My name is Nadezhda, I live in Chile and do devops in an international fintech corporation. For a couple of years now, I have been regularly conducting various trainings for colleagues. Webinars, master classes ... in other words, classes where participants gain practical skills. For example, they write scripts, or learn to use Jenkins. Unlike a demo or presentation, where the audience only watches, listens and dulls on Facebook, this format is much more interactive and time consuming.
Why do we need such trainings at all? In an ideal world, to train people to use the tool and to bring newcomers up to date. In reality, usually at the request of the management, which must be held accountable for "employee development" and "introduction of new technologies." My manager is ambitious, so he fit in to bring light to people. Unfortunately, I am an enthusiast and I enjoy sharing knowledge and helping. But how can you teach people with different technical backgrounds, dubious motivation “it should be done this way” and a long-term habit of not moving again? Not to waste your time and effort, but to gain useful experience? How then, excuse me, not to burn out like the last millennial?
In this article I want to share my experience and give some tips. I hope my thoughts will be useful to those who willingly or unwillingly got involved in this.
Where to begin?
The speed of communication greatly affects the organization of the training, so determine in advance whether the training will be full-time or remote. The size of the group, the difficulty of the exercises and the degree of control depend on this.
- Group
For a face-to-face session, a group can be up to ten people, and for a remote session, a maximum of five. Being physically present in one place greatly simplifies matters. For example, if several students are faced with the same problem, it is enough for the coach to show the solution to one, and he, in turn, will help the others. It's very confusing for everyone to share their desktop and dictate to everyone what to do while the others check their work mail, inevitably losing interest and concentration. -
- - , , . , , . -
, . , , . , .
?
Taking into account the specifics of the format, we develop a curriculum: schedule, topics of each lesson, homework. Everything here is individual and depends on a specific topic. It is understood that you are well versed in it and can present the material clearly and structurally. Great if you are interested in teaching people. Ideally, you have public speaking skills, authority among colleagues, and a pleasant voice. But, the main thing is to understand well what you are going to tell.
Then try to weed out as much as possible those who do not need this training by and large. It is useful here for each candidate to determine the motivation, level of initial training and willingness to spend time on homework. After a small general demo of the training program, I sent everyone the same and very primitive test task and asked them to answer the question "why do I want to participate in the training." This simple letter reduced the number of potential students in half. Perfectly! Now, for all the rest, it is necessary to obtain the consent of the managers in order to avoid a showdown on the topic "why are you our employees borrowing any nonsense without our consent." We write again: “Ivan Petrov will undergo training such and such, once a week, from such and such to such and such a date. Detailed program here (link). The tasks will take about X hours.Please confirm the participation of Ivan Petrov in this training. " It will also add some solidity to the entire event.
Love customizing your work environment? How about helping someone set up their work environment? And four at the same time? And on websex through a shared desktop? Here I am about that. As a "zero" homework, let them prepare a workplace, put everything you need. It is advisable to leave detailed instructions so that you do not ask questions too often. Those who have failed is to blame.
Next, you need to prepare a transparent control system. It is needed even more than a detailed outline of each lesson! Firstly, to stimulate students (you know the meaning of the word incentive, right?), And secondly, so that the coach himself can report on the work done.
I identified three components: student control, final demo, and artifacts.
- Monitoring students
: they need structure, they need discipline. — . , , , . , , , , . — , , . , , — . — , . — , , . . , : , great job, , , . , . , , . -
- , - : , , . , — . , , , , . -
, , : , , , , , , FAQ, , . , - .
How to behave during the training?
Let the students know that they can contact you with any question, suggest, help. Some students may be genuinely interested in what you teach them. Spend more time on those who need the most, for their sake everything was started. Unfortunately, there are also enough freeloaders, it is better not to encourage them. Do not do their work for students, provide help only on a specific problem, and send for everything else to Google, save time. Most people cannot be motivated, no need to arrange a Karpman triangle with them, leave them alone. Stick to your own rules, do not curry favor and respect your work. Your goal is not to change the world, but to conduct 1 (one) quality training.
Final chord
When the classes are over and all the demos are recorded, you just want to exhale and do nothing else. But the last stage is the most important for the coach - you need to report on the work done and, I would even say, by chance get PR. Sort artifacts, put them in the public domain. All material must be available, it is both the result of the trainer's work and reference information. Be sure to send a general letter and thank you for your participation, provide a link to the materials and ask for feedback (preferably through a short online survey). Detailed answers where you are thanked and praised, save, they will be useful in assessing KPIs. By the way, about KPIs - beautifully describe your services to the fatherland, using the words leadership, coaching and development.
Congratulations, the job is done, you can finally relax!
Why do you need all this?
Maybe it's not obvious from the article, but it's cool to conduct trainings. Personally, I like this format of communication when people do something together and help each other. I like it when knowledge is then used for real projects, when, months later, unfamiliar colleagues ask for a link to a video, ask questions on the merits, ask for expert opinion. For me, as an introvert, this is just the perfect networking and at the same time a way to express myself.
I would be glad if this article helps someone to enjoy organizing trainings. Write in the comments about your experience, who you taught and how, and what came of it, I'm very interested.
PS. Why Chile - wrote here