A mere mention of technical training makes people roll their eyes. Most of such trainings are as exciting as watching paint dry. But it didn’t have to be that way.
As opposed to limiting ourselves to the common notion that technical training can’t be made interesting, there indeed are ways!
Dry technical content when presented poorly will put off learners and undermine the training efforts. Hence, we need to adopt strategies that make these training more engaging and relevant for the learners.
These strategies include effective storytelling through the use of metaphors and analogies, elucidating technical concepts with everyday examples, using specific work-related examples, using animations and interactivities for illustration, using interactive simulations and step by step demonstrations for practical understanding of the subjects.
1. Effective Storytelling
In this context, the role of effective storytelling cannot be overlooked. The use of metaphors and analogies, help make the understanding of a technical subject much simpler.
2. Everyday Examples
Here is an example where learners are explained about the importance of measurement, in order to manage the performance to achieve the desired outcome. This illustrates how, by using an everyday example to represent a concept, we can make the content more accessible.
3. Connection with Everyday Work
Making the content relatable plays a critical role in engaging the learners. When the technical concept is explained through examples that have explicit connections with their everyday work, learners derive practical and comprehensive knowledge about the subject.
4. Animations & Interactivities
5. Electrical Transformers – Components Interactivity
6. TVS BS6
Another strategy is the discreet use of animations and interactivities to illustrate technical concepts to gain learners’ attention without causing distractions.
6.Simulations & Demos
7. Automation Anywhere
8. Visual Management
Interactive simulations and step by step demonstrations help learners test their abstract understanding and clear ambiguity if any. They are very useful in case of learning software programs and procedures.
As instructional designers, we can use these strategies to make technical training more engaging and enable our learners absorb and apply complex technical concepts in their everyday work.