How to become a How to become a technical technical trainer... trainer...

Jang F.M. GraatJang F.M. Graat

travelling philosophertravelling philosopher

...and earn lots of $$$...and earn lots of $$$

Who’s talking ?Who’s talking ?

Born in the Netherlands Born in the Netherlands and still living thereand still living there

Studied Applied Physics, Studied Applied Physics, Psychology and Psychology and PhilosophyPhilosophy

Self-made professionalSelf-made professional Started IF UnLtd in 1994, Started IF UnLtd in 1994,

after being out of a job after being out of a job but still in demandbut still in demand

15 years experience15 years experience All-rounder in Tech. Com.All-rounder in Tech. Com.

Do you need to change ?Do you need to change ? Have you lost your job or expect to lose it soon ?Have you lost your job or expect to lose it soon ? Do you need a new challenge to not fall asleep ?Do you need a new challenge to not fall asleep ? Is your job or boss slowly making you mad ?Is your job or boss slowly making you mad ? Are you not making enough money ?Are you not making enough money ?

Is training something for Is training something for you ?you ?

Do you like to explain stuff to people ?Do you like to explain stuff to people ? Do you like to travel and eat out ?Do you like to travel and eat out ? Are you loyal to users or to the product ?Are you loyal to users or to the product ? Are you willing to learn as you go along ?Are you willing to learn as you go along ?

Qualities you will needQualities you will need

Communication Communication skillsskills

ExpertiseExpertise Empathy Empathy CreativityCreativity ConfidenceConfidence Patience !Patience !

Practice communication Practice communication skillsskills

A clear, loud enough, speaking voiceA clear, loud enough, speaking voice Don’t forget to breathe !Don’t forget to breathe !

Being able to listen to your audienceBeing able to listen to your audience Listen, even when you are speakingListen, even when you are speaking

Keep your language clear & conciseKeep your language clear & concise Don’t make too long sentences, as these Don’t make too long sentences, as these

only cause the people in your audience only cause the people in your audience to lose track and let their minds wander to lose track and let their minds wander off (as you may have noticed by now)off (as you may have noticed by now)

Be an expert, to some Be an expert, to some extentextent

You should feel at home in the subjectYou should feel at home in the subject UnderstandingUnderstanding is better than knowing is better than knowing Gather more info than you will needGather more info than you will need Use the breaks to talk/listen to your audience, Use the breaks to talk/listen to your audience,

and learn as they tell you about their workand learn as they tell you about their work Concentrate on the conceptsConcentrate on the concepts

You don’t need to know all the detailsYou don’t need to know all the details You cannot teach the audience all the detailsYou cannot teach the audience all the details The audience doesn’t need to know all detailsThe audience doesn’t need to know all details

Understand user’s Understand user’s problemsproblems

Remember: you are here for the userRemember: you are here for the user Tell them this at the beginning of your Tell them this at the beginning of your

coursecourse Relate to, but don’t drown in problemsRelate to, but don’t drown in problems

Refer lengthy discussions to the breaksRefer lengthy discussions to the breaks Be aware of hidden agendasBe aware of hidden agendas

““This new technology is not good for us”This new technology is not good for us” ““This must be really difficult to learn”This must be really difficult to learn” ““This is way too easy for me”This is way too easy for me”

Use your creativityUse your creativity

Give imaginative examples…Give imaginative examples… Examples should really clarify conceptsExamples should really clarify concepts Use everyday-life examples when possibleUse everyday-life examples when possible Case studies work best in practice sessionsCase studies work best in practice sessions

……but keep your imagination in checkbut keep your imagination in check Don’t make the examples too wildDon’t make the examples too wild Don’t waste your time on tiny detailsDon’t waste your time on tiny details When you get lost, abort and retryWhen you get lost, abort and retry

Have confidence in your Have confidence in your skillsskills

Concentrate on the subject, not on yourselfConcentrate on the subject, not on yourself Your attention guides the listeners’ attentionYour attention guides the listeners’ attention Minimize wasting attention on anything elseMinimize wasting attention on anything else

Relax: they are not going to kill youRelax: they are not going to kill you The users are here to learn somethingThe users are here to learn something If you need a minute, propose a short breakIf you need a minute, propose a short break

Whatever happens: don’t panic !!!Whatever happens: don’t panic !!! If you don’t know, then why not admit it ?If you don’t know, then why not admit it ?

Be patient … … … … … !Be patient … … … … … !

Every user is smart until proven stupidEvery user is smart until proven stupid Don’t take any knowledge for grantedDon’t take any knowledge for granted Don’t look down on people who don’t get itDon’t look down on people who don’t get it

YouYou should have patience, not the users should have patience, not the users Don’t keep them waiting after a breakDon’t keep them waiting after a break Don’t disappear without telling them that Don’t disappear without telling them that

you are going to be back soon (and be back you are going to be back soon (and be back soon)soon)

When it gets hard, remember who pays When it gets hard, remember who pays you…you…

do you still want to do you still want to become a technical become a technical

trainer ?trainer ?No -> you can leave the room No -> you can leave the room

quietlyquietly

Yes -> stay for the practical stuffYes -> stay for the practical stuff

What we are going to What we are going to covercover

CommunicationCommunication AttentionAttention Body languageBody language TechnologyTechnology PreparationPreparation

Communication (1)Communication (1)

Webster’s dictionary:Webster’s dictionary: ““the imparting or interchange of thoughts, the imparting or interchange of thoughts,

opinions, or information by speech, writing, or opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs”signs”

““passage, or an opportunity or means of passage, or an opportunity or means of passage, between places”passage, between places”

Communication (2)Communication (2)

Common, implicit (and incorrect) modelCommon, implicit (and incorrect) model The meanings of words are fixed, definedThe meanings of words are fixed, defined Meanings do not change when communicatedMeanings do not change when communicated If someone doesn’t understand it, he or she is If someone doesn’t understand it, he or she is

dumbdumb

Communication (3)Communication (3) We usually misunderstand each otherWe usually misunderstand each other

Communication is (re)construction of meaningsCommunication is (re)construction of meanings Reconstruction depends on previous knowledgeReconstruction depends on previous knowledge As long as everything “fits”, we believe we have As long as everything “fits”, we believe we have

understood exactly what the speaker meantunderstood exactly what the speaker meant

Communication (4)Communication (4)

Natural logic (J-B. Grize)Natural logic (J-B. Grize) Everyone (re)constructs models in their mindsEveryone (re)constructs models in their minds Speaker, audience, and subject modelsSpeaker, audience, and subject models Various possible “speech positions”Various possible “speech positions” Every phrase changes the reconstructed modelsEvery phrase changes the reconstructed models

Communication (5)Communication (5)

““So, how does this help me ?”So, how does this help me ?” Be aware of possible differences in Be aware of possible differences in

understandingunderstanding Define terms and concepts and repeat themDefine terms and concepts and repeat them Use simplified examples to clarify the conceptsUse simplified examples to clarify the concepts Test if your audience has understoodTest if your audience has understood

Attention (1)Attention (1)

Latin: Latin: adad and and tenderetendere - “reaching for” - “reaching for” When you watch something, your attention reaches When you watch something, your attention reaches

out toward it. As soon as your curiosity is satisfied, out toward it. As soon as your curiosity is satisfied, your attention is released and moves elsewhere.your attention is released and moves elsewhere.

To concentrate is to control your attentionTo concentrate is to control your attention

Attention (2)Attention (2)

Your attention guides the audienceYour attention guides the audience Captivating an audience is done by taking control Captivating an audience is done by taking control

of their full attention: make it interesting !of their full attention: make it interesting ! Actively retrieve the attention of the audienceActively retrieve the attention of the audience

after breaks or when moving to the next subjectafter breaks or when moving to the next subject

Attention (3)Attention (3) Attention makes the object bigger & brighterAttention makes the object bigger & brighter

Place your attention on the goal, not on the problemPlace your attention on the goal, not on the problem Stressing complexity leaves the audience puzzledStressing complexity leaves the audience puzzled Your attention must be on the subject matter,Your attention must be on the subject matter,

not on anything else (incertainty, your clothing, etc.)not on anything else (incertainty, your clothing, etc.)

Attention (4)Attention (4) An interesting attention exerciseAn interesting attention exercise

Two people facing each other, holding hands tightly; Two people facing each other, holding hands tightly; third person tries to break through this barrierthird person tries to break through this barrier

Attention on the barrier > only seems to get strongerAttention on the barrier > only seems to get stronger Attention on the goal > much easier to break throughAttention on the goal > much easier to break through

Attention (5)Attention (5)

When using computers for practical work:When using computers for practical work: Have all computers - except your own - switched off Have all computers - except your own - switched off

before the students enter the roombefore the students enter the room Switch between presentations (with computers off) Switch between presentations (with computers off)

and practical sessions (which end with a break)and practical sessions (which end with a break)

Body language (1)Body language (1)

Make yourself comfortableMake yourself comfortable Don’t sit down for your presentationDon’t sit down for your presentation Make sure to be rested, relieved, relaxedMake sure to be rested, relieved, relaxed It helps to “inspect” the room before you’re on; It helps to “inspect” the room before you’re on;

make sure you know where everything is locatedmake sure you know where everything is located

Body language (2)Body language (2)

Be your relaxed selfBe your relaxed self It’s OK to show that you’re alive !It’s OK to show that you’re alive ! Move around, but not too muchMove around, but not too much If you gesture or point at something, If you gesture or point at something,

make sure the entire audience can see itmake sure the entire audience can see it

Technology (1)Technology (1) Make a professional impressionMake a professional impression

Don’t stick to old stuff that no-one takes seriouslyDon’t stick to old stuff that no-one takes seriously But: use high-tech stuff only when it adds somethingBut: use high-tech stuff only when it adds something Be confident but not bragging about itBe confident but not bragging about it Have the title slide up when people enter the roomHave the title slide up when people enter the room

Technology (2)Technology (2)

Don’t mess around with technologyDon’t mess around with technology YouYou should be the focus of the audience’s attention should be the focus of the audience’s attention Don’t use gadgets if you can do withoutDon’t use gadgets if you can do without If a live demo is too complex, then make If a live demo is too complex, then make

screenshots that show the steps in your slides (and screenshots that show the steps in your slides (and hand-outs)hand-outs)

Don’t get bogged down by the detailsDon’t get bogged down by the details

Technology (3)Technology (3)

Make sure your system worksMake sure your system works Prepare Prepare beforebefore your students come in your students come in Do not use examples that you do not knowDo not use examples that you do not know Pack any accessory you may need (cables !)Pack any accessory you may need (cables !) Always have a plan B prepared and ready to Always have a plan B prepared and ready to

runrun

Preparation (1)Preparation (1)

Prepare your own materialsPrepare your own materials You should know what is coming nextYou should know what is coming next The slides should support, not lead your The slides should support, not lead your

presentationpresentation When doing practical sessions:When doing practical sessions:

make sure your examples are absolutely flawlessmake sure your examples are absolutely flawless

Preparation (2)Preparation (2)

Know what to expectKnow what to expect What is the knowledge level of your audience ?What is the knowledge level of your audience ? What are the goals your audience may hold ?What are the goals your audience may hold ? When doing practical sessions: When doing practical sessions:

what are the problems the students may run what are the problems the students may run into ?into ?

Preparation (3)Preparation (3) Prepare the mind-set of your audiencePrepare the mind-set of your audience

First explain the course structure and your “rules”First explain the course structure and your “rules” Tell them this course is theirs, not yours, and they Tell them this course is theirs, not yours, and they

should make sure to get from it what they needshould make sure to get from it what they need Tell them what they can expect to achieve / learnTell them what they can expect to achieve / learn

thanks for your thanks for your attentionattention

if you need further coaching,if you need further coaching,check my website and contact mecheck my website and contact me

www.jang.nlwww.jang.nl