How Important is a Sharepoint Tutorial For User Training?

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Sharepoint has revolutionized the concept of collaboration, providing tools for sharing documents and data in evolving business landscapes. It is typically deployed on a company network, and lets various departments control the data that’s central to their core competencies. Sharepoint can be accessed via URL, which users can access in standard web browsers. Sharepoint’s main function is for storing documents and worksheets, as it’s integrated with Microsoft Office. It offers the potential to mix up different versions of the same document with a single source of storage, where information can be updated in real-time. Because the platform is complex, with multiple ways of doing things, a sharepoint tutorial is useful to equip staff with the skills they need for effective operation. This helps users navigate through the mass of features available, which are outlined below:

What Features Does Sharepoint Have Built Into It?

  • Security
  • Recycle Bin
  • Versioning
  • Alerts
  • End-User Maintenance
  • Calendars
  • Task Lists
  • Announcements

How Important is Sharepoint Training, Do I Need a Sharepoint Tutorial?

There are various Sharepoint training methods and best practices to consider. By utilizing an effective Sharepoint tutorial, organizations can address some of the challenges their employees face when Sharepoint is first introduced.

Overcoming Challenges

Sharepoint has three main components to consider: Planning, Implementation, and Ongoing Management. There are various complications that can arise during your Sharepoint rollout, which usually stem from a lack of vision, inadequate support, inefficient resources, and most importantly from insufficient personalized training. To ensure successful implementation, training should be planned in the early stages, whether you devise an easy-to-follow sharepoint tutorial or leverage a next-generation Sharepoint training facility, like what WalkMe offers. In fact, a combination of multiple methods is best to consolidate learning. WalkMe’s Digital Adoption Platform enhances organizational growth, enabling users to be proficient Sharepoint users. Training is useless without access to the resources necessary for staff to learn the ins and outs of the platform. These will help you execute training effectively, alongside a dedicated Salespoint expert to guide staff to accomplish company goals. A project manager is perfect in this role, because they can oversee training while others implement it. It is well worth accounting for sharepoint training as part of your budget, because you’re guaranteed to receive a ROI when staff can competently execute your visions.

Encouraging User Adoption

Effective user adoption will make training worthwhile. This is your end goal when you engage staff with an effective sharepoint tutorial. Users should understand what Sharepoint is, how to use it, and how to maximize its capabilities. Organizations want staff to learn quickly, or they’ll face the negative consequences of incompetence. When successful user adoption isn’t achieved, employee frustration can rear its ugly head. This can become a disruptive force throughout your organization, one which is easily prevented. A frustrated sharepoint user can resist the platform, badmouth it, and harbor resentment for the IT department. This not only affects performance, but can influence coworkers too.

Implementing Effective Training Methods

Various learning methods can be effective, it’s simply a case of discovering which one works best given the current circumstances. It’s best to experiment with different methods, and tailor your approach based on the individual needs of participants. You can choose from instructor-led hands on training, videos, books, documented instructions, and more. A combination of various approaches is arguably the best way to keep staff interested, utilizing interactive content that maintains the engagement of learners. Hands-on training is usually best, because you give workers the chance to get hands on. This reinforces learning materials, to accommodate your workers as best possible. Sharepoint is changing all the time, so practicing regular teaching programs can put your organization at a definite advantage.

Successful Training Practices

  1. Don’t over complicate things too much. Training should effortlessly break topics into manageable components, otherwise staff adoption can be a struggle.
  2. Recognize the different sharepoint roles, and train users depending on the level of knowledge they need to be successful. This involves differentiating basic users from end users. Acknowledge the different skill level of users and train them accordingly.
  3. Consider the context in which users are taught. This is vastly important for retention, since staff are much more likely to replicate what they’re learned when asked to use sharepoint in a familiar environment.
  4. Use job-related use cases so employees can relate their training to real-life environments. Job-related examples have greater potency than random ones.
  5. Utilize a combination of training methods for maximum impact.
  6. Make training mandatory, to reduce the knowledge gaps between staff.
  7. Measure the effectiveness of your training methods using evaluations, surveys, and generic staff-feedback. This will help you improve the scope of future training.
  8. Train your organization’s first line of defense, the help desk. This will synchronize your organization, mitigating any issues that arise.
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Jason is the Lead Author & Editor of TrainingStation Blog. Jason established the Training Station blog to create a source for news and discussion about some of the issues, challenges, news, and ideas relating to training, learning and development.