Develop User Training

The steps in developing a training plan include acquiring a training lab, setting up computers in the lab, and appointing 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. The materials provided by Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Centers (ATECs) are a good place to start.

A recommended approach is to divide the training into sessions corresponding to three distinct topics: The Basics, Corporate-Specific Applications, and Customization.

The "Basics" session includes the top ten functions any user needs to know to accomplish daily work, such as the following:

Function	To do the function, use this

Run 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 NT Workstation 4.0 online Help files and the System Guide included with the product provide the information you need to train users in the basics. Schedule training sessions of no more than 30 minutes each; in each session, users receive information that is sufficient to be productive using Windows NT Workstation 4.0.

The "Corporate-Specific Applications" session varies according to your network environment and the types of applications that are run on your network. This session should focus on the top five to ten functions that will change because of the upgrade to Windows NT Workstation 4.0.

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 NT Workstation 4.0. Some of these topics could include:

Adding items to the Start button

Adding items to the desktop (move, copy, shortcut)

Using options controlled by the right mouse button

Adding a new device (for example, a printer)

Changing the desktop (for example, screen saver settings)

After creating and testing the program, schedule training sessions to occur immediately before the rollout so that the users will retain most of what they learn by putting it to use right away.