Developing training on specific processes or procedures in your company? Keeping the following thoughts in mind as you do so will help you design a fun and effective program.

1. Keep it 'lean and mean'
You want your training to be just long enough to teach the participants what they need to know, no longer or shorter than that. Figure out exactly what that information is and build your training course around that.

2. Choose the best format to deliver the training
Can a simple 1-hour lecture do the job? Or do you need to record the class on videotape? Does it need to be 1-on-1 training or classroom training? For every different subject there's going to be a different need, so consider them all before choosing one.

3. Remember different people learn different ways
Some people learn better by simply reading, others need to hear the information, many need visual examples, and most people need a variety of all of these in order to retain the information. As you create your class, figure out how to provide the same information in these different ways so that more people will understand it.

4. Make it interactive
The straight lecture-only type classes will rarely get the job done these days. The old pedagogical "I talk, you listen" style of teaching doesn't result in a lot of knowledge gain by the student. Work on exercises, drills, and role-plays that get the student involved in the class and help them learn by doing.

5. Keep it light
In a classroom environment, humour almost always helps. People retain more and learn more if they are relaxed and having fun. Even the most serious training programmes benefit from a good dose of humour. Just make sure it's appropriate.

6. Hold the training in the proper environment
It's hard to learn if you're uncomfortable, regardless of how good a course may be. Find the perfect place to conduct the training. That should be someplace with adequate lighting, seating, heating/air conditioning and minimal distractions (preferably none at all).

7. The content expert may NOT be the person to teach the class
Any trainer can tell you, just knowing the information of a course doesn't mean you can teach it. Find someone who knows the information and can present it in an interesting and entertaining way. If there's nobody like that, hire a professional trainer or speaker to come in and be the "MC" of your training and to help liven up the event.

8. Create an environment of "academic freedom"
Let the students know that the purpose of the training is to give them information they need to do their jobs. Let them know that it's okay if they ask questions, challenge (within boundaries) the instructors and material, don't grasp everything right and so on. What's important is that everyone in the class gets the opportunity to understand the information.

9. Provide them with all the information already written down
Make it easy for the students to focus on the information being given, not on trying to take notes. Have all of the information written down and give it to them. Some students will always take notes no matter what you do, the rest will appreciate being able to sit back, relax, and learn!

10. Follow-up... But not too soon
Get feedback from the students on all aspects of the training. Ask what they liked and didn't like. But don't make it the last activity of the training itself. Wait a day or two and send them a questionnaire. Make it possible for them to submit their comments completely anonymously. Some students just can't bring themselves to saying something negative if they know that you know who said it. Take all the pressure off of them, but get their input.