How training sessions help with the launch of the digital workspace, Workspace 365

Determining the goal, the inventory and setting up the workspace are the first steps for creating the digital workspace. After this, it’s time for the launch. The digital workspace will be introduced to employees, after which they are trained and the first feedback will be collected. But what does a training session look like? And what different types of training are there? We will answer these and more questions for you in this blog.

What different types of training are there to increase the adoption of the digital workspace?

Before a training session for Workspace 365 takes place, the main processes and challenges of the organisation must be mapped out first. This is possible through an inventory session. This session defines the user groups, determines which devices are used, where people work (office, home or on the road) and which applications are used within the organisation. A training will take place based on this information. To make this as efficient as possible, all different user groups have their own training. There are two different training courses:

Train the trainer

The “train the trainer” session is for anyone who wants to learn how to teach others about using and  working with Workspace 365. For example, IT partners who want to teach their employees or customer’s employees how to optimally use Workspace 365.

Train the employee

The employees are trained during the “train the employee” session. This can be provided by both the IT partner and by us, depending on the wishes and how much knowledge the IT partner has of the workspace at that time. These training sessions will take place at the same time the digital workspace is launched. This is gradual and the training is tailored to different user groups. It is recommended that at least two people lead these sessions to, for example, write down scenarios and collect feedback.

Which user groups are trained first?

This differs and depends on the size of the organisation. After the inventory session, a test group is defined to test the workspace. This group will be trained first. The workspace is improved based on the feedback from this test group. These groups are often made up of people who understand and support the change to a new digital workspace – they end up being the Captains of the workspace. Captains are there to support their colleagues and help them understand the workspace.

What does a training session look like?

The content of a training session naturally differs per organisation and user group. It is an interactive session that lasts approximately an hour and a half, where the session is tailor-made based on the needs of the partner or customer. Between ten and a maximum of fourteen people attend. At the time of the training session, the attendees already have an environment where they can log in, sometimes they do not yet use it.

The training is given with the help of a demo environment that has been adapted to match that of the client. In the session everyone has their environment open and clicks along with the instructions and assignments that are given. The “How to tile” is often used as well, which contains videos that clearly explain the basic features and applications of the workspace.

How do you ensure that people who have not attended the training are up-to-date?

People who return after (long-term) leave or new employees must know how to use the workspace. This is achieved in various ways. For example, there are designated Captains who work to make the workspace successful. They like to include people who do not understand the workspace well or who do not yet know how to use it in the process. Besides, the How to videos provide a good picture of the basic functions of the workspace. Employees only see the videos that are relevant to them, based on the permissions they have and the applications they have access to.

In addition to the fact that the Captains help many colleagues and the How to videos are a good tool for understanding the workspace, we recommend that the partner organises follow up days. The partner is present, the feedback from the training sessions is evaluated and there is time for questions about the use of the workspace. Besides this, there are often regular contact moments with the customer to measure the use of the workspace, to schedule extra workshops and/or to discuss new functions. The documentation about the new functions can be found on our Support Portal.

The importance of the IT Manager during a training session

When a training session is given to a customer of an IT partner, at least one person from the partner and client (IT Manager) must be present. After all, it is their responsibility to properly process all feedback and provide support during the sessions.

In addition, people may lose data during a session or cannot access applications that they need access to. The customer’s IT manager and a member of the IT partner’s project team must be present at the session to answer questions immediately and to help people on their way.

Frequently asked questions by employees

How do I set my email signature in the Email App of Workspace 365?

  Open the Email App and click on “New.”

  Go to Signature -> Settings.

Here you can adjust your signature preferences.

How do I send an email from a shared mailbox in the Email App of Workspace 365?

Navigate to the Email App and click on the eye icon in the top left menu. Here you can add multiple email addresses (mailboxes). If you click on the three dots by the email address, you can activate or set it as the default email address that you use to send emails.

Why are some tiles grey when I want to change my workspace?

If a tile is grey when you want to change your workspace, it is because that tile is in a shared group. Only the admin has access to editing that tile and/or group. The admin can make you the owner of the shared group and thereby grant you permissions to edit the shared group.

Why are some tiles grey when I work from another device?

To work as effectively and efficiently as possible, people only see the applications and information that are relevant to them. This is possible through Conditional Access. The admin can give you access to an application based on your device, operating system, browser or IP address. If applications are not available to you, the admin can choose not to show the application at all or to make the tile grey.

If you move your mouse over the grey tile, you will see why you do not have access to that application at that moment and also what you can try to be able to open the application.

What is the difference between sharing a link and adding a document as an attachment in an email?

If you add a document as an attachment in an email, you send a copy of the file. This can be opened and edited by the recipient, without you seeing this. This often results in multiple versions of the same document (sometimes even with conflicts).

When you share a link for example via email, you share the location of the file. People can open the file and, if they have permission, also edit it. If the file is being edited by someone, you will see it immediately, because the same file is being used. (People cannot reach other documents in this location).

What is the difference between OneDrive and SharePoint?

OneDrive within Office 365 was originally conceived as personal document storage, while SharePoint is meant for collaboration. In both you can store documents online or locally and synchronise them to all your devices. The difference is that with OneDrive your documents are not shared by default. With SharePoint you save documents in a shared library (SharePoint site) and they are made available to people who have permissions to this site. You can find more information in this blog.

What is the difference between local and online editors?

You can easily edit documents in the online editors. For example, you open a Word document in your browser in Word Online. In the local editor you have access to the more advanced functions. This local editor must be installed on your computer to use it. Also, some functionalities work differently in the two environments. Read more here.

How do I make good use of the folder structure in the Documents App of Workspace 365?

In the Documents App of Workspace 365, OneDrive, SharePoint and perhaps even the file server (network drive) are brought together in one user-friendly interface. For many people, the difference in use of OneDrive and SharePoint is still unclear. In the Documents App you save all your personal business documents under “My documents”, also known as OneDrive. SharePoint, on the other hand, is for company-wide use and is therefore good for collaboration with colleagues. If a document is also relevant to a colleague, save it in a SharePoint team site. The names of the team sites are different for each company and are determined by the administrator. They also determine which team sites you have access to. You can choose to hide certain team sites so that you do not see them all, which can provide more overview. Additionally, it is recommended that files you save in SharePoint, always have a clear name so that your colleagues recognise it.