Training — maximum action, minimum context OR let them do the thing to learn how to do the thing

When training people to do a thing please get them to do the thing as early as possible in the session.

Trainees only need enough context so that they can get started. This is much less context than you think they’ll need. Things they definitely don’t need to hear about before performing the task for the first time

• the history of how it used to be done
• the history of the company they’re doing it in
• any information that is not critical to know

Maybe they’ll need to ask for help to do the thing. That’s great! They’re aware of the bits they don’t know. Maybe it’ll be a challenge to do the thing. That’s fab! Overcoming a challenge is far far more satisfying than doing the thing that someone has talked about for four hours.

Tell them just enough to get some kind of experience doing the task.