The following is an outline of how a live online training in Crunch will or should be conducted.
This training is designed for Research Managers to do analysis and reporting. This is not intended for data processing training in Crunch (e.g., setting up a dataset or using scripting). Data processing training follows the Definitive Guide to Uploading and Preparing Data.
To get the most out of your hands-on live training with Crunch, we recommend you read this article in advance, so you know what to expect.
Screen sharing with you driving the mouse
Training with Crunch operates via a learn-by-doing approach. The learner should be driving the mouse, coached along by the instructor. This preferable to a demonstration or a lecture - it is more hands-on and paced to the learner.
- Your screen will be shared (eg: through Zoom)
- The learner drives the computer's mouse to interact with the Crunch
- Anyone else participating in the training can either watch along or have a copy of Crunch open, and then repeat the steps taken by your team's screen-sharer.
- Zoom is handy because it allows the instructor to annotate on the screen.
You should ensure that everyone on your team is set up in Crunch, including access to the dataset in advance of the training.
How long is the training and how many can attend?
At Crunch, we don't believe in long, drawn-out training sessions. Crunch already includes an intuitive interface and is designed with simplicity in mind, that lengthy training is hardly necessary. As such, we limit training to one-hour sessions, in order to cover the basics. Remember, you can refer to the Crunch Help Center at anytime for further information.
Because we recommend that everyone follows along, Crunch recommends not having more than 8 participants in a training session (as a rough guide).
How to prepare in advance
Here are a few steps you can take to prepare for the training course:
- Crunch recommends you do the training with your own data.
- If Crunch is running your training, please supply data and associated files at least 5 working days in advance, so that we have a chance to check that the dataset is suitable for training.
- You should also clarify whether you want training in checking and cleaning a datafile, or whether this will be handled by your internal data processing team.
- Further, in clarifying your dataset and data setup, please also send to Crunch any deliverables that you are currently working with and/or you may want to recreate using Crunch (for example, Excel tab books, PowerPoint deck with some charts, and so on).
Customizing the training program
The Orientation Course for Research Managers is designed as a basic workflow, for analysis and reporting. It is contingent upon having a clean and tidy dataset as the starting point.
You can skip over parts of the program, if any of them are not relevant to your situation (eg; you don't want to make a dashboard).
You can also request specific things to be areas of foci and/or anything else not covered in the Orientation Course for Research Managers.