Training is important in any company. This is how you ensure that the employees doing the legwork is skilled when it comes to the systems and strategies that will make the business more productive and in effect, profitable. We all know that no process, system or any kind of business process is constant. It will always change to accommodate the advancements in the industry and technology. That is how you improve.
Your training program can happen in a traditional classroom type of learning. However, it is also possible for you to create an online program that will allow you to train others that are not physically present. Not only that, it will also allow future learners to be trained without having to go through the same process again. You can simply archive the online training program and give access to new employees so they are up to date with those who have a longer tenure with the company.
Designing an online training program is somewhat similar to a traditional one. After all, you practically have the same content and the same goals. You are just using different tools and you are implementing the program in a different platform.
Here are 4 steps to follow when you are creating an online training program.
- Complete your information and make sure it makes sense and is concise. In any learning program, content will always be king. It does not matter if your presentation is impressive. If your content is lacking, your training will fail. So make sure you know the skills that you need to teach your learners. Next, you have to lay out your data so that it will make sense to those that you have to train. For instance, if you have to teach them how to use a certain program, make sure they know how to turn it on before you proceed to teach them what they can do with the program. Make is logical. Lastly, make sure your information is concise and straight to the point. Try not to make the training program more than an hour. If it is lengthy, divide it into a series of courses.
- Choose the tool you will use. Obviously, this is an online program. What tool will you use to present the content that you just created? Usually, PowerPoint is a great tool. It is very simple to use and upload online. Feel free to use images, audio and videos to make your presentation interesting to the employees you will be training. Just make sure it will not overwhelm the content. Not only that, make sure that you take time to proofread what you made. Learning through a material with spelling and grammatical errors does not bode well for your training.
- Test it first. Spend some time testing your online training program. When you think that it is okay, have someone check it out. Let them give their comments in terms of the continuity, clarity and effectiveness of what you are trying to teach. Encourage them to be as honest and brutal as they can in criticizing what you created. And make sensible judgements about what opinions you will follow or ignore.
- Select the right Learning Management System to implement your training program. Lastly, select how you will implement this program so it can be accessed by those you wish to train. The LMS should allow you to monitor the program as it is being accessed. That way, you can observe how the trainees react to the program. You can also place a questionnaire or feedback tab where they can leave comments and feedback on the effectiveness of the program. That way, you can make the necessary improvements as you go along in the training.
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