How to train your collaborators on IoT solutions

Now is the time to begin the implementation of IoT solutions in your business, but this is the first time your work team has contact with this kind of technology, so what can you do?

The answer seems obvious: train your collaborators, but that is not an easy task when all of them are working from home, especially because the goal achievement progress clearly depends on their commitment with the learning and the adjustment to the new technological environment.  Nevertheless, the fact that your first step be the acquisition of an e-learning platform that allows you to train your work team from anywhere in the world is a good start.

The current technological context

It is not a secret the fact that day by day new technological advances appear for every industry, and despite we should not adapt to each and every one of them, there are some, indeed, such as IoT tools, that become critical for our operations continuity.

Even so, regarding the training on these tools, it is important to find the way so our collaborators get to know how important solutions such as  B-IoT are, and which are their benefits, not only at a corporate level, but also for their own positions and work responsibilities.

Before beginning the training sessions, you should have all these benefits listed, because they will help you to create your pedagogical frame in order to explain some terms, show some realistic examples, and challenge your collaborative team so the learning can be guaranteed, having achieved that, you can then step into the next stage:

New IoT tools training methods

1. Every trainer must know the new tool in depth

Ideally, the trainer should be someone from the company, who already has advanced knowledge in the new technologies to be implemented.  This is crucial because that person would be able to link every training module with real examples that apply to the company´s context.

Also, that person would be able to communicate with the collaborative team using the same language, and will know how to answer to their specific questions from the inside.

2. Make the training a priority

Resistance is to be expected when applying new technologies and tools such as IoT, especially due to its process automating factor, because many collaborators might perceive it as a very complex solution or even might perceive that  it would not have the level of precaution and detail they would achieve with their manual work.

Because of that, make the training a priority from which you constantly explain how all that will improve the tasks of each collaborator, also mention how easy could every process might become after its automation and how much details can be obtained from data collection and storage in the cloud.

3. Set clear time-frames and goals

Divide your IoT course in modules that be linked to each other, start by teaching basic concepts and then go for the advanced ones.   Our advice is that your first step be to design the end of your course first, and starting from that goal, develop the path to follow, module after module.

4. Use training incentives to encourage IoT use

This is a very important and differentiating factor, because your collaborators need to begin perceiving and experiencing the IoT solution benefits.  Also, this is the most effective way of counteract change resistance, por example:

• If IoT solutions manage to automate processes and make them faster and more efficient, why not, after reaching certain level of training, leave the office 2 hours in advance on a Friday afternoon?
• Since internet of things solutions, such as B-IoT, also makes possible remote monitoring, your collaborators could have a training session from their homes. So, their training pace will be increased and they will enjoy the advantages of working from anywhere in the world.
• Perhaps, at the end of the course you can give your collaborators a gift voucher from their favorite store, a lunch, or even a box of chocolates, no matter the gift, remember that the important thing here is to recognize their efforts during the process.

5. Choose the best format for IoT training

On e-learning platforms you can use different types of content to develop each class, module or general courses, but our advice is that you use as much content as possible.  For example:

• Use games instead of tests, in fact, by clicking here you can download a game that will help you to assess their previous knowledge.
• Videos and audios instead of texts makes the retention of concepts process more effective.
• Lean on videoconferences to conduct some group activities.
• Use interactive demos to make simulations adapted to your business context.

Choosing the best e-learning platform

At InterNexa we are able to advise you for this step,  guiding you towards the selection of an e-learning platform suitable for your work team training.  Also, our team is ready to accompany you in your employees´ training process during the B-IoT appropriation, the solution we have designed to guarantee that your team always have the highest possible visibility of the operation of your business no matter the place they might be.

Remember that trained and informed collaborators mean optimal decisions for your business.

Begin the course by assessing their knowledge

To begin the course, you can make them take a knowledge assessment with a simple game that you can download by clicking here, just tell them to print it for playing a game, but make sure not to share the answer sheet with them.  With this document you will get to know which are their previous knowledge about the incredible universe of internet of things.