[michelleblackberryadmin]

I am trying to find out how companies are training there BlackBerry users. My company wants to create job aid's and tips and trick documents and I feel that is too much. I think more responsibility needs to be placed on the user to learn all the bells and whistles of the devise.

[juwaack68]

I used to hold 'BlackBerry Tips & Tricks' training sessions, but haven't done so in a while.

I do send out 'BBTips' via email to all my users every couple of weeks or so (with step by step instructions and screen shots if applicable). One or 2 simple tips for how to do something is more easily absorbed by most people instead an entire hour of tips.

[michelleblackberryadmin]

Can I ask how many users you support?

[juwaack68]

Around 800 globally.

And I agree that users need to take some of the responsibility for learning (and not being afraid of) their devices. All devices come with an onboard 'Help' application and most come with (at least the new ones) a 'quick start' guide.

[michelleblackberryadmin]

thanks for the quick response I have just over 500 users. We are wanting to add videos for clients to refer to and we do presently send 2 tips out a month to the users but I support 4 different devices with 3 different vendors so it's getting difficult to find tips that work the same on all models.

[Jadey]

I agree that it is getting harder to write generic tips. Oh for the days when everyone had a 7230/7290.
The mix of devices, networks and OSs makes it harder and harder to write a "one guide fits all" type of document. What I tend to do is send out general tips occasionally, that work across all models/OSs. Then, I will send out brief emails with more "BlackBerry Features" and say "if you want to learn more, contact me" - I will then herd all the 'interested' users up, and teach them.

[Frank Castle]

I support over 2,000 devices. 1,200 in the home office alone. I feel good training definately improves your ROI and users get more out of the device if you provide training.

Do a search as I have posted the documents I use when I hold a class which I do on request and every 3 months when enough users sign up. I actually tracked usages based on those who took my training vs. those who did not and the usage is always higher on those that got training and better understand how to use the BB. So in the current economy anything you can do to improve your ROI will only look good to the company (and a plus to you)

[Aroc]

Stinsonddog has some PDF tips guide(s) for various handhelds. I forward these to users. We also have some internal IT document that is targeted for the end user for the most common tasks. We present these to them when the handheld is issued (or whever our documentation is revised. I or my associate will also sit down briefly with the user and discuss some basic functionality when we first issue the device. I liken it to Driver's Ed circa 1920:

You get in the car at dealership. I show you how to pop the clutch. Then as soon as you pull out onto the street, I jump out of the car. You're on your own!

Stinsonddog's Blackberry Tips and Tricks ‎(Blackberry Tips & Tricks from the Mods)‎

[misterbulldog]

I have a friend who's organization created an intranet site for their users. It has tip&tricks and FAQ's.

[bertiebassett]

If you don't to tricks and tips then it's surprising when you chat to your users what they haven't found for themself.

1. erm like you can lookup and email address or a staff members phone number - wow!
2. I can browse the web via my bb?
3. Ah so there's an option to customise that profile (not having found the scrolling down on 88/83xx series)

Definitely a good idea, but as Jadey says getting harder to do now the devices / versions are getting a bit more wide-spread. Undoubtedly companies will have mixtures of 4.6 devices and pre-v4.6 devices which makes screenshots or similar more complicated.