I am used to having complete products and procedures (and sometimes training materials), but, what to do when training is “to be continued…”

To help alleviate staff anxiety over a new product that does not yet have defined procedures, the department heads decided to train what information we gradually receive over the next 6 months in four modules.  This way the staff is not kept in the dark until the full procedures are set.

I took on the theme (first time using a theme!) of baseball, (my office looks out at Fenway Park!)  This way I can explain we will only be expecting them to reach first base at the end of the introductory module, but promises we will all reach home plate in time.

At the beginning of module one, I will ask participants to write a question they have about the product on a sticky note.  At the end of the lesson, they will put their sticky on a poster of a baseball diamond: first base if the module answered the question, in the dugout if a later module will answer the question.  Doing this at each module, the participants see their progress from base to base over the next 6 months; they see there will be future modules as the procedures are developed.  I see what information they understand and what must still be addressed.  By the end of the fourth module, all the stickies will have made it to home plate.

What a great idea Heidi!  I love the baseball theme (and not just because I love baseball).  There are so many fun things that you could do with this:

* You could do a review/revisit around the idea of a homerun derby

* Use "pinch runners" when someone is having trouble answering a question and needs some help

* You could "clear the bench" if energy gets low in the room and you just need to get people up and moving

* You could have team competitions where one team "pitches" ideas to the other team and based on the answer they get points.  They could be allowed a certain number of "outs" (or missed questions) before the other team is "up to bat".

We could go on for hours like this!

Thanks for sharing a great way to theme Heidi.  I might just have to pop by to take in some of the fun!

Scott, these are great ideas!  

I did have a "starting line up" to see the knowledge level the participants were walking in with. 

I also did a "7th inning stretch" during a particularly low energy point (the room was very warm.)

Since the baseball theme is going to continue for the entire project, I'll be including your great ideas in the upcoming sessions!

My boss's boss also got a peek at the poster with all the sticky notes on it.  I think it impressed him seeing the huge stack on first base with only a handful of stragglers still in the dugout. 

The more the merrier!  Drop in anytime!