Every training implementation has an end goal of success – but what separates the best from the rest? While there are certainly many factors that can play into the success of a training effort, these three strategies will go a long way to making any organization’s training efforts successful:

1. Accurately Define the User Group:

Before you make a storyboard, create a template, or take any screenshots, you need to have an understanding about who the audience will be for the training. Training is not a “one size fits all”, so defining the audience after the fact is a sure way to decrease the positive reception and effectiveness. Training for engineers will be structured differently than training for sales teams.

2. Create a Group of Super Users to Champion The Cause:

This one is pretty basic yet extremely effective. It’s kind of funny because this strategy just plays off a pretty basic social reality – people will find something more enjoyable/fun/cool if someone of status does as well. If you can get the company CEO, Presidents, Vice Presidents, Division Leaders and so on to jump on board and champion the benefits of the training effort, then the probability of success increases dramatically.

3. Communicate the Training at the Right Time:

It doesn’t matter how well made training materials are if the audience doesn’t understand what the training is about in the first place. Before implementing any training in an organization, it is important to communicate well in advance that the training is coming, what it entails, and what the benefits of the training include. This is also a great time to survey the perspective audience in order to get them involved with the effort at an early stage. The training should be communicated in weekly emails, newsletters, and other methods so that by the time the event arrives, the audience is well aware of the topic at hand, the benefits, and what to expect.

Training initiatives are never simple in nature, often affected by various factors. That said, implementing these three strategies will greatly help increase the chances of its success.