When developers participate in technical training, they always have some expectations. Usually, they expect to master new technology, learn new approaches, and improve overall technical skills. It is valid to expect such results; however, most of the participants do not achieve them. Let us see why these expectations do not match reality.

As a Participant

Technical training often has pre-requirements related to minimal knowledge in used technologies. Participants have to know how to do some basic things (e.g., set up a web server) and be able to perform required exercises. Basic theoretical knowledge in the related areas is usually a must.

Another often mistake to expect that a trainer has to show everything, while participants do not need to do anything. Contrariwise, a participant came to the training to learn something new, and he/she has to try to practice as much as possible.

A participant should also expect that a trainer may request to do some exercises as a part of the team. So, teamwork is also needed to finish the training and achieve the required results. This way, a participant may train not only technical skills but also organization and communication skills.

As a Trainer

A trainer has his responsibilities too. He has to be ready to answer any question of the participant. A trainer has to have an excellent knowledge of the technology and related areas and be able to explain why and where this technology should be used.

Then a trainer should be fully prepared for all possible issues that may happen during the exercises. It is not enough to do it himself — he has to be ready for unusual situations. For example, a participant may misunderstand the task, do it in a completely different way (or even using different technologies), or even refuse to do anything because of a lack of knowledge. All these issues may happen, and a trainer has to have a way to deal with them.

Finally, there is a communication issue. A trainer must not only have above average communication skills, but be able to understand foreign speakers, their original questions, and provide a valuable answer. A trainer also should be good at teamwork to organize the participants, and to share as much knowledge and experience as possible is a limited amount of time.

The Agreement

There is a best practice to prevent a big gap between expectations and reality. A trainer and participants have to agree in the very beginning. A trainer should present the program of training, explain the requirements, verify the skills of the audience, and adjust the schedule or exercises if needed. Participants should ask for pre-requisites in advance and come to the training already prepared. They may also ask to customize the training if it does not match their needs for some reason.

To summarize, every knowledge and experience transfer is not an easy task. Both participants and a trainer have to work together — only then they may achieve the expected result and be satisfied with the training.