How Apple is Better even When it's Worse

The latest U.S. Cellular commercials are trying hard to obfuscate their lack of an Apple offering by highlighting their Android lines and by poking fun at the Apple faithful as lemmings running off a cliff.  I shake by head when I hear this because people still don't understand why Apple commands this kind of loyalty.  So let me state the obvious.  It's not the specs.  To borrow from James Carville, "It's the usability, stupid!"

There are many smart phones with better cameras, faster processors and ultra fast 4G networks rocketing them ahead in the specs department.  However, in the interest of usability, Apple does the following things:

1. Control the hardware.  Apple's software is stable because it's designed to run on a limited line of devices, whereas Google and Microsoft license their software to just about anyone.  If you can't guarantee the hardware, you can't guarantee the software.
   
   
2. Control the user experience.  Apple will not allow network providers to dictate device features or create "exclusive" phones for their service.  True, Apple and AT&T did originally have an exclusivity agreement, but it was truly exclusive so the user experience never suffered. Samsung learned this the hard way and is now pulling in the reigns on Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.  Network providers may retaliate by lowering smart phones subsidies, but at least we'll get a common experience out of it.
   
   
3. Offer easy OS upgrades for free and not too frequently.  This will ensure a quick adoption rate. 
•  I can't speak for Google, but Microsoft got it all wrong and is now taking a page from Apple's playbook.  It took Microsoft over 10 years to get 51% of their users off of Windows XP because they were charging hundreds for features that made us yawn.  Windows 8 pricing?  $40.  
• Apple offers updates every one to two years.  Every time I turn on my Xbox 360 or reboot my Win7 machine, I'm getting forced updates with no idea what benefit I'm getting.
• Windows 8 distribution is now more like the iTunes Store.  Nix the DVD, and offer downloads
  
  
4. Design is dictated by usability and vice versa.  Engineers are critical for some things, but leave them out of the design discussions unless you want key features hidden 8 menu layers deep.
   
   
5. Apple only introduces features that are mature and stable.  A fast network and 200 megapixel camera are useless if your apps and OS crash. Apple also control's apps through a tight QA process. 
   
   
6. Don't compete on price.  It cheapens your image and invites the crowds that want to jailbreak your product to death.  These folks then kick and scream to their friends about how it doesn't work.
   
   
7. Protect your intellectual property.  Everyone takes the pinch zoom for granted and many claim it should be not be patentable because it's "intuitive", but that's exactly why it deserves a patent!  Someone came up with that idea and they deserve to be paid.  Apple also goes aggressively after unlicensed third party accessory makers.  This may increase the price, but it ensures that these things have some quality standards.
   
   
8. Eliminate competition at the point of sale.  Apple's own stores sell only Apple products.  Now they control the manner in which the products are displayed and have expert help who are qualified to answer questions.  Despite a lack of choice for consumers, the stores and the gadgets are exciting enough to draw people in.

How to Deliver Training

Technical knowledge and training are two separate skills.  Case in point, last week I had training on SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).  There were two presenters and both were very technically knowledgeable, but their training abilities left something to be desired.  If you are a company putting on training or you are a trainer yourself, take heed to these pointers:

• Know your audience. The training isn't about you - it's about them.  Is your audience developers, project managers, architects, engineers, operational support, business lines or executives?
• Have an agenda.  Do not wing it!  Include subject matter and breaks.  One tried and true formula is intro, body, and conclusion, also known as tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them.
• Always tag team.  
• One person can train while the other controls the slide deck and adjusts lighting and sound. 
• This is the best way to keep your audience engaged.  It is harder for people to zone out if there are alternating voices, personalities and bodies.
• Instructors should be apart from or roam within the audience.  This ensures that  they can receive nonverbal cues from the audience.
• If you are the only one training, move around a lot, animate your vocal patterns and involve the audience as much as possible.
• Make sure you can be heard.  Get a microphone if you're in a room with a capacity over 10.
• Announce how questions will be handled.  
• Roaming instructor
• Ask in real time
• Q&A section
• Powerpoint is optional.  A few large visual aids printed at Kinko's can be just as effective.  If you do use Powerpoint, use it for high level points.  It's your job to fill in the details.  No more than 50 words on a slide.
• Have a common theme. Use similar color patterns, branding and terms for that extra polish.
• Check out the venue in advance.  Get a sense of the room's size, amenities and potential obstacles.  This will give you a sense of comfort with your environment and prevent you from not being able to find your place on game day.
• Know your configurations.  Sometimes the room is fixed (stadium seating) but many times it can set up to need.  Lectures are great for disseminating expert knowledge or policy decisions, horseshoes work for team meetings, analytics, and video conferencing and roundtables work for collaboration and negotiating. New virtual classroom software is also quite sophisticated and commonly used.
  
  
• Make sure you have what you need.  Will training PCs be locked?  Will you need Internet access?  Test setting up the technology and doing a dry run.  Have the contact info for the AV and Service Management teams.
• Get personal.  Make your contact information available.  Have your audience wear name tags or use tent placards and then call people by their names. 
• Break.  At least 10 minutes every 90 minutes of training and one hour long break if over 6 hours.  Provide drinks and snacks if over four hours.
• Dress for success.  Grooming and hygiene should also go without saying.
• Be flexible.  No matter how much you prep, something will go wrong.  Diffuse it with humor and move on to Plan B until the issues can be resolved.
• Ask for feedback.  Get some data of your own to analyze and improve your training skills!