Citation
Cattell, A. (2007), "The Training Design Manual – The Complete Practical Guide to Creating Effective and Successful Training Programmes", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 39 No. 1, pp. 66-66. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850710721435
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Tony Bray is a successful training consultant who shares his experience in designing training courses and workshops within this very practical text. While the book is relevant to new or inexperienced trainers it also offers a number of ideas and approaches for those wanting to refresh existing training courses.
The philosophy of the book is to present a one stop, but logical step by step journey through the basics of training course planning and design. In doing so this approach also offers the reader an active opportunity to “learn by doing” in designing their own course design project.
Essentially the text covers planning and design considerations and approaches. Each element is split down into separate chunks contained in 20 chapters. This is very much a “how to do” book, light on theory, but full of practical exercises and activities.
A total of 20 activity boxes giving the reader specific tasks and times for these to be carried out are contained in the text. The broad direction of this approach is as a practical guide to help decisions on content, course material and order, plus advice on how the course can be run and presented successfully. The free CD ROM included with the book gives access to templates, activities and course materials.
The book acknowledges and addresses limitations, constraints and potential antagonists from among a range of internal and external stakeholders. It also explores both formal and informal learning methods and approaches. The frequent use of bullet point lists, while being a simple form of presentation can be a frustration to readers seeking greater detail. However the presentation of ideas, examples, exercises, diagrams and several process models give the reader access to a range of dip into, dip out resources. The narrative tends to be short, punchy and to the point which is perhaps the potential attraction of this book for the intended readership. Having said this, the author definitely delivers what he promises in his Introduction, namely a very practical guide.