To be honest, I don't think I would be willing to pay for a 1-day course. I really don't think I could get enough out of it to justify any cost I would pay.
Quite understandable. Would 2 days be minimum?
Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
11–20 of 31 posts
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#12It would have to be a subject that is incredibly niche such that I couldn't find resources to learn it online - OR where there would be a necessary physical component, such as a laboratory, justifying the need for attending on-site. D3.js meets neither of those criteria.
Ok so you'd be happy with it just being online. That's fair enough.
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#13never done it but the guy who wrote the yc recommended mom test also wrote a book about running workshops. maybe useful for you?
Oh I had no idea I'll check it out.
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#14I'm trying to put together a format and offering that will stand out. Probably don’t. Unless you have a lot of experience and then you probably would not. Meet people’s expectations. They are the customers. Sure it is fine to exceed them. Here, that means they learn more, have a better time, and the pizza and coffee are above average. Nobody builds a good reputation all at once. Good luck.
Ok keep it simple before doing any zany stuff
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#15(1) Instructor credibility - could be "fame," but could also be youtube videos where s/he appears to be a very good teacher. (2) Opportunity for good in-person networking with industry professionals. This is what sets an in-person event apart from online learning. (3) The opportunity to "finish a project" using the new tech, perhaps earn a cert, perhaps through free one-month membership into some expensive platform.…
Ugh that's a bit frustrating. Indeed a little bit a prep could've gone a long way to making that a better experience.
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#16I have to go to 1 day training courses etc for work all the time. Different industry… but still… here’s what attracts me: Networking opportunities. Extremely good catering. Free items such as pens, notepads and novel and niche items that are hard to come by. Some kind of “certificate” to prove I attended that I can put in my continual professional development portfolio so that if I get audited by the council that iss…
That last point, combined with a few things others have said really has me thinking.
I'm not sure what it could be but some sort of physical element, setting or some 'toys' would be really interesting.
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#17It would need to spend at least 80% of its time on activities where being in-person makes a difference. I don't want to spend 8 hours hearing a lecture that I could skim via YouTube in 30 minutes. Don't read presentations at us. Don't make us work through a curriculum that we could have done at home. If you are teaching a large group, odds are the individual attention is low enough that we could have just watched the course from home.
Instead, show us things hands-on, where being able to interact directly with each other and the instructor matters - let people ask questions, speed up the course if we are getting fast, slow down when questions come up, and don't let one slow person or one fast person ruin the pacing for the rest of the group.
I'm not sure exactly what that would look like, but I'd think hard about why being in-person matters, and construct the day accordingly.
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#18I have to go to 1 day training courses etc for work all the time. Different industry… but still… here’s what attracts me: Networking opportunities. Extremely good catering. Free items such as pens, notepads and novel and niche items that are hard to come by. Some kind of “certificate” to prove I attended that I can put in my continual professional development portfolio so that if I get audited by the council that iss…
Thanks for your thorough answer!
What's been your favourite item that you've picked up at an event?
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#19It would need to spend at least 80% of its time on activities where being in-person makes a difference. I don't want to spend 8 hours hearing a lecture that I could skim via YouTube in 30 minutes. Don't read presentations at us. Don't make us work through a curriculum that we could have done at home. If you are teaching a large group, odds are the individual attention is low enough that we could have just watched the…
Yess! All these things. My goal is to make it hands on as possible. Numbers will be capped so I can get around everyone. If more people sign up I'll have an assistant.
When I've done this before it works well. The only snag is where people are at different levels and want to go different speeds. But this is where bonus exercises/stretch goals can set challenge for those racing ahead.
Re: Ask HN: What would attract you to attend a 1day course on a tech of your choice?
#20All the other stuff that goes with travel - [decent] networking, [maybe] related vendors, a "good place" to be ... etc