One of the most satisfying times of the day for me is early in the morning before a training class starts.  It's quiet, and no one is around.  I love the quiet rhythm of getting ready for a day of training:  getting the PCs ready, setting out materials, writing on the white board.  The possibilities of a wonderful day of learning are laid out before me.

This experience is greatly influenced by how well the room is set up and equipped.  A poorly configured training room is a challenge and potentially a nightmare for instructors.  The result is unrealized learning possibilities.  People won't learn, or they won't be motivated to come back for more.  To them, it's just another class to endure and an opportunity to worry about work piling up at their desks.

So what makes a good classroom?  What essential elements make it an empowering place for learning and not a place to be tortured into learning?  Let's take a look at how to create an environment that is welcoming to learners as well as trainers and encourages a good learning experience.  If you build it, they might not come on their own; but if they come once and have a good experience, they'll likely come back.

Room Configuration
First, there is the room itself.  If you are lucky to have the opportunity to have design input when the room is constructed or renovated, you can control some important components.

Lighting:  Control your lighting with a dimmer switch (try to avoid overhead fluorescents).  You can adjust the brightness of the room so it doesn't interfere with the projector while providing enough light to keep people from falling asleep.  Small desktop lamps can help if only fluorescents are available.

Thermostat:  There is nothing worse than being unable to control room temperature.  Leaving computers and printers turned on over a weekend in a closed room can significantly heat it up by Monday morning.  If you don't have a thermostat, at least power down the machines after hours, or get some fans.

Wiring:  You obviously need sufficient network drops that have accessibility throughout the room.  You don't want network access points to dictate your furniture placement.  Include a couple of analog lines for remote access training.

Wall Decoration:  If you have the money, get some motivational posters for the walls.  Failing that, if you have a plotter in your firm, you can make up your own posters from images downloaded from the Web, empowering quotes from famous people or your own motivational phrases.

Door:  Materials, giveaways, markers, mice and even PCs have been known to sprout legs and walk away.  When the classroom is not in use, lock it.  It's also helpful to have a sign on or near the door indicating when classes are in session.

Furniture
One of the best decisions I ever made in designing a training room was buying tables with wheels.  Different room configurations are conducive to different types of learning.  With the rolling tables, I am able to rearrange the room at the drop of a hat and often do.  Flexibility is the best option.  Keep in mind, learners need to be able to see the projection screen as well as their own monitors without turning their heads or swiveling in their chairs.  If it isn't comfortable, they won't do it.

If you don't have the luxury of a wireless environment, make sure to get tables with cable management, or stock up on lots of duct tape to tape the cables to the floor.  You should consider mounting keyboard trays (that can also accommodate a mouse) on your tables.

Ergonomically sound chairs with height adjustment will be appreciated by your learners.  They won't be distracted by the discomfort.

Another aspect of flexibility is the location of the trainer's PC.  The jury is still out on whether it's better to locate it in the front or back of the room, but most trainers have strong opinions on where they feel most effective.  Ensure that your training room is configurable for either.  More importantly, make sure that your trainer can easily move from back to front and can stand behind every learner.  Tripping over cables to get to a learner who needs help can be very disruptive (and dangerous!).

Equipment
PCs:  Your PCs should all be the same - hardware and software - and be easily "imaged" or have a reset utility to restore them to their original configuration after classes.  Training rooms are often used for testing, demos and training of software that is not firm standard.  It is essential to quickly and easily return your PCs to one common configuration.

If you are teaching application software that is available on a separate application server (e.g., Citrix), an inexpensive way to set up a classroom is to use "thin clients."  These are small, less expensive units that can be used instead of a regular PC.  They are very portable and easy to set up and take down.

Consider having a laptop permanently assigned to your training room for "laptop survival skills" and "remote access" training.  Just make sure that you can lock it up.

Networked Printer:  This comes under the "of course" category, but every PC in the room needs to be configured to a nearby printer.

Monitors:  If you have the budget, tables which house monitors recessed under a glass panel are very handy.  Learners will have space for their materials, and they can actually see the trainer.  When learners are stuck behind a monitor, it is difficult to get that essential eye contact needed to see if they are "getting it."

Keyboards, Mice and Mouse Pads:  If your users are used to a particular type of keyboard or mouse, the same should be provided in the training room.  Being distracted by unfamiliar equipment for tasks they don't even think about at their desks is not conducive to learning.  Optical mice are best because training room tables tend to get dusty and littered with crumbs.

Projector:  There are pros and cons to having a ceiling-mounted projector.  It's nice to have it out of the way, and you don't have to worry about it being taken from the room.  However, there is some construction cost, and it's not easy to change the bulbs.  Projectors operate under "Murphy's Law," so keep an extra bulb in stock.  You don't want to get caught with a classroom full of your most challenging learners and have no projector.  Believe me, it's not fun.

One technology consistently causing trainer envy is a "SMARTBoard."  This is an interactive white board that allows you to control your computer by touching the whiteboard.  The trainer has the freedom to speak from the front of the room while controlling what is being displayed.  No more running back and forth between the projection screen and computer.

Laser Pointer:  If you can't get a SMARTBoard, a laser pointer is very helpful.  They are inexpensive and provide a way for learners to focus precisely where you are pointing.

ELMO for PDA Training:  BlackBerry, Treo and other handheld devices can be particularly challenging to train in groups.  Enter ELMO.  This device is much like an overhead projector in that you can place any object on it to display onscreen.

Telephones:  There should be at least one, if not two, telephones in the room for telephone training.  These should have the ability to be put into DND (do not disturb) mode during class time.  A Polycom or other teleconferencing devise is also helpful for remote training.

Materials and Supplies:  It's beneficial to have a place to store training outlines, quick reference guides and upcoming class brochures where they are visible.  People will see them when coming to class and realize there may be classes they might want to attend.

Other supplies to keep on hand include pens, notepads, highlighters and flags to note important pages in documentation.  Most trainers like to keep candy and/or toy-like giveaways in their training rooms.  "If you feed them, they will come."

Placing a bulletin board just outside the training room is particularly handy for messages left for learners while in class and announcements of upcoming classes.

Payoff
If you spend some time making your training room a comfortable, welcoming place, trainers and learners alike will be happier, and more valuable learning will take place there.

About our author . . .

Kathy Valentine is an independent training consultant and coach, teaching for Microsystems and writing customized e-learning for TutorPro.  She has 15 years of experience in the large law firm environment, both as an independent trainer and as the User Support Manager at a prominent law firm in Washington, DC.  Kathy can be reached at KathyVG@comcast.net.