TRAINING DESIGN

If you have a training need which would encompass many of your personnel - and where consistency and branding is paramount, a bespoke training design would be the answer. Contact us for a no-obligation chat (by clicking here to email us – enquiries@stratusassociates.co.uk) or calling 0161 904 7060 and asking for ‘TRAINING DESIGN’

BIGGING UP TRAINING DESIGN
by Sheridan Webb and Steve Rouse

You couldn't see an award-winning play without someone producing a great script, ensuring the set was right, and the costumes perfect for the story. The cost of your ticket doesn't just pay the actors and the director. It pays for the lighting, the catering, the cleaning, the casting, the script, the make-up and so on.

Training design is often overlooked as the dowdy, boring sister of the exciting, sexy training delivery. Trainers are often judged on their 'performance' more than their ability to transfer learning to the workplace. A great trainer (of course) gives a quality performance that results in changes in the workplace. This can only be achieved if thought, time and effort have been put into the design of the training in the first place.

"Why should you expect to have great training without investing in everything that goes on 'behind the scenes'? Let's get the 'Plain Jane' of training a little more centre stage, and give her the credit she deserves. After all, without her, performance would be all show and no substance."

Quality design goes beyond producing a few slides, half a dozen handouts and a few scribbled trainer notes. Quality design results in a well-structured programme, utilising a wide range of learning methods. It results in robust delegate materials, detailed trainer notes and bespoke activities, as well as appropriate pre- and post-course work to aid the transfer of learning.

But why should companies invest in this? If you have a trainer that you trust, why not just let them get on with it? Well, you can... but there are a number of factors that should be considered before deciding to take this approach:

Here are 20 good reasons why quality training design is worth the investment. By course design, we mean producing trainers’ guidelines, a detailed delegate booklet, slides, activity sheets, post-course activities, distance learning, evaluation, and so on. To take it even further back, it means consciously and creatively thinking about the best methods to use to achieve your organisational objectives.

1. Encourages Ownership. As a client, you can contribute to the course content directly, integrating key policies, processes and standards where you feel it is appropriate.
   
 
2. Confidence in Outcomes. You get to see in detail what will be covered in the programme before it is run, and have the opportunity to request changes.
   
 
3. Improves Commitment. Course outlines and sample materials can be circulated before it is run to gain buy-in from a higher authority, and get a ‘buzz’ going about it.
   
 
4. Value for Money. A professional training designer will hand over all materials to you, and generally not retain copyright. This means you can use the materials over and over again.
   
 
5. Added Value. Tangible materials provide ‘added value’.
   
 
6. Meeting Objectives. It is easy to demonstrate exactly how the desired objectives will be met before the training takes place, providing you with reassurance that the training will meet your needs.
   
 
7. Innovation. Professional training designers are able to build in a range of activities to suit the needs of the learners or learning styles, whilst maintaining key messages. Approaches can include the highly innovative as well as traditional – or a mix of both.
   
 
8. Accelerating Learning. Taking the time to properly plan and design training ensures that accelerated learning principles can be followed, with all learning styles catered for, which in turn aids the transfer of learning.
   
 
9. Consistency. For programmes run over time or different locations, professionally designed materials ensure that the core messages stay the same.
   
 
10. Ease of Substitution. It is easier to find a substitute trainer because all of the materials are to hand, limiting disruption and maintaining your schedules and programmes.
    
 
11. Replication. For roll-outs where a number of trainers are used, it ensures there is a consistency of message and approach.
    
 
12. Transfer of Learning. Delegates have detailed reference material to refer to after the course (instead of just copies of slides). More innovative methods, such as “just-in-time” and “bite-size” training can help get learning to your people when and where they most need it.
    
 
13. Flexible Approach. Training designers are not limited to classroom training. They will consider ALL learning options, and be able to combine methods to provide a truly blended solution that meets your needs.
    
 
14. Integrated Solutions. Professionally designed materials reflect and refer to your business practices, making the training more meaningful to delegates. Incorporated into design, key business messages/processes can be communicated to all deliverers, rather than having to brief them all separately.
    
 
15. Doubles the Expertise. If the designer and deliverer are different people, both are able to bring their experience, knowledge and expertise to the solution.
    
 
16. Aids Evaluation. With detailed training materials, it is easier to complete an objective evaluation of the programme as you know exactly what has been covered. Skilled training designers will build in measures throughout the programme and beyond that make evaluation at all 4 levels possible.
    
 
17. Raises the Image of Training. Quality materials imply a quality programme. Shoddy, poorly photocopied handouts in different fonts devalue the training and the organisation and present a barrier to learning.
    
 
18. Marketing Opportunities. Materials act as a silent marketer long after the courses have ended.
    
 
19. Increases Trainer Confidence. Providing the trainer with ‘optional’ activities means they have to think less on their feet to adapt the course to individual groups’ needs, and instead focus on helping them to learn.
    
 
20. Cradle to Grave Approach. These days. It’s often the ‘softer’ side of business that recruits, retains and engages quality staff. Training designers will take a holistic approach to staff development, and can often provide everything from competence models, through induction programmes, performance management systems, and development programmes, ensuring a common thread runs through them all.