Developing training on specific processes or procedures in your company? The following points will help you design a fun and effective program. 1. Keep it 'lean and mean.' You want your training to be just long enough to teach
participants what they need to know, no longer or shorter than that. Figure out exactly what that information is and build your training course around that.
2. Choose best format to deliver training. Can a simple 1-hour lecture do job? Or do you need to record class on videotape? Does it need to be 1-on-1 training or classroom training? For every different subject there's going to be a different need, so consider them all before choosing one.
3. Remember different people learn different ways. Some people learn better by simply reading, others need to hear information, many need visual examples, and most people need a variety of all of these in order to retain information. As you create your class, figure out how to provide same information in these different ways so that more people will get it.
4. Make it interactive. The straight lecture-only type classes will rarely get job done these days. The old pedagogical "I talk, you listen" style of teaching doesn't result in a lot of knowledge gain by student. Work on exercises, drills, and role-plays that get student involved in class and help them learn by doing.
5. Keep it light. In a classroom environment, humor almost always helps. People retain more and learn more if they are relaxed and having fun. Even most serious training programs benefit from a good dose of humor. Just make sure it's appropriate.
6. Hold training in proper environment. It's hard to learn if you're uncomfortable, regardless of how good a course may be. Find perfect place to conduct training. That should be someplace with adequate lighting, seating, heating/air conditioning and minimal distractions (preferably none at all).
