Deciding on the Most Effective Tutorial for SharePoint Designer 2010 | Blogging Thoughts on SharePoint and Office 365

Individuals, groups and even entire businesses looking to implement SharePoint Designer for the versatility of its functions should decide on the type of tutorial that makes the most sense. The fact is that not all tutorials are created equal. For the purposes of this discusson we would like to briefly consider three different tutorial flavors:

In Person, Instructor Lead
Video Recorded, Instructor Lead
Video Recorded, Computer Operations Tutorial, Lead by a Subject Matter Expert

We think that an instructor lead, in person tutorial for SharePoint Designer 2010 makes the most sense for individuals and/or groups using SharePoint who will combine this type of tutorial with other types of learning aids, for example, technical manuals, company specific technical guidelines, and/or computer operations specific video tutorials. An in person, instructor lead tutorial is, largely, a synchronous training resource: students must attend the tutorial at a specific time and place (often it will not make financial sense to host this type of tutorial on site, therefore travel costs should be factored in to any evaluation of the usefulness of this training approach). Recordings may be distributed at the conclusion of this type of tutorial, but a complete video recording of a 2hr tutorial has limited utility when one needs to find a specific technique to manage a specific function within the 2hrs of video material. Rather, student recollection of the tutorial, together with any/all notes taken, will provide the best possible recurring benefit that can be derived from this type of training aid.

With regard to video recordings of instructor lead tutorials, parties considering this type of tutorial should ensure that the recordings are segmented into easily accessed sections, based upon technical feature, to ensure that the task of finding useful instruction is not a lengthy undertaking. Further, care should be taken to ensure that training content is as specific as possible with regard to technique and procedures with minimal abstraction. Granted, abstractions have their place, but in our experience that place is rarely the day to day SharePoint Designer 2010 workplace.

The final option, video recorded tutorials specifically focused on computer operations with no more personal touches than an audio track spoken by a subject matter expert and text boxes populated with a tutorial transcript, constitute the best option for groups that have a specific implementation plan in hand and are poised to implement this plan within the context of a broader plan for SharePoint. We specialize specifically in this type of tutorial for SharePoint Designer 2010. We are confident that our genre of video tutorial delivers very high value for appropriate individuals and groups.

We welcome opportunities to elaborate on the points we have made above. Please either call us at (630) 786-7026, or Contact Us. We will be happy to discuss this topic at greater length.