A Quick & Easy Way To Document

And Train Your Computer Programs

The first thing to know about computer programs (software) is that 80% of your work is usually accomplished with 20% to 30% of the software program's capabilities. To start with, that 20% to 30% is all you need to document and train.

The second thing to know is that very shortly after you install, learn and begin to use a new piece of software you start creating. What you create is really what is important to document and teach someone how to use.

Third, every computer has a way to print whatever is currently appearing on the screen. The old saying, "that a picture is worth a thousand words", is especially true of computer training. Discover immediately how to print a screen on paper.

With these three pieces of information and the assumption that you or someone in your organization knows how to use the installed software, you are ready to start creating an effective training manual.

The fastest and easiest way is with two people. One operates the system, printing the screens and telling how it was created. The second person writes on each screen page the steps required for this screen, how and why the step functions as it does in the process.

Every single step no matter how small must be made into a hard copy screen page!!! Later screen pages can be reduced on a copy machine and two put on a page if they require little explanation.

The objective here is to create a manual so simple (no assumptions about the skill or previous experience of the trainee) that anybody who can read can learn the program with very little help or time from someone else.

You will find that even with a simple program it will take several passes to get every step documented. It is amazing how fast we humans learn a simple thing and immediately regulate it to 'the unimportant' category of our minds. With computers, however, nothing is unimportant, if you leave out one step or one required symbol the system will refuse to work.

Once you have done the best job of documenting the program you can, test it by having someone who doesn't know the program go through the program and manual with you. You will discover anything you have left out or things that need to be explained differently. If the manual can be used by two or three people without any major changes you have a good training tool. Notice I said good, not perfect. Perfect is not necessary.

Always provide a fresh copy of the manual to the trainee which will belong to them alone and be sure you have left lots of white space on each page. Encourage the trainee to make notes on the pages as they learn the program. I have noticed that as soon as a person begins to write their own notes in a training manual, they are making the psychological step of internalizing and owning the knowledge as their own.

I usually give trainees a highlighter and a couple of colored pens. Highlighting, staring, underlining, making notes and drawing pictures, especially in color, engages the right side of the brain, enhancing the speed of learning and level of retention.

Although the manual may be enough from which to learn the program don't forget that human interaction--seeing, hearing, doing, saying, encouraging and reinforcing each successful execution speeds learning, retention and confidence. Your interaction and support is still a vital piece of the training process.