How To Design a Training Room

Here is my list of top 5 items to watch out for and improve communication in training by designing the right training room:

1. Entrance Door Location

Make sure the entrance door is in the back and not in the front of the training room. This ensures that if you have attendees coming in a few minutes late they do not interrupt the flow as much as if they were coming in at the front of the classroom.

2. Ceiling Mounted Projector

This is a must for a professional training room. It moves the cables away and allows the trainer and attendees to walk around without the danger of stumbling over cables. It also stops (most) people from borrowing the projector. Don't forget to have a spare bulb ready for the projector.

3. Ethernet Port and Power Socket Locations

The golden rule here is first of all "have enough". You do not want to have to search for extension cords and little switches. Think about the location of the ports and ensure they are placed well. E.g. if the training room is U-shaped then do not place the ports and sockets at the walls but you need to have them in the floor in front of the desks. I also recommend to let the Ethernet ports go to a patch panel and not directly into a switch. This way you have freedom of reconfiguring port connections without having to mess with the cables at the switch which usually is located outside of the training room.

3. White Boards

Usually its good to have one in the front and one on the side. Ensure you have the correct markers and keep them separately from the ones form the flip-chart. ;-)

4. Flip Chart

Highly recommended to have one available that can be stored away also.

5. Projector Screen

Go for an electric one that comes down from the ceiling. Forget about anything that stands around in the front of the room.