Hello fellow trainers! I've felt that there is a lack of tools that would help to make the everyday work more efficient. Especially for creating training plans and managing materials, but on the bigger picture also for managing the whole cycle in one place. So I wrote an article about my frustrations here.
I would like to ask you if you feel the lack as well and also which digital tools and methodologies are you using?
5 Responses
Dragons Den
Interesting blog. There are usually 2 reasons why something doesn't exist.
1) Nobody has thought of doing it
2) Nobody wants it
My guess is No 2
Word, Post its and Excel are perfectly fine in my opinion but maybe I've been watching Dragons Den too much.
I’m oot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1ICdqVbl08
DIGITAL TOOLS FOR PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS
My experience is that web/software-based tools are slow and unresponsive, and trainers have their own, idiosyncratic ways of doing things (I know I do!), and also work in very different fields: inspirational / informational / instructional (across wildly differing professions and disclipines) etc. One size does not fit all.
On the other hand, I am surprised that more options have not flowed from the development of tablets, and I think there is scope there.
I love Evernote for cross-platform work. I am also searching for the perfect presentation tool – this has so far eluded me. I used Powerpoint for years but became disenchanted, then moved to Prezi, but it has fundamental issues about the speed at which it works, motion-sickness issues (!) and it's not quite as responsive as it should be.
The iPad has been my favourite development as it has enabled me to present from several platforms and I see this as a useful tool to work with for the future. Moving easily from presentation platform to video to Evernote, photos and so on has enabled me to be more flexible that ever before and avoid some of the pitfalls of proprietary presentation platforms.
A tool which combined mind-mapping, presentation and ongoing development would be interesting but I have not found one yet. CloudOn is a useful platform for mobile application.
Hope this helps.
Too many generic tools
Training tools
Great trainers are intuitive and learn to respond to the situations they deal with. Tools are good but you will need a very flexible one to accommodate the typical trainer's need. Unfortunately web tools are usually good at doing one or two things and not very flexible. I reckon tools for evaluation, creating training strategies and the like could be created. But will they necessary meet the need of the trainer? Maybe we need to get used to using a variety of tools. Just today I put together a learning programme for two deputy managers using a combination of email, freely available videos and survey monkey. It's all about being creative.