Contents

About the Training Basics Series

Preface

1. The Technical Training Enigma

What Is Technical Training?

Differences Between Technical and Nontechnical Training

What Is a Technical Organization?

The Role of Technical Training Within the Technical Organization

Competency Assurance

Technical Courses Versus Technical Learning Experiences

Basic Requirements to Promote Technical Learning and Performance Improvement

Cracking the Enigma—Learning Measurement

What We’ve Learned

Getting It Done

2. Effective Technical Training

Active and Passive Learning

Variety, Differentiated Instruction, and Varied Practice

Getting It Done

3. The Successful Development Team

Roles in Technical Course Development

Successful Developer Characteristics

Traits of the Ideal Subject Matter Expert

Finding a Good SME

What We’ve Learned

Getting It Done

4. Technical Training Development Strategies

ADDIE Model

Agile

Reconciling ADDIE and Agile

Example: Iterative ADDIE

Getting It Done

5. Beginning the Technical Training Project

The Kickoff Meeting

Introductions, Expectations, and Administrative Information

Important Questions for Stakeholders and SMEs

Getting It Done

6. Targeting the Content

Identify SMART Learning Objectives

Prioritizing Content

Learning Strategy Analysis

Getting It Done

7. Arranging a Technical Curriculum

Options for Arranging a Technical Course

The Building Blocks of a Design Document

Getting It Done

8. Designing Classroom Exercises for Highly Technical Content

Three Categories of Exercises

Getting It Done

9. Gathering Information

Types of Information to Seek

In-House Sources of Information

External Sources of Information

Maximizing Information You Receive

Challenges of Gathering Information

Specific Tactics for Collecting Information

Getting It Done

10. Working With Subject Matter Experts

Developing Content With SMEs

Finding Out “the Why” From Your SME

Getting Past Tangents

Going Through Edits With Your SME

Getting It Done

11. The Pilot Class and Beyond

Helping Out the SME-Turned-Trainer

Development Opportunities From the Pilot Class

Post-Course Maintenance

Getting It Done

12. Troubleshooting: Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Technical Content Is Too Complicated

Challenge: You Can’t Tell What Content Is “Nice to Know” and What Is “Need to Know”

Challenge: Your SME Has a Full-Time Job Outside the Training Department

Challenge: The Course You Have Been Asked to Redesign Has Already Been Taught for Years

Challenge: The Course That Never Gets Finished

Challenge: The Course That Needs to Be Finished Yesterday

Challenge: The Organization Doesn’t Understand Active Training

Challenge: You Don’t Know How to Make the Content Interactive

Challenge: SMEs Disagree on Content

Challenge: Equipment Is Unavailable for Training

Challenge: Concrete Answers Do Not Exist

Challenge: You Have a Global Training Audience

Challenge: Technology Keeps Changing

Challenge: I Don’t Know If My Learning Solution Is Effective

Summing It Up—A Final Word on Technical Training Basics

Getting It Done

References and Resources

About the Author