9 01 2015

I run into this a lot:

Customer: Do you know how to use this software?  This is what we use.

Me: Er.. I’ve never used it before, but I learn quickly.

Customer: Awesome. Learn it in two days.

That’s an extreme case and unrealistic. As an ISD, we’re faced with this all the time, at least I have been in the years I’ve been working.  You work side by side with subject matter experts (SMEs) to come up with content and an awesome looking course. We’re all good so far.

Recently I worked for a company that has a software I’ve never heard of before.  This Fortune 500 company wants to deliver bits of information to reenforce learning. I’m thinking great idea, who is this company again?

I go into inspection mode because I want to know about the company and see if they have anything on Youtube or a support section I can get some idea of how they work.  They have 4 demo videos, and three of them are in Russian (I think). The one demo they have on their site explained the sales process and how to retrieve information. WRONG!

I have to develop content for this piece of software I have no idea how to use. I will not be delivering the content, the folks at the Fortune 500 company will do that.  However when I asked for specs.. let’s just say I heard several times “we’re working on that.”

I’m not mad, I’m not frustrated, I’m challenged.  What I realized is that I did all the right things.

• I asked internally for specs
• I went to the company website and searched documentation available to me
• I went to the software vendor’s website and looked for documentation, videos, etc.
• I searched the web
• I searched Youtube for information

Lesson here, is do not sit around and wait for specs if your company cannot provide. Look online for anything that may help while you’re waiting for the information.

Also if you’re learning new software, the help file is a great resource to help you to learn. Unless you’re the one writing the help files!

Creating Video Training Audacity