Langevin Blog

In the training world, we use as many catchphrases as those used any other profession. Here are a few that come to mind:

• What I hear I forget, what I see I remember, what I do, I understand
• Training should not be ‘Death by PowerPoint’
• If you think training is expensive, try ignorance
• There are two ways to undergo a training project at work: with management support, or unsuccessfully
• In training, Content is King

That last one is quite catchy. In fact, I’ve heard it so often it’s approaching cliché status in my book. But here’s my real issue with it: It leaves a lot of room for various interpretations that don’t always serve trainers’ interests.

Let’s explore a couple of those interpretations to see when content is king and when it is not.

Choosing an Instructional Strategy

Let’s say you need to train 120 people on a new software system. Should you run some classroom sessions? Should it be done on-the-job just as the software launch occurs? Perhaps some virtual classroom sessions would do the trick? Or maybe you should create some online tutorials employees can access on their own?

If we apply our royal catchphrase, the content would be the biggest factor to consider in choosing the right training strategy. You’re helping people use a piece of software, so why not teach them on a computer? This would seem to indicate virtual classroom or online tutorials would be best.But if they’re all in the same building and you have only one week to design the course, an e-learning approach wouldn’t be optimal.

So content isn’t king when it comes to choosing a training strategy. Other factors can overrule it. Some of these factors are: target audience size, location, prior experience, computer-literacy, and training team’s design experience.

Choosing Instructional Methods and Media

Okay, so you’ve opted for classroom instruction. Now, which presentation and application methods will you choose within that course? Seems obvious: Present with demonstrations, projected for all to see. Get learners to practice using computers in the room with the new software installed.

Content is king here. The skill being learned is the most important factor in choosing among the myriad of presentation and application methods available. Other factors play a role, but they will rarely, if ever, overrule content. Some of those factors are: group size, prior experience, location, equipment available, and training team’s design experience.

The True Meaning

Here’s how I believe this catchphrase can serve us best: Content, if properly analyzed and structured, can produce dramatic improvements in employee performance. You have two options when it comes to structuring your training’s content. It can be based on topics (knowledge) or job tasks (skills). One type of content is bound to be a pauper, scraping by, doomed to serfdom. One type is destined for glory, ruling all other issues in training. That’s right: Performance-based content is king. If your training actually gives people the skills to do something, all other issues will bow in deference to your eventual success. But if your content is limited to facts, principles, ideas and such, you will be overthrown by other issues. Those issues become problems because the content doesn’t deliver true value.

So here’s ultimately how content is king: If it’s valuable, task-based, how-to content, it will rule other issues and prevent them from being problems in the first place. If your content is purely topic-based, you are bound to be mired in seemingly unending issues that just won’t go away.

Alan

Tags: instructional design, task analysis, tips-for-trainers

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