Tricky Environment Access
Technical training relies on environment access, so what happens when that is not an option?
In a nutshell, and these are my own words here… an environment is basically an instance of your technical solution, including the hardware, software, and network it needs to run. There are different types like test/sandbox, production, sales, dev environments, etc.
Instructional designers and technical trainers need to get into an environment, preferably with reference data, in order to do their jobs. How could I create a video demo if I’ve never opened the product?
And yet, this happens all the time. Education is not included in the DevOps model so we are often an afterthought.
Here are some of my workarounds:
Use documentation like wikis, manuals, and user guides. Those give you a good idea of the workflows and interface.
Ask for screenshots from developers, architects, or engineers. You can convert those screenshots into a guided practice or simulation in Storyline with some light editing.
Search for recordings of demos or presentations by SMEs. Sometimes that footage highlights use cases that you can insert into your training.
Mock up samples of what the GUI might look like. You can use these mock-ups as a stand-in in presentations until you upgrade the visuals later.
Are any of these as good as the real thing? NO! But sometimes you gotta get something out there, and they are a good way to start prototyping.
