Training class take-aways

[MAlexander]

I'm trying to get some anecdotal feedback on how/if people use the "take-away" materials they receive in training classes (particularly in requirements training, but any examples would be great).

Do you even keep the materials/binder/book? Do you put it on your shelf and rarely, if ever, refer back to it (that's what I typically do)? Do you keep it on your desk and use it as a reference frequently?

What would make you more likely to use take-away materials more often? How could they be of more use to you?

Thanks!

[ddelancey]

It depends on the class. If it's one of my company's annual required 8 hours that I would never attend except that I don't have a choice, everything gets tossed. If it's a class of my choosing, and therefore something that I really need, then I keep the materials and refer to them as I need them. How often I need them again depends on the topic. However, even if it's something that I'm not going to refer to often, I want the materials, whatever they may be, to be available.

Having said that, I would love if all such materials were given to me in electronic format, preferably on a jump drive, but CD/DVD are fine, too. I would even prefer to have it emailed to me than to have to leave the class lugging a binder that I'll have to find a spot for in my tiny cubicle. Jump drives are not that expensive anymore, probably cheaper than the printing costs.

[James]

I have to confess that I rarely refer back to hard copy training materials from anything. that is probably more of a character flaw than a good data point for you, though. I am more likely to refer back to soft copy materials (and usually do).

Print is dead, Mike.

[gescober]

It depends on what the takeaways are. If the take-aways are just the powerpoint slides, then I rarely refer back to them. If the take-aways are useful charts, cheat sheets, checklists, or samples of deliverables (all of these preferably laminated), then I do refer back to them. When I took the Edward Tufte course, he gave out his books, which I definitely reference. Electronic copies of templates of deliverables or tools, are also definitely useful.

[jbeatty]

I don't look at materials really, more than 2 days after a course. I might have a few notes to myself that I use immediately, but that's it.

During a course I like to write on materials, I have an idea that it helps me retain the information if I jot notes down on that page. But really I don't use them after, so I'm not sure that it matters.

[joe]

I have kept all of my notes, assignments, tests, and papers from college. The only thing I get out of them is a pain in the backside every time I move. Yes, I should get rid of them, but I don't.

So, I do use them. But only for nostalgia.

What would make me more likely to use course materials? First, if they were electronic, I'd be more likely to have them at hand if I ever thought of a use for them.

Second, they should support search rather than browse use cases. I don't browse through reference books, but I do search for terms in them.

Finally, they should be full of stuff that I would use but not want to memorize. Like a dictionary or a periodic table.

That's for me, anyway.

joe

[MAlexander]

Bumping the thread to see if anybody has any other feedback. Thanks again!

[Justin.Burrows]

I have to confess that I rarely refer back to hard copy training materials from anything. that is probably more of a character flaw than a good data point for you, though. I am more likely to refer back to soft copy materials (and usually do).

Print is dead, Mike.

How is that e-book working out for you, James?

But I think while anything more than 10 pages is likely to be abandoned. I think it would work better if you give somebody a "thing" that has printed stuff on it. I'm only half-joking when I say that a stapler with the major model types on it would be a good takeaway item from training.

Whatever it is, it should be laminated or bound, or affixed to something useful (but not necessarily expensive).

Printed notes from the class really don't help, though people feel good to have them.

[tpatterson]

Having said that, I would love if all such materials were given to me in electronic format, preferably on a jump drive, but CD/DVD are fine, too. I would even prefer to have it emailed to me than to have to leave the class lugging a binder that I'll have to find a spot for in my tiny cubicle. Jump drives are not that expensive anymore, probably cheaper than the printing costs.

This for me. Paper is heavy, gets lost or damaged, and overall reams and reams of paper that has a toss rate >60% is just not good for the environment. I like bits and bytes. Put me down for the business card CD, please.