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We’ve always believed that the ability to adapt in the face of strategic shifts is what truly brings value. Recently, we had the privilege of partnering with Helen, where their data analysts faced a significant change: transitioning into the role of Data Product Owners (DPO). This move was not just about taking on a new title—it was a complete shift in mindset, responsibilities, and skills.

The Challenge: Assuming New Responsibilities After a Strategic Shift

Helen’s strategic reorganization required their team of data analysts to step beyond their traditional roles. They were now expected to not only analyze and interpret data but also to own and manage data products. This transition posed a challenge especially since the team had varying backgrounds and skills.

While their technical expertise was unquestionable, the competencies required for effective product ownership—strategic thinking, stakeholder management, prioritization, and long-term vision—were new territory. The team needed more than just technical coaching; they needed support to build a strong foundation in product ownership while maintaining their confidence in their core abilities.

Our Approach: Learning Sprint and One-on-One Coaching

At Splended, we take pride in designing solutions that meet our partners exactly where they are. For Helen, this meant bringing in a tailored approach to support the development of their data analysts. We partnered with Coventures and enlisted expert coach Tom Weckström to lead a focused Learning Sprint.

The Learning Sprint was a dynamic and intensive program, aimed at rapidly upskilling the team in the intricacies of product ownership. From defining product vision to managing backlogs and communicating with stakeholders, the sprint covered critical aspects needed to build competence in this new role.

Alongside this team coaching, I also worked closely with each individual through personalized one-on-one coaching. As CEO of Splended, I know that no two people face challenges the same way, and this tailored coaching was critical in helping each team member transition to their new roles with confidence. These coaching sessions allowed us to address personal obstacles, develop individual action plans, and reinforce a growth mindset that would serve them in their new roles.

The Result: Clarity and Confidence in Product Ownership

Helen is a company that invests in their people. In this coaching cycle, we managed to clear out hesitations and qualms about the new role description. Helen’s data analysts not only gained a deeper understanding of their new responsibilities as Data Product Owners but also walked away equipped with the practical tools they needed to excel.

Here’s how one participant reflected on their experience:

We were able to openly discuss the concerns related to the DPO role, both in the training sessions and in the one-on-one coaching. There was a lot of discussion, so the training didn’t just consist of going through slides. Good concepts were presented during the training, which could lead to great ideas for our own work. The facilitation of the discussion worked well. Problem areas were effectively brought to light, and we generated ideas on how and where to discuss these issues within the organization.

Beyond just learning the technicalities of the role, they embraced the broader strategic mindset needed for product ownership. They became more proactive in decision-making, improved collaboration across departments, and created a stronger alignment with Helen’s business goals. The team’s newfound clarity and confidence were palpable.

Additionally, the initiative strengthened the overall team dynamic. Transparency and open communication became central to their operations, promoting better collaboration and helping them work more cohesively toward common objectives.

We are committed to delivering top-notch experiences, as demonstrated by our recent collaboration with Witted. Partnering with industry expert Daniel Vahla, already working as a consultant for our customer in the marine industry, we rolled out three hands-on, data-driven Python learning experiences that delivered real value to over 50 participants in three cohorts.

A Data-Driven Approach from Start to Finish

The learning process was designed to follow a data-driven approach, ensuring that from the initial planning stages to the final retrospectives, every decision was backed by insights and real-time feedback. This method ensured that the teams’ progression was not only tracked but also optimized based on their needs.

Sprints That Worked

Despite the short duration, the sprint sessions were highly effective. Daniel Vahla led three 3-hour sprint sessions online, bringing together a well-structured blend of learning, doing, and reflecting. The pace was quick, but the experience was carefully managed to maintain engagement.

At first, the teams were understandably overwhelmed—Python was new territory for many—but as they dove into the tasks, guided by Daniel’s hands-on coaching style, they quickly gained confidence.

From Learning to Doing: A Hands-On Experience

One of the key aspects that made this cooperation so successful was the hands-on approach. Daniel did not simply lecture or provide the answers on a silver platter. Instead, he worked side-by-side with the teams, engaging in parallel coding to ensure they gained practical experience. As the coach “showed and told,” the participants followed along, actively coding in Python from the outset.

Breaking the content into manageable chunks helped the teams grasp the concepts without feeling overwhelmed. Daniel structured the learning in such a way that each section built on the previous one, allowing the teams to progressively apply their newly gained knowledge.

Teams Finish Strong with an End-to-End Project

By the end of the sessions, the teams were developing a mini-project, using company’s own APIs. Such practice is highly valuable in API-centric company. The new knowledge wasn’t just theoretical—it was put into practice immediately, and the benefits were felt all around the business.

A Retrospective for Growth

The sprint series culminated in a retrospective, giving everyone the opportunity to reflect on what they had learned, how they could apply their new skills, and how they could improve in the future. This critical step allowed teams to consolidate their gains and understand the broader impact of the learning experience. The instructor provided encouragement in his closing words, inviting the participants to continue their learning by applying the toolset they had gained.

Final Thoughts: Building Skills That Last

Our cooperation with Witted and Daniel Vahla is a shining example of what happens when we bring together industry expertise, a data-driven approach, and hands-on learning. By focusing on practical application, rather than just watching or listening, the teams were able to acquire practical Python skills that are already making a difference.

At Splended, we believe that true learning happens when theory is put into practice. This initiative has demonstrated that not only can our teams tackle new challenges, but they can also emerge stronger, more skilled, and more confident.

Stay tuned for more exciting partnerships and learning opportunities from Splended as we continue to lead the way in data-driven, hands-on learning experiences!

We thrive on creating impactful experiences that spark innovation and strengthen collaboration. Our recent collaboration with Elo, an internal hackathon aptly named “Elothon”, was a shining example of these values in action. The day brought together diverse talents, combined data with customer-centric solutions, and delivered meaningful results.

The Challenge: Data Meets Customer Solutions

Elo sought to tackle a challenge at the intersection of data and innovative customer solutions. With this focus, they aimed to create not only practical outcomes but also strengthen collaboration and cross-pollination between teams—an essential aspect of modern problem-solving and innovation.

The Coaches: Experts Supporting Innovation

To guide the teams before and during the hackathon, we brought in three seasoned coaches whose expertise levelled up the event: 

Pasi Vuorio: An AI expert from Lastbot, who also served as a juror during the pitching sessions. 

Phuoc Tran Minh (Fuki): From Goodin, offering deep insights into data-driven business development. 

Aleksi Nuuja: From Reaktor, bringing a fresh perspective on innovation and execution.

Their mentorship ensured that teams stayed focused, pushed boundaries, and delivered high-value solutions. Many participants thought Splended succeeded in providing “a well-organized event and a skilled and enthusiastic team”.

The Event: From Brainstorming to Sauna

The hackathon was hosted at Splended’s office, an innovation center at Aalto-University, designed to create an energizing and collaborative atmosphere. Teams worked intensively throughout the day, brainstorming, building, and refining their ideas. After a successful day of pitching and presenting concrete solutions, we celebrated the day’s achievements with a dinner and sauna experience. This mix of hard work and relaxation strengthened the connections formed during the event.

Concrete Results, Real Value

What set Elothon apart was its ability to deliver concrete, actionable solutions. The participants didn’t just brainstorm—they created concrete implementation plans and detailed solution designs with real potential to add value to the customer. Teams impressed the jury with innovative pitches that demonstrated creativity and commercial viability.

Cross-Pollination and Connections

One of the primary goals of the Elothon was to encourage cross-pollination—bringing together individuals from different teams to collaborate and share their unique expertise. The hackathon managed to break silos and lay the foundation for future collaboration. One participant commented on the experience,

A pleasant day, nice to clear my head and network. Very different compared to the daily grind.

Many participants reflected on building meaningful connections citing having “conversations with coworkers you haven’t spoken to before”.

A Successful Partnership

Our collaboration with Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Company exemplifies how innovation, when paired with the right environment and expert support, can lead to impactful results. We are proud to have played a role in making Elothon a success and are excited to see how the ideas generated during the hackathon shape their innovations forward.

At Splended, we believe that the future of tech learning lies in providing highly practical, role-specific training that empowers professionals to feel skilled and confident in their assignments and roles. Our recent collaboration with Siili Solutions is a perfect example of how tailored, hands-on learning can drive real impact.

Upskilling Over 100 IT Consultants with Tailored Learning Sprints

Siili Solutions, a leading digital transformation company, recognized the need to upskill their IT consultants to stay ahead in bringing their customers value with what they call “A 10-day workweek”. To meet this challenge, we partnered with them to design and deliver intensive, one-week learning sprints aimed at enhancing the skills of over 100 IT professionals.

These learning sprints were not just another generic training program. We tailored each sprint to the specific needs of different roles within Siili Solutions, including data engineers, full-stack developers, and more. This role-based approach ensures that every consultant receives training that is directly applicable to their day-to-day work, making the learning experience not only relevant but also immediately actionable. As one participant noted, the Learning Sprint offered

“Great insight into the hot topics of the behind the curtain of the raging AI trends.”

A Hands-On, Practical Approach

At Splended, we understand that the best way to learn is by doing. That’s why our learning methods are heavily focused on hands-on, practical exercises, labs and reflection tasks. During the learning sprints, participants were not just passive recipients of information—they actively engaged in real-world projects, applying new concepts and techniques in a controlled environment. This approach ensures that the skills learned are deeply ingrained and ready to be used in real-world scenarios.

Industry Thought-leaders as Coaches

To ensure the highest quality of learning, we brought in two industry thought-leaders to lead the initiative: Aappo Pulkkinen, a seasoned Data Scientist from Forge Digital, and Pasi Vuorio, a serial entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in tech innovation.

Aappo Pulkkinen brought a wealth of knowledge in data science, guiding the participants through complex data engineering challenges and helping them develop the skills necessary to excel in this newly developing area. His sessions were a blend of deep technical insights and practical applications, ensuring that the data engineers left with a strong grasp of both the theory and practice of their craft. The experience was highly interactive as one participant commented Aappo’s skills as a coach:

“Very skillful boosted with extraordinary good teaching skills!! It was very easy to understand everything during the lesson. He explained things well and he was very calm speaker (ok, he has earlier training skills gained in universities). Many online questions were asked during his presentation which means that people were learning too.”

Pasi Vuorio, with his extensive entrepreneurial background, provided invaluable insights into the full-stack development process. His coaching style is both inspiring and pragmatic, offering participants a unique perspective on how to approach problem-solving and innovation in their roles. Pasi’s experience as a serial entrepreneur allowed him to share real-world stories and challenges, making the learning experience even more relatable and impactful. A partipant commented Pasi’s Sprint like this:

“Really liked the training! I was previously familiar with the concepts so it was a nice to get some real hands-on experience. First lesson by Pasi introduced the concepts around LLMs, the history & potential future. The most valuable information was around learning the ways how AI could be used in the future to work as the interpreter for an application. Seeing examples from LastBot was insightful.”

Collaboration Boosting Success

Our collaboration with Siili Solutions is a testament to the power of tailored, hands-on learning which does not rule out scalability. By focusing on role-specific skills and providing practical, real-world practice, we’ve been able to significantly enhance the capabilities of Siili’s IT consultants, positioning them to tackle the challenges of today’s digital world with confidence. Our scalable Learning Sprint model has also raised interest among Siili’s own customers and we are proud to spread the message to everyone interested in impactful learning.

In the dynamic world of gaming, innovation and staying ahead of the curve are crucial for success. We recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Futureplay Games, a renowned game development studio, on a learning sprint which offered tools for self-development among the entire studio. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the details of this exciting initiative and explore the valuable insights gained along the way.

A learning sprint is a focused, time-bound period during which cross-functional teams come together to explore new ideas, experiment with different approaches, and learn from one another. It serves as an opportunity to accelerate learning, foster innovation, and develop a shared understanding of complex challenges. The collaboration between Splended and Futureplay Games aimed to harness the power of curiosity, exploration, sharing of knowledge and above all, allowed time for the teams to foster a culture of continuous learning.

During the learning sprint, Marjut, the Chief Learning Officer from Splended and Mirva Vimpari, People and Organizational Lead at Futureplay Games led a collaborative exploration of key areas such as learning and development, career planning, agile learning, experimentation as well as engagement. We worked closely together in interactive workshops and webinars focussing on how teams and team leaders could optimize their ways of working and how to lead learning discussions.

One of the core pillars of the learning sprint was the idea of one’s career as a product that needs to be managed and developed like any other product. We explored tools for identifying strengths, boosted collaboration and envisioned futures. These exercises proved eye-opening. Many commented that they had never thought about their futures in such a strategic manner and were inspired by the discussions that sparked among them after each workshop.

The learning sprint between Splended and Futureplay Games was an invaluable experience, yielding several key takeaways such as more confident personal plans for the future as well as interesting explorations into topics such as AI. Some of them had started reading books, researching online libraries and reconnecting with alumni in their university. When we sat down for a Q&A session in the end, many people reported having found multiple ways to try new tools, gather information and to explore resources such as article libraries. The entire learning landscape also experienced a push that encouraged teams to have more meaningful development discussions and to better identify when someone needs more support in their role.

Futureplay Games have an extremely modern learning culture where everyone is supported and given the opportunity to pursue their career in meaningful ways. The learning sprint between Splended and Futureplay Games further promoted these ideals and focussed on increasing collaboration and shared learning. This can already be seen in how teams use their allocated “Futureplayground” time on Fridays on learning, sharing, experimenting and gathering new understanding together. As Splended and Futureplay Games continue their journey, the lessons learned from this learning sprint will undoubtedly shape their future success. Here’s what one participant thought of the experience:

I believe our team got a lot of more fuel for self-development and got inspired to take some of the ideas into action in Futureplaygrounds going forward. Thank you!

If your organization needs to envision and start building futures, develop tools for collaboration and learn how to learn in an agile manner, just pull us from our virtual sleeve here.

This blog post is a part of the series in which we open the Splended way to build and run pro to pro trainings. If you are a subject matter expert, this blog post will give you some practical hints and tips that would help you to succeed when you start enabling learning and run interactive learning sessions.

“If we read it from a PowerPoint, they will hear it. If we create training where they can participate, they will learn it.”

Ideally, training would be so hands-on that we could put it in practice right after it happens. We need concrete guidance to learn, practise and reflect so that we can retain the content in our deep memory. This is why we pay close attention to our trainers and how they operate in a training situation. We coach and guide them so that the end-user will experience something memorable. Otherwise it’s time wasted for both parties.

What is the role of the trainer then?

• To enable and facilitate deliberate practice
• Most of the time to step back from the front and observe where they struggle
• To help them, coach them and lead their learning. Not doing things for them. 
• To create a positive environment

We know how important it is to deliver an excellent training session. Typical challenges with the trainings are that they are built around the trainer (data dumping) and they are not connected to the daily lives of the participants. With our tested training model (part 1, part 2 – doing, part 3-reflection) it is possible to build trainings in a way that the learning sticks.

How to move from content delivery to learning enablement?

Putting the learner first is our biggest priority here. So it’s best if you forget how you have been taught in the past (read: (possibly) a monologue that puts you to sleep). You have your own unique domain expertise and now it’s time to plan how others will benefit from it in an engaging and interactive manner. 

What do we want to see them do after the training? Teach only the things they cannot survive without. The rest can be additional reading. Content dumping is so last season. Better to have less content and learn it well rather than dump loads and leave them confused. 

Write the learning objectives on a slide and make the verbs active in them. What do we see them do when they finish the training? Give them post-it notes where they can write their own objectives. Have them discuss these with their partners. Come back to them at the end of the day. 

Interactive Lesson Strategies

Reading from a presentation is ineffective as a strategy. This is because our brain gets distracted and needs activation. Keep your own speech at 15 minutes max. You can tell your audience that they need to teach the content you deliver to their partner after you finish. Have them write a brief summary on the joint notes on what they learned. 

There are also a few things we propose that you should avoid doing: asking “Are there any questions?” (they will most likely be quiet because they don’t want to appear incompetent), ask a rhetorical question, display a lot of PPT slides, you say: “Let’s discuss” and then you continue speaking, you speak for an hour and then there’s a quiz or a game, you ask one participant and they answer, you tell jokes or anecdotes (not related to the topic). This is not recommended since the focus is on the trainer and these methods reach very few people in the audience.

It is important to build the connection between learners. When planning the training remember that your audience needs to connect with each other frequently. You need to establish collaborative interdependence by designing tasks that they can only solve together. They need to be individually responsible but active in cooperation. Make sure there is safety in teams, change them if necessary.

What is then an efficient interactive lecture strategy?

• You stick to the 15-minute rule of speaking
• You have them summarise the learning content in one minute in one sentence to their partner
• There is a concrete goal that you cannot achieve without cooperation
• They take responsibility for their learning and focus

Benefits of interactive learning strategies:

• They remain focused on their learning
• They are interested and contribute to the groups joint learning
• You will improve their conceptual understanding
• They will remember better
• You will raise their energy levels

Brain and Learning

Our brain and physicality contribute to our learning fitness. We need to be moving when we learn so make them stand and change pairs frequently. Our brain cannot take too much information at one time without processing it somehow so make them talk in pairs as much as you can. Our brain loves variety and surprises but also predictability. Give them tasks that they didn’t know to expect. We are hardwired to listening to stories and analogies, use these to relate to their world of experiences. This works in advertising, films and games. Tap into this as much as you can. Our brain gets excited about multiple sensory experiences and stimulation. We love to be in informal learning environments (think desks and conversations, coffee etc.) We are motivated by choice. So if learners can choose between activities, it’s always a good idea. 

We all have inner motivations that the training event should support. For example, we want to avoid feeling: stupid, bored or humiliated. Instead, we want to feel: competent, respected, smart. Focus on the latter.

Concrete Practice

When all learners are actively doing the learning, you will optimise learning outcomes. To learn skills, you need to practice them. Design concrete practice activities that are preferably connected to their daily lives. For example, if they need to learn coding, create a coding assignment with errors in it and have them spot them. Concrete practice can be started right away. Already with limited skills, your learners can engage in activities. 

What concrete practice is not:

• only you demonstrate and “practise” how things are done
• reading about or watching a video about a skill
• few practice with a game or similar activity and others watch
• the team competes so that only one participates and the rest watch
• there is a Q&A session in the end
• the practice situation is dangerous or risky

What concrete practice looks like:

• learners teach back what they have learned
• learners improvise in 15 seconds a slogan for the content they just learned
• learners do table demonstrations and share their screens or notes with others
• learners mentor each other and give constant feedback to each other
• all learners practise a skill even with limited knowledge

Ending in Style

We tend to remember beginnings and endings better than what is in the middle so prepare to go out with a blast. Go back to the learning outcomes, have them assess what they have learned. Have action planning session triads where they discuss together how they are going to apply the skills. You can do also a standing celebration of everyone’s accomplishments in groups of three. Good ending is when you make them write this on a poster: “need more practice……………can use with ease” and have them place their post-its on the scale. You can have them do a standing meeting and discuss this question: What will it take me to get to the next level now? What did you learn that you didn’t know before?

You can ask them these questions on a joint document: How do I feel about this now? What helps me do my job better? How will my on-the-job behaviour change as a result of this? How will my company benefit from this?

Your Strengths as a Trainer

When you start seeing yourself as a domain expert who helps and guides learners instead of someone who “teaches” like you have been taught in the past, you will tap into your coaching skills and feel empowered in the training situation. When you have designed practice activities and use the interactive lecture method, your audience will be motivated to learn and there will be a positive vibe in the room. Make sure that 80% of the time your audience is speaking. This is the only way to guarantee training success. Trust yourself and be who you are. It gets tiring to pretend to be someone else.

You are in a key role enabling people’s success. This means that you need to step back and let them do the work because you already know the stuff.  Acknowledge the fact that learning is always an exercise in approximation. Errors, questions and missteps are part of it and the quicker you start practising, the better you will understand their progress.

You got this. Really. You do. Trust this advice and you can’t go wrong.

(We were inspired by Training from the back of the room by Sharon L. Bowman when writing this blog post)

Other posts in the series:
Part 1/3 – How we’re coaching our trainers: our learner-centric approach to training design
Part 2/3 – How we’re coaching our trainers: a human doing, not being
Part 3/3 – Why learning without reflection is like driving without a map?

Reflection helps us to make sense of our experiences, connect them to our goals, and apply what we have learned in new situations. Without reflection, we risk getting lost in a sea of information, without a clear sense of how to navigate our way forward.

Here’s how we incorporate reflection practices into our trainings and learning interventions at Splended.

We use collaborative techniques where pairs and teams discuss, write questions, find solutions and share their own practices with each other. Workshops are designed in a way that allows for frequent reflection activities. This motivates and increases ownership as learners take an active role in supporting each other. It’s important that the previously learned connects with the new information. For this, we use for example, questions, image prompts, cases and scenarios that the participants need to reflect upon. We make existing knowledge visible and then introduce new perspectives and insights. This creates meaningful structures or schema in the brain which, in turn, help with knowledge retention.

“The session was well-structured and for me the most rewarding parts were the group discussions, says a participant in their feedback on our interactive training. “

Reflection allows you to track your progress, identify areas where you need to improve, and develop strategies to address them. Without reflection, you risk losing track of your progress and missing out on opportunities to grow and develop. This is why our participants write concept summaries, write mock exam questions on the topic and discuss them with the team so that any gaps in knowledge can be addressed.

Our trainings aim at visible changes in behaviour. For example, if participants need to learn prioritization skills, they learn about poor and best practices, and then craft a playbook or a toolbox to use in their work contexts. This again, increases motivation as the learned material supports more effective and meaningful practices at work.

“The training led to some interesting discussions and some good internal processing about my priorities, reflected one participant in our self-development training. “

At the end of a learning series, learners need to summarize what changed in their thinking. For example, they can use the “four Cs” to reflect with their teams: Connection, Concept, Concrete practice and Conclusion. Another way is to form a line on the floor with these words: Not there yet – On my way there – Already there. Participants can then reflect their learning in the light of the goals and see where they are. This usually creates a lively discussion and, again, boosts learning because they have to go back to what has been discussed. It also allows the trainer to see where they are in terms of confidence. Those who have already reached the goals can mentor others.

Participants in our trainings have enjoyed the reflection activities and typically comment that “the best part of the training was the interactions and focussing on the very practical and actionable items”.

We create trainings that rely on science on how people learn. Reflective practices are at the heart of our designs. Let us know how you want to grow, develop and futureproof your teams. We can help.

Other posts from the series:
Part 1/3 – How we’re coaching our trainers: our learner-centric approach to training design
Part 2/3 – How we’re coaching our trainers: a human doing, not being

“Give a man a fish…”

At Splended, we believe that learning by doing is the most effective way to acquire new skills and knowledge. It is a hands-on approach that allows learners to explore and experiment with new concepts and ideas. It provides a safe and supportive environment for learners to make mistakes, learn from them, and grow.

We co-design the training with our trainers who are specialists in their subject matter area. This way we can guarantee an inspiring training experience where we see active participants practising instead of passive listeners swamped in theory.

Here are some examples how we apply experiential learning in our learning development initiatives:

1. Active learning: Experiential learning is a hands-on approach that encourages active participation from learners. It allows learners to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world situations, which enhances their learning experience. For example, in Product Management trainings, participants share their software start-up ideas which they then comment on in the light of product development best practices. This helps them relate to their customers’ needs and identify ways to improve communication, for instance. Another case in point: Leadership and communication trainings are designed in a way that allows room for practising the dialogue needed to create psychological safety among teams.
2. Real-world experience: Learning by doing provides learners with real-world experience. This experience is invaluable as it allows learners to understand the practical implications of their learning. They learn how to apply their knowledge and skills in a variety of situations, which enhances their problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. For example, they can engage in a fishbowl activity where they share best practices and ideate new solutions.
3. Engagement: Learning by doing is engaging and fun. It encourages learners to be creative, curious, and enthusiastic. When learners are engaged, they are more likely to retain information and apply it in their lives. This creates a positive feedback loop that leads to better learning outcomes. At Splended trainings participants teach others, create their own materials and concept maps and produce questions that summarize the content they’re learning. This kind of active role empowers participants and while they have accountability partners, their own learning becomes supercharged. We bring people together so that they can contribute with their ideas.
4. Collaboration: Experiential learning encourages collaboration and teamwork. It provides learners with the opportunity to work with others to solve problems and achieve common goals. Collaboration teaches learners how to communicate effectively, build relationships, and work effectively in a team. In a busy work context, it is important to sit down as a team and evaluate what could be done better, what tools could be introduced or how to prioritise work so that everyone benefits.
5. Building confidence: Learning by doing helps learners to build confidence in their abilities. As they actively engage in the learning process and achieve success, they gain confidence in themselves. This confidence spills over into other areas of their lives, leading to increased self-esteem and a positive outlook. We design activities where feedback is given and received.

At Splended, we believe that experiential learning is the way forward. Our trainings are safe spaces to practice skills needed to perform everyday tasks.

So, if you want to experience a human doing, instead of being – let’s talk how we can make this happen.

The next blog post will continue discussing the role of reflection and how it can be seamlessly integrated into our trainings.

Stay tuned!

Other post from the series:
Part 1/3 – How we’re coaching our trainers: our learner-centric approach to training design
Part 3/3 – Why learning without reflection is like driving without a map?

If you’re a professional trainer, you know how important it is to deliver an excellent training session. Typical challenges with the trainings are that they are built around the trainer (data dumping) and they are not connected to the daily lives of the participants. With our tested training model, it is efficient to build trainings in a way that the learning sticks.

We all know that it’s not just a matter of talking at people—you have to motivate them, help them retain what they learn, and make sure they actually get something out of the experience. You also want to be able to learn from your own teaching experience and get better at what you do.

But where do you start? How do you know if your training sessions are effective? How can you deliver a training with your expertise so that it’s impactful to the participants?

This is where we come in. We’ll help our trainers design meaningful learning interventions — interactive trainings that keep participants engaged and boost competence development of both the trainer themselves and the participants. Our approach is based on learning science, so we’ll work with you to create a joyful learning experience that allows both parties to grow their skillsets together.

Our learning model is based on learning, doing and reflecting with a strong focus on putting skills immediately into practice. Training sessions are safe places to develop and test new skills that can then be used in real-life work contexts.

What is an interactive training session then? What does it mean to be learner-centric?

First of all, we design the training in a way that allows for collective sense-making. This may include teaching others, creating posters or answering questions on a joint document. Second, we keep lecturing to a minimum because people need to practise skills rather than hear information. We incorporate activities to make the day varied. For example, a 15-minute lecture may be followed by a discussion activity or see the participants teach the topic to each another. It’s important that they can discuss the topics together which, in turn, allows the trainer to move about in the room and answer questions and queries as they emerge. This approach has several benefits: we can see what is difficult and what needs further clarification. This also brings the trainer to where they are most needed: among the participants and their needs.

Emotional aspects of learning should not be dismissed, either. Our trainers are instructed to motivate, encourage and give timely feedback so that everyone can feel comfortable practising new skills in the group. In doing so, we can help everyone to participate, not just the active ones.

We learn effectively when we see someone more experienced perform a task. This is why our training sessions help in a concrete way, for example by showing how to create snippets of code or giving tools to having meaningful conversations with business stakeholders. We believe that practising a skill, even with little knowledge can boost development more quickly than merely watching someone else do it. Our trainings encourage self-reflection and curiosity. It’s important to see where we are confident and where we still need practice.

Here are some tips for making an interactive training experience:

• Keep lecturing at max. 20 minutes
• Include a variety of tasks such as dialogue, posters, group discussions, teaching others
• Encourage self-reflection and immediate practice
• Make everyone participate, not just the active ones
• Avoid bombing the participants with questions, have them write down questions in pairs and then ask them
• Create activities that help them meet their learning goals
• Assess learning outcomes during the training by observing and helping when they struggle
• Make participants do everything that you normally would for them – have them design activities for each other
• Create meaningful entities for learning rather than random snippets of information
• Use visual note-taking tools and templates to help knowledge recall

Our trainings have been well received among our customers. We can share our expertise on the content as well as through the learning experience. Our trainers have reported that they find workshops now more motivating since their participants are engaged and they don’t have to feel the pressure of being “the sage on stage” with a monologue prepared in advance. Our trainer tools offer practical and actionable advice on how to design meaningful interactions and activities.

Would you like to be one of our trainers? Or does your team have training needs in the digital space?

Let us know – we can make learning stick!

Next blog post in this series will discuss the doing -part and the last one is about reflection.

Stay tuned.

Other posts from the series:
Part 2/3 – How we’re coaching our trainers: a human doing, not being
Part 3/3 – Why learning without reflection is like driving without a map?

Finding a training that is spot on may be difficult for companies. We at Splended are experts at this: we choose the best SME, coach them on the learning design and conduct discovery calls to identify learner needs and context. Trainers are well prepared to conduct interactive workshops and have clear goals in mind thanks to discovery calls.

Our most recent workshop “From on-premise developer to a cloud developer” focussed on migrating to the cloud, building apps on the cloud and using serverless architectures. This training saw the participants utilizing a sample application written in Java which they then refactored step by step to become fully cloud native. The workshop was led by Juho Saarinen, an experienced developer and subject matter expert in software architecture and cloud-native development. Juho comes from our partner company Mavericks where he works as a Test & DevOps Architect. We designed the training together, carefully making sure that there is a good balance between theory and practice. His experiences as a trainer were positive due to the discovery call, our support with workshop materials and overall how we helped him create interactive workshops.

As a first-timer doing workshop type of training, support from Splended was really helping to make participants learn. I’ve only held some conference talks and clinics before so this was valuable, comments Juho.

At Splended workshops you are encouraged to ask questions, share your own experiences, or simply follow along as you learn about some of the most common challenges and best practices for creating applications to the public cloud. The training was offered for the first time earlier this year and proved to be a success. Here’s what a participant thought about it:

The training was a good overall introduction to GCP and gave some good info on Go also with interesting items that I was not aware of. It was good to create one sample application and then replatform it and eventually add more cloud native functionality like the Pub/Sub.

This two-day workshop helps participants to get started with application modernisation for a successful cloud strategy. The feedback we received was very positive, both from Juho and the participants. Some participants commented how the training was very relevant to the projects they carry out in their company. We could see how the team started testing and developing applications already during the training. We had a lot of fun running the training, and seeing the team become more confident at utilizing public cloud and creating applications that run there.

Are you planning to start utilizing cloud environments? Let us teach you how.