebody actually learns something
2. Good training is when somebody learns something new
3. Good training means learning how to do something faster
4. Good training is when the student can pass a test or certification
5. Good training provides the student with experience

Those are all probably “true” statements, but are they right? How about this instead:

“Good training is something that makes an employee more productive to the organization”

We might even need to add in that the new productivity has a higher value than the cost of the training. If a training program costs $10,000 and the net result is that one employee saves 5 minutes a day on one task, was that a gain?

Miscellaneous thoughts on training:

• “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
  –Benjamin Franklin
• Typical training: If you push this button, X will happen. Better training: if you’re trying to accomplish X, here’s what you need to do
• The best training is self training (at least for most people)
• Two typical attitudes about training:
  1. I don’t know how to do that, I need training
  -vs.-
  2. I bet there’s a way to do that, let me figure it out
  When a person transitions from #1 to #2, think of the possibilities! (HT to Jim LaBarr)
• Lengthy (all day, all week) training appears to have great results, but they usually don’t last. Short, even repetitive, topic-focused training has much longer results. Consider TED talks and their 18 minute rule
• A lot of short, single-topic, “do it yourself” training bits may work better than typical classroom
• Classroom is still good for the dialog, and to force training to happen for those who wouldn’t otherwise have the discipline
• Lunch-n-Learn is almost always a good thing. Most people like food
• Good training is specific to the organization’s culture. And processes. It may focus on those processes!
• Spend more time on the every day stuff than the once-a-year stuff. [but define the once-a-year stuff in an easy to reference KB]
• If doing classroom training set the expectation that each person will be called on. After the question is asked, not before!
• Good training focuses more on why than on how

Where does training end and support start? Or vice versa? Or are they deeply intertwined? What would happen if design, development, implementation, configuration, training, and support where all tightly connected with each other. Would the end-users have a better experience?

Better training reduces friction. Or …

“Better training helps things go right which in turn creates better user experiences.”

Is that the same as improved productivity? Probably