Technical Training Basics

Sarah Wakefield

Jan 2011 · Association for Talent Development

About this ebook

How do you train people in a specialized, complex subject area that you don't fully understand yourself?

If you're an experienced trainer, training manager, content designer, curriculum developer, or anyone else who creates courses, Technical Training Basics can help you tackle this challenge head-on.

With this book as your guide, you can understand and navigate the process of creating effective technical training programs in partnership with a subject matter expert.

You'll learn about:

·         differences between technical and non-technical training

·         characteristics of an effective developer and subject matter expert, and how to work together as an effective team

·         how to gather information and arrange content for a highly technical course

·         ways to apply specific tools, equipment and processes in your training

·         the process of managing your project from designing and developing a pilot course through post-course review.

Technical Training Basics provides a complete, ready-to-use tool kit to support your technical training needs, including outlines, worksheets, exercises, checklists, a sample PowerPoint presentation, and evaluation forms. You'll have a wealth of ideas, tips, and strategies to assist you in organizing technical content, avoiding the pitfalls of dealing with a topic outside your own area of expertise, and becoming a successful trainer in any technical subject.

About the author

 Sarah Wakefield is a technical training supervisor for Schlumberger Limited in Houston. Her primary responsibility is managing the design and development of technical training courses for audiences in locations such as the United States, Europe, South America, the Middle East, Russia, China, and North Africa. Before this, Sarah worked as a curriculum designer for various organizations. Sarah also was an instructor of communication, writing, and life success courses at Ivy Tech State College and at Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sarah holds a master's degree in communication from Purdue, as well as a bachelor's degree from Purdue with a double major in professional writing and psychology.