Should all training be digital?

The lame old training folder

How many of you have gone to training workshops and classes and received a huge training folder, never to be seen again? I found mine from an old workshop I attended and thought of using it as a door stopper - no, really I did. As a training professional I too have been a victim of developing these kinds of folders and passing them around. I convinced myself that the learners/users will have something to take back to their desk a tangible asset of the time they spent in training. In reality this is never used. 

Note - This essay is not about creating online training but the focus is on distribution of training documentation. 

The most effective way of providing information in today's world is by putting those materials online. It could be your company's Sharepoint site, Shared drive or an online training platform like an LMS (Learning management System). This way you can keep the documents updated and have it accessible to the users as and when they need it. Of course, you can say that everyone has a different style of learning. Some like paper in their hand when they are learning. In that case when you put documents online you give your user the choice to review the material through a digital format or to print it out as they see fit. 

You are also saving a few trees in the process. Jokes aside this is the most efficient way to maintain your documents and to keep version controls. In companies where information is getting updated every so often it is important to make sure your users have the latest information. So let's review some benefits of not creating training folders but rather adding information online:

• Accessibility
• Ease of use
• Version control
• Tracking
• No wastage of paper

Powerpoint presentations sometimes require print outs so that users can make notes on each slide as they move through the presentation. This is helpful but definitely is not a must have. In workshops where they don't provide powerpoint print outs users end up making notes in their own note pads. 

Exceptions are always there. If you as a trainer or facilitator and have come across a situation where you think a print out was better than having that information online then you should share.