How to Create a User-Centered Training Model?

A user-centered training model, as the name suggests, is a training model designed with the user in mind. The user profile affects the goals of the training, the tools to be used in the training, the learning path, and the design of the training. You might think that user-centered training models are the norm and that training is always designed this way, but this is not always the case. In this article, we will look at how companies can create user-centered training.

1) Misconceptions About Training

Before going into the details of how to create a user-centered training model, we must highlight some misconceptions about training and how companies generally proceed with training without considering the needs of employees.
One of the most critical of these misconceptions is focusing too much on the training platform. Instructional designers focus on the learning platform, the learning content, and the content delivery mechanism.
This approach is a learning tool-first model. Instructional designers often use a learning tool-focused approach when faced with time constraints. They focus on tactics rather than strategy and create an inefficient training model. 

2) Benefits of a User-Centered Training Model

In a user-centered training model, every aspect of the training is designed for the success and development of the user. The training strategy, including elements such as tools, content, and design, is created with the user in mind. Implementing a user-centered training strategy brings success. When the user is successful, the training is also successful. 

3) How to Design a User-Centered Training Model?

There are several steps to consider when designing a user-centered training model. Let's go through these steps: 

• Assessment

The goal of the assessment phase is to understand the user. When the user is understood, it is also determined how to structure the training to meet their needs and fill the identified gaps in their knowledge and skills. 

• Creating the Training

The training creation phase is the phase where the learning path is designed. The learning path defines the process from where the user is currently to where they should be after the training. After creating the learning path, the most suitable learning tool is selected to achieve the defined goals. 

• Design

In this phase, the actual content of the training is created. The design phase, therefore, includes the planning and creation of the course content.  The design begins by determining what the training will cover, the necessary and supporting resources and materials for the training.

• Test & Improvement

In the user-centered training model, the next step after creating the training content is the testing phase. The test hypothesis and success metric are defined in advance. In addition, a pre-test is performed before the main test to collect comparison metrics. The test results will either confirm or refute the hypothesis. After testing the necessary data and obtaining results to support the training objectives, the next phase of the training can be moved on to.

• Implementation of Training

The place where the actual training begins is the step after the test. After the necessary studies, training begins on the real target audience. Focus on issues such as timelines, deployment model, training requirement, and structure when providing training. The training can then be optimized for automation after the initial delivery.

• Evaluation

The evaluation is carried out on the real training audience and focuses on how well the training was able to achieve the set goals. Although comprehensive work is done to create a user-centered training model, sometimes the results may indicate that some changes need to be applied. 
The user-centered training model should be preferred over the learning tool-focused model. The user-centered model ensures that the training goes through a comprehensive process to ensure that it is tailored to the characteristics and needs of the target audience. This model keeps the focus of the training on the most important component, namely the user.