Can software training be delivered online?

Online training has become more and more popular—especially during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Homeschooling, work from home, Zoom meetings, and other virtual events replaced traditional face-to-face/instructor-led learning settings. But what about software training?

The main goal of attending a software training is usually getting to know the user interface and to learn how to use the software. Other learning objectives may be to understand the features, concepts, purpose, or terminology of a software product. Common training methods include presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on labs in which the participants can practice using the software.

Online options

There are many different formats and methods for online training, but can they be used also for software training? Yes, of course! Most software vendors and training institutions are already using them for their software training. These formats can be categorized for instance time-wise into asynchronous (online course) and synchronous formats (online class).

Asynchronous formats

Asynchronous formats like online courses are time and location independent. Learners can decide themselves when and where to do the online course or unit. Typical examples are:

• eLearning courses or Web-Based Training (WBTs)
• Tutorial videos or texts
• Documentation or help
• Practical labs

The advantage is that you can learn not only at your preferred time, but also in your own pace. Texts and videos can be read or viewed again, if necessary.

Online courses often contain quizzes to test the new knowledge. Many companies use a learning management system (LMS) for providing online courses. Some LMS offer communication features like a chat or forum so that learners can ask questions, help each other, and share their knowledge. Unfortunately, these useful features are often not used.

A good documentation of the software or integrated online help is very useful when you don’t know how to perform certain tasks in the software product, or when you don’t find a functionality in the user interface. However, using the documentation as the only source for learning the software is not very learner-friendly. A good online course should be motivating, well structured, and preferably interactive. Learning works best if learners get involved and are active.

Practical labs are important to practice to actually use the software. Especially, if the new software has not been implemented in the company yet. Or if practical labs are not possible in the production system—just imagine an administrator course where you learn how to configure a software like changing user settings, workflows, values for selection fields, and so on! The production system wouldn’t be usable anymore.

Software simulations are often used in an online software training as an alternative to a practical lab. In a software simulation the learner gets detailed instructions and hints about what to do and where to click next. This may help to avoid getting overwhelmed with a complex-looking user interface, but may also be less motivating for learners who like to explore the functionalities themselves, or for impatient learners for whom it is too slow to follow the single instructions.

Ideally, practical labs can be done in a training environment, which is a separate installation of the software. In a training classroom of a traditional software training, it may be installed directly on a training computer. However, more often it is a virtual environment that is accessible over the local network or the internet. Virtual environments can also be used in an online course. In contrast to a software simulation, the advantage is that learners can work with the actual software—without any restrictions regarding where to click and what to do, but at the same time knowing that they can’t break anything in the production environment.

Important for practical labs in general is that the software corresponds to the software system that is used in production. If there are major differences in the user interface, it will be less motivating and more difficult to work with the production software system. This applies particularly to non-tech-savvy users. Additionally, the exercises should consist of authentic examples that are similar to the real tasks the learners will carry out in the production software. Nobody likes doing exercises that are not considered useful. And if the examples are too far away from reality, they may not be taken seriously, even if the tasks are similar.

Tutorials can be in video or text format. Videos are like software demonstrations, but they can also be part of a practical lab, if you follow the instructions shown in the video. The only requirement for this is that the learner can work with the software—either with the production system or a (virtual) training instance of the software. A written tutorial explains step-by-step how to do a specific task in a software. In contrast to documentation, the focus is on a single task rather than on the entire range of functionalities and features of a software product. Furthermore, they usually contain detailed instructions instead of elaborate descriptions. Therefore, written tutorials can serve as instructions for practical labs. The more authentic they are for the learners, the more suitable they are for this purpose.

These are just some exemplary formats used in asynchronous online software training. There are a couple more options to facilitate learning a new software that are not covered in this article.

Synchronous formats

Synchronous formats for software training are instructor-led training which are conducted online using some kind of video conferencing tool and in real-time. Examples are: online class, virtual training, live online training, instructor-led online training (ILO), or webinar. The advantage is that everyone meets at the same time so that the trainer is available to answer questions and to help with issues in practical labs. If there are too many participants for direct communication, the chat feature of the webinar software can be used for questions.

The duration and structure of online classes vary from a short presentation of the software capabilities to a software training which takes place over the course of several business days. It depends on the purpose of the webinar or online training class and the training requirements.

In synchronous formats, elements of traditional software training can be used, like presentations and software demonstrations. The difficulty is that the instructor receives no immediate feedback from the participants—especially if the webcams are turned off or the images are not visible. But there are some alternatives, too. Most video conferencing tools contain features like raising hands, sending reactions, or the chat feature mentioned above. Surveys or quizzes are also possible.

Practical labs can also be part of online classes, but they usually can’t be done at the same time as the webinar. Especially in longer training sessions there may be breaks in which the practical labs can be conducted. When the online class continues, the exercises can be discussed: was everyone able to finish the tasks or were there any issues or questions? During the breaks, the trainer may also be contacted directly if there are any problems.

Practical labs in online classes are usually not in the form of a software simulation. In most cases they are done in a (virtual) training environment. The recommendations on practical labs and training environments mentioned in the asynchronous format section can be applied here as well.

Which online format works best?

There is no “one and only” online training format that is an ideal solution for every occasion. Asynchronous and synchronous formats can be combined as necessary. Which online formats work best depends on the training requirements, the target group of the training and also on the learning culture in the company. Here are some example questions that can help finding the best training solution:

Training requirements

• How complex is the software?
• Which tasks must the participants learn?
• Is the software already in use or is it still in development?
• Is there a training environment available?
• etc.

Target group of the training

• How tech-savvy is the target group?
• Is the target group already familiar with the software, a similar software, or the tasks?
• What learning preferences has the target group?
• etc.

Learning culture in the company

• Is there a Learning Management System with other online courses?
• Do the employees get time for doing online courses?
• How is learning valued in the company?
• etc.

There are many things to consider to find the perfect online format for your software training. Every training project is different.