You read that headline correctly. We need to create two participant guides for each training program.

I know it sounds crazy, especially since many training programs do not even have one guide, but the results will be worth the effort.

Two Types of Participant Guides

• Printable version

• Fillable PDF Version

There is no significant difference in the content between these two participant guides. The main difference is setting the guidebook up for capturing notes in the learner’s preferred manner.

Learning Preference

Each of us has a preferred way we like to do things. It brings a sense of contentment and comfort, which every person craves.

So why do we force people into capitulating on how we want to develop materials rather than how they want to use and learn from training materials?

In any group of learners:

• There will be one portion that prefers to have printed materials that they can interact with. They want to circle, underline, and draw arrows to essential facts. They want to write notes directly on the pages containing the material.

• Another portion of the group prefers to store information digitally. They still need the ability to capture their thoughts, notes & inspiration. Because of this, we need to provide a fillable PDF so they can capture those items directly into the guidebook.

I highly recommend providing the participant guidebook as a PDF will fillable fields rather than a Word document so that the learner does not accidentally change the source material.

Our group of learners has a third portion; let’s call them “reluctant participants.” They could not care less which manner of materials you provide. They are more concerned with the clock on the wall.

• In the beginning, do not concern yourself too much with this group. Take the “bring them to the water” approach and hope they start to drink. Having two types of guidebooks will eventually begin to help this portion as it lowers their barrier to entry based on their preference.

Print versus PDF

Many organizations have moved to strictly providing PDFs for their participant guides. Let’s acknowledge that this choice is in the interest of the organization and not the learner.

Put yourself in the learner’s shoes. More importantly, the shoes of the portion that prefers to write in their training materials physically. You receive a PDF guidebook that has an almost magazine-quality layout and design. The cover page image runs to the edges, and some graphics do not support the training but make visual interest throughout the guidebook.

You print the PDF to have the material in your preferred learning preference. But now, printing the guidebook has run through a good bit of your colored ink, and it looks rather crappy because it is not a professional print job. Those graphics that looked great on the screen are now more of a hindrance and a distraction.

I could go on, but you get the point.

When making a participant guide, make sure images print well in grayscale as well as color.

The choice to only provide a “magazine-quality” PDF creates an obstacle for those who prefer print. The same would apply if we only offer a participant guide for people to write on and not a fillable PDF.

What It Means

These are not insurmountable problems. Our learners are adults and can handle learning in a non-preferred manner. But why make them?

Learning & Development professionals are constantly looking for ways to increase engagement and effectiveness, so why put yourself behind the proverbial eight ball?

Time

In reality, a lack of time. That thought has rattled around in your brain since starting this article. That is what is holding most of us back.

But by using the right processes and tools, you can exponentially reduce the time it takes to create guidebooks for both instructor-led training and virtual ILT.

Did you know the average user of LeaderGuide Pro has reduced the time to create training materials by 57%?

And, you can create 80-90% of a completed participant guide directly from a facilitator guide with a few clicks of the mouse?

Let me show you how.