The fastest way to learn a new software or platform
Most people dread learning new software. Whenever I do technical training, the room is very anxious. Learning a new program or platform doesn’t have to feel like a directionless journey. Instead, think of it like getting to know a new city- once you get your bearings, things get easier from there!
While there are many online courses, they are often not the most straightforward approach to just-in-time software learning. Check out the summary to below to decide when to take a course vs. learn by yourself.
For those situations where you only have a few days to get to know new software, here’s the best approach:
Poke around with purpose
Yes, I am serious. “Poking around” is extremely undervalued as a learning technique. Think of “poking around” as putting the first few coordinates on your mental map- after you have those, it is easier to map out everything else!
Here’s how to poke around with purpose:
Survey how the page/interface is organized divided. Do those divisions, tabs, etc have names?
Hover over the buttons to see what they are called. Write down any unfamiliar words.
Take a look at the items in the menus. If there are multiple menus, what are they called?
Try out a few interactions to see if a secondary menu (such as a properties menu) appears.
After you’ve poked around, look up common nomenclature for that software or platform and compare to what you have come across.
If you are not sure how to poke around safely, there is often no harm in accessing a platform and browsing the menu and button names.
Master the mvp
No one learns software feature by feature- they learn how to make a specific thing or do a specific thing. Decide on what the minimum viable product (MVP) looks like, and focus your efforts on learning that.
Now that you have identified your MVP, it’s time to google. Wisely.
Google using the nomenclature of the program. Without understanding how the program or platform refers to it’s own features, you can’t research effectively!
Check the version of the software or the platform before following instructions-you may be wasting your time with outdated information.
When you watch a how-to video, watch the whole video first before attempting the steps.
If you find a favorite how-to source, bookmark it! You will need to learn new software again someday.
After you have done these two steps, you can learn more advanced moves such as shortcuts, workflow optimization, and additional features to up your mastery.
It’s become a mission of mine to help people overcome their anxiety and apprehension around learning new software. Just a little bit of self-directed learning, done the right way, can be the difference between a brand new landscape and knowing your way around.
What has worked for you when learning new software? Let us know in the comments!