by Bill Cushard
When learning anything new, but especially new software, many people have an overwhelming sense of not knowing where to start. Even well-designed, easy to use software requires that a new user learns how the software works and what they can accomplish using it. One way to help people learn software is to lay out a suggested order for where people should start and what steps they should take to progress through the process of learning your software.
Learning plans can help accomplish this.
Learning Plans Offer Clarity in Complex Learning
A learning plan is used to plan learning over an extended period of time containing four elements:
1. Learning goals
2. Concrete steps (or actions) that a person will take towards those goals
3. A list of associated resources needed to take the necessary steps
4. Evidence that these steps have been taken or accomplished.
Although this looks like quite a few steps, an effective learning plan is nothing more than a guide to help people accomplish a learning goal. And in this case, the goal is to help people learn how to use your software. The more specific you can be about where someone should start and what steps they can take, the more successful your customers will be at learning your software more quickly. Especially those who need a high level of direction in getting started.
There are two ways in which you can leverage learning plans to help your customers learn your software:
Pre-Defined Learning Plan
One way to use learning plans is to define a “suggested learning plan” for your learners. In this case, you are creating the plan and giving it to your customers. Those who do not know where to start and need a high level of direction can easily use the plan you have created for them. This eases the stress of getting started and allows people to focus on learning the software one step at a time.
In an ideal scenario, you would offer a feature on your web site that allows people to view this learning plan and progress through it.
Allow Customers to Create Their Own Learning Plan
A second way to use learning plans is to allow your customers to create their own. Just as there are people who need high direction, there are people who can figure out your software without your help. However, just because these more advanced learners can “figure things out on their own,” it does not mean they would not benefit from a learning plan. These learner types would just prefer to create their own learning plan, even if the learn plan they create is based on the “suggested” plan you created.
In both cases, it is valuable to provide access to relevant resources needed to accomplish each step in the learning plan and then show visible evidence that each step has been completed.
The point is to help customers learn your software and even easy-to-use software requires learning. By helping people get started and by providing a set of actions to take, you can increase the odds that people will learn your software more quickly and more deeply than if you simply leave it up to their own devices.
Are you interested in increasing customer adoption of your software with learning plans? We can help. Contact us and ask for Kendall or Bill.
Component |
Description |
Example |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Goals | A list of what needs to be learned and when it needs to be learned | Using the SMART goal framework is an effective way to set learning goals |
| Concrete Steps (or Actions) | What steps need to be taken to achieve the learning goals |
|
| List if Needed Resources | Make a list of resources needed to achieve the learning goal. This list could include books, training, people to interview, tools to purchase, etc. |
|
| Evidence of Progress | In order to track progress towards a goal, you need a mechanism for marking steps complete. | Create a list in Evernote or use Everest (mobile app) or use a notebook and a pencil. Do whatever works best for you to keep track of your goals and progress towards those goals. |
About Bill Cushard
Bill became a training guy early in his career when a group of 20 new hires showed up and there was no trainer. When HR came looking to find someone to do the training, Bill yelled, "I'll do it!" He has been a trainer ever since.
Bill has built and led training organizations and eLearning projects at service organizations like E*TRADE, Accenture, and TimeWarner Cable.
He is the author of a blog, The LX Designer, where he shares knowledge on enterprise learning and is active on Twitter in the learning and training spaces.
