The first steps in developing a training plan are to acquire a training lab, set up computers in the lab, and appoint a team member as instructor. (If in-house resources are not available, use a vendor to develop and conduct the training.) The instructor will be responsible for creating and testing the training program.
There are a number of training approaches and a variety of tools you can use. A recommended approach is to divide the training into sessions corresponding to three distinct topics: The Basics, Corporate-Specific Applications, and Customization.
The session entitled "The Basics" includes the top 10 functions any user needs to know to accomplish daily work, such as the following:
Function | To do the function, use this |
Launch programs, load documents, find a file | Start button |
Change settings | Control Panel |
Get help on a specific topic | F1 or Help command |
Switch between applications | Taskbar |
Minimize, maximize, and close windows | Window buttons |
Browse your hard disk | My Computer and Windows Explorer |
Connect to a network drive | Network Neighborhood |
Print a document | Point and Print |
The Windows 95 online Help and Introducing Microsoft Windows 95 supplied with the product disks provide the information you need to train your users in the basics. Schedule training sessions of no more than 30 minutes each; in each session, users receive information that is just enough to be productive using Windows 95.
The "Corporate-Specific Applications" session varies by the environment and the types of applications run on the network. This session should focus on the top 5 to 10 functions that will change because of the upgrade to Windows 95.
The "Customization" session is intended for more experienced users. The purpose of this session is to provide information and guidance that will help these users learn on their own after the training, and teach them how to work more productively with Windows 95. Some of these topics could include:
After creating and testing the program, schedule training sessions to occur immediately before the rollout so that the instruction is just in time, ensuring that users retain most of what they learn by putting it to use right away.