Product Training for the Technical Expert Product Training for the Technical Expert The Art of Developing and Delivering Hands‐On Learning Daniel W. Bixby This edition first published 2018 © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by law. Advice on how to obtain permission to reuse material from this title is available at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. The right of Daniel W. Bixby to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with law. 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Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data Names: Bixby, Daniel W., 1972– author. Title: Product training for the technical expert : the art of developing and delivering hands-on learning / by Daniel W. Bixby. Description: First edition. | Hoboken, NJ, USA : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2018] | Series: IEEE | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2017042183 (print) | LCCN 2017057183 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119260370 (pdf) | ISBN 9781119260387 (epub) | ISBN 9781119260349 (pbk.) Subjects: LCSH: Manual training. | Product demonstrations. | Occupational training. Classification: LCC TT165 (ebook) | LCC TT165 .B59 2018 (print) | DDC 658.3/12404–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017042183 Cover design by Wiley Cover image: © Laborant/Shutterstock Set in 10/12pt Warnock by SPi Global, Pondicherry, India 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Dad, More than anyone I know, you believed that doing teaches better than telling. I love you. Praise for Product Training for the Technical Expert Most organizations have some of their greatest competitive advantage and wisdom locked hopelessly in the mind of their technical experts. Sure, as a force‐of‐one, subject matter experts get the job done incredibly well. But try to extend and multiply that individual expertise through learning and development efforts for others and the results are usually disappointing. Dan Bixby has been there and through this comprehensive and practical book, he shows how to overcome this challenge and unlock individual smarts for highly effective learning and development efforts. Further, as we are in the midst of a generational shift in the workforce, this is a very timely guide to ensure “what we know best” is effectively passed along to the new generation of talent. Kevin D. Wilde Executive Leadership Fellow, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, Former Chief Learning Officer, General Mills Author of Dancing with the Talent Stars: 25 Moves That Matter Now I was pleased to review Dan’s new book—pleased because he addresses an old topic in a new way. He is making no assumptions for trainers who are not fully experienced and seasoned. He takes them step‐by‐step through practical and realistic methods to set up training graduates to actually be on‐the‐job performers. Enjoy, learn and be inspired. Jim Kirkpatrick, PhD Senior Consultant, Kirkpatrick Partners Co‐author of Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation Dan Bixby’s book will help technical experts create training that actually works to improve performance. Backed by years of experience, Bixby connects with practical advice and empathy—and helps experts avoid the most common mistakes in product training. Will Thalheimer, PhD President, Work‐Learning Research, Inc. Author of Performance‐Focused Smile Sheets: A Radical Rethinking of a Dangerous Art From Great book! A practical, must‐have resource for any technical expert tasked with presenting information or training others. Bixby breaks the process down into simple, easy‐to‐follow steps that can be utilized by anyone to create dynamic and engaging learning sessions. G. Riley Mills co‐author of The Bullseye Principle Daniel Bixby’s approach to product training for subject matter experts is practical, relevant, and exactly what anyone who is required to train others on technical content needs. He writes with candor and with a sense of ease, making the reader feel as though he is right there with you helping to develop your training competency. A must read for anyone on your team required to provide technical training to others! Jennifer Alfaro Chief Human Resources Officer Recognizing that changing other people’s behavior is the hardest thing you will ever try to do in your organization is the first step. The next step is recognizing that knowing the what, why, and how; telling the what, why, and how; and showing the what, why, and how is very different from facilitating learning. Dan has captured all of the key factors that one should consider in the conversion process from expert to learning facilitator. The ability to frame up the expertise into memorable, applicable, and measurable per- formance objectives is a complex, complicated endeavor. Dan’s innovative and iterative approach can serve as a blueprint to do this successfully. Kristin Ford Hinrichs Chief Effectiveness Officer, Best In Learning Product Training for the Technical Expert is a must read for anyone who endeavors to bring their training capabilities to the next level. Especially helpful to me was under- standing the clear difference between a Presentation and Training. All too often we confuse the two, and frustrate both the learner and the facilitator. John Schmidt VP Fiber Market Development, CommScope, Inc. This book is a must‐read for anyone involved in teaching and training regardless of industry. The author, Dan Bixby, outlines principles that will transform any training program into a hands‐on learning experience. I highly recommend this book for anyone who desires to improve learning and engagement within their organizations. James M. Hunter, PhD Chief Academic Officer, Emerge Education, LLC. I have already begun recommending this practical manual to experts, trainers, training managers, and instructional designer who are interested in helping people acquire technical skills that are transferable to the workplace. It is obvious that Dan Bixby has enormous expertise and experience in the technical training field. Surprisingly (and fortunately), he has not forgotten the empathy required to engage the beginner’s mind. Sivasailam (Thiagi) Thiagarajan Resident Mad Scientist, The Thiagi Group. Author of Interactive Techniques for Instructor-Led Training.