Prepare to design a training course for a topic by identifying pertinent aspects of the training course. Identify such factors as the topic itself, your present level of expertise in the topic, the length of the course and corresponding level of depth ranging from overview to intensive program, and delivery method such classroom presentation versus online training.
Devise an overall portrait of the average student of your training program. Determine if you have only one level of trainee or more than one. While you can have some range of knowledge in a single program, a range of knowledge from complete beginner to expert just needing review requires two or more training programs to make learning practical for all levels of student. Begin designing the course or series of courses based on your understanding of the existing knowledge level, or absence of knowledge, of the average trainee.
Identify your own knowledge level on the topic. Determine the need, if any, for additional research and study, including the need to consult with subject matter experts.
Consult subject matter experts and other research sources as required to provide a solid knowledge base of the topic for which you will design a training program.
Plan or outline the sequence of lessons for the course. Structure lessons in a logical order. For a training course in crocheting, for example, plan lessons in a sequence such as choosing a pattern, obtaining the tools, choosing the materials, making a test swatch and checking size of the swatch, and beginning the actual pattern. For such topics as business ethics, use an ordering such as ascending importance of each ethical principle. A training course on ethics might, for example, begin with a minor ethics matter such as limitations on gift-giving among employees and progress to significant issues such as avoiding conflict of interest activities and declining to accept bribes. Write down the lessons you propose to cover and sort them in different ways until the order satisfies you as logical for the trainees to follow.
Write the individual lessons according to your plan. Keep the delivery medium or mediums you will use for the training program in mind. Write, for example, short lessons composed of short sentences and paragraphs for online delivery. Use questions or reviews at the end of each lesson. Keep the difficulty level of speaking word sequences in mind for training materials that will support an oral presentation given by a live instructor or used for videotaping as a standard training tool.
Review your completed course for accuracy, audience appropriateness and logical flow. Enlist help from subject matter experts in the review process. Consider also enlisting review assistance from some typical trainees to ensure the effectiveness of the audience being targeted.
Revise your overall training course based on any revisions you yourself have identified and that other reviewers have recommended.