Best way to learn Chief for a New Employee

[tdroes82]

Hello,

 I am looking for your opinion on which route to go...

We recently hired a new employee to take some workload off my plate.

I currently use Chief to draw Custom homes + make modifications on existing floor plans in our portfolio.

 

What is recommended as the best way to have someone learn Chief?

- Is it Chief's online training videos? Has anyone done this that could share their insight?

- Chief in person training? Has anyone done this that could share their insight?

- Any other efficient ways I am not thinking of?

- I do not have time to start from scratch to teach this employee.

 

If there is already a thread on this topic, please send (I could not find anything specific).

 

Thanks. Thomas

 

[DBCooper]

This might depend on your new employee.  Some people learn quicker using some methods but others not so much.  For example, some people might want to start with reading the reference manual cover to cover while another person might just fall asleep after page 2.  Another person might be good with watching all of the training videos and another might really prefer a private instructor to go at a pace that suits them best.  Discuss it with your new employee to see what they think might work best for them.

 

Regardless, this might be a good place to start:

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/getting-started/

 

Don't forget to tell them about this forum which I think is very useful once you know how to ask the right questions in the right ways.

[basketballman]

P.M. sent

[CharlesVolz]

1 hour ago, tdroes82 said:

- I do not have time to start from scratch to teach this employee.

If you want production now in CA, hire someone who can produce now in CA.

 

Videos from CA and others are great. But . . .

49 minutes ago, DBCooper said:

Some people learn quicker using some methods but others not so much. 

 

I do think that if you let them do the easier parts (walls, windows, doors) and you do (or hire out) the harder parts (set up a template, roofs, foundations), that you will get there quicker.

 

Here is how I think about it and how I train others:

I train by organizing the curriculum so that the easy and fun items are learned first and the harder and less fun items are learned later, regardless of their importance. My goal is to avoid getting students caught up in the minutia of settings, defaults and other complicated tasks which are better left for a later time in their training. This makes the entire process more fun and the program easier to learn.

 

From the start, I like to set the student up for success by building their comprehension, understanding and confidence. I guide them down the "yellow brick road" and keep them from detouring into the "countryside" of complicated settings, defaults and details until they are more ready to learn about them . . . when those things will be less complicated to them. In fact, most of the settings, defaults and details can be done for the trainee by creating template plans (the 3D models) and template layouts (the 2D printable sheets). That way they be productive sooner, which boosts their interest, enjoyment and confidence. They do not need to learn to build the plane, just fly it!

 

In addition, the best path to learn the program is different from the path an experienced user would pursue to begin a design project. Just like student pilots do not learn take offs first . . . even though experienced pilots start their trips that way. To get started, I want students to focus on the main controls and not all of those many buttons/tools. Distinguishing between an established design process and a favorable training process is the biggest shortcoming of most trainers. 

[PitMan71]

2 hours ago, tdroes82 said:

We recently hired a new employee to take some workload off my plate.

What is their current ability? What have they used that the concepts might cross over? How green are they? The learning curve for chief will be compounded if they have never put a full set of drawings together and if they don't have problem solving ability. I guess what I am saying is their next step might be reviewing current plans and watching you and jotting down questions for discussion. Your training may be more of an apprenticeship. This might be a good article to check out on the 30x rule.  https://www.amanet.org/articles/30x-rule-great-managers-multiply-performance/