To present a training package effectively requires detailed knowledge of your audience. You may miss the instructional goal (3) because your presentation is either too basic and simple, or too complicated and scientific. You may run the risk of using an inappropriate room set-up (9) or classroom exercises and learning activities (7). In the worst case scenario, your training package may encourage the trainees to use the practices that are against their employer’s corporate philosophy. To guard against these situations you must find out as much as possible about the audience, their level of knowledge of the subject and their training needs.

Getting to know your audience means knowing about the skills they require to do their daily work, their responsibilities and liabilities, whether they work in teams or whether they primarily work as individuals. It is also useful to learn about what related training was provided previously, and who presented it. Evaluations form previous training initiatives may not be complete or summarized but where available can help to avoid past failures. They may also allow you to build on successes with content and presentation style (2). If documentation is not available, try to receive feedback on past training from participants and their supervisors. Occasionally, you may be able to obtain a training needs assessment completed for your audience in the recent past to guide your work.

If you expect your audience to vary from session to session, build as much flexibility into your training as possible. This will allow you to lower the bat if your audience has less of an understanding of the topic than you anticipated. On the other hand, you want to be able to challenge the training participants if their level of knowledge is higher than expected. The easiest way to satisfy your audience is to have a variety of learning activities (7) and hands-on learning aids (8) that you can apply during the day as required.

Ask for the class list before the training session to gain a better understanding of your audience. Knowing others’ affiliations can help draw out perspectives and experiences relative to case studies, and put the training in a real world context. During the introductions in the first hour (17), record the names of all individuals and where they are seated on a piece of paper in from of you. Refer to these notes when you address individuals to help you remember their names and backgrounds; this creates a positive learning environment quickly.
Knowing the geographic mix of the audience and their working areas will help you adjust your material to participants’ work situations. You may be able to draw out experiences with local issues or specific practices developed by local employers which will be of interest to the entire group.