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Tim’s Takeaways: The Art of Technical Instruction

What does it take to become a PCB design instructor and be successful? This question is especially relevant in the rapidly changing landscape of printed circuit board design and layout. Our industry, like many others, is dealing with a lot of change. Turnover is chief among those changes as newcomers step into the positions left open by those retiring. There is the constant escalation of technology that triggers continual enhancements of standards and processes that designers must keep up with. It is evident that our industry needs good technical instructors to carry this load.

Over the years, I’ve seen many discussions about bringing in new PCB layout designers to replace those transitioning out of the field. But it’s rare to see discussions acknowledging the need to promote good design instructors who teach the new PCB layout artists, and update the rest of us. I look forward to reading the ideas and insights from the other contributors while also sharing some of my own experiences. You see, once upon a time in the not-too-distant past, I logged some time as a PCB CAD instructor. To be clear, I wasn’t a design instructor as there are differences. But as Andy Shaughnessy says about these differences, it’s close enough for jazz.

When you’re sitting in a technical class at a high-profile event like a design conference, it may seem like the instructor has the easy life. After all, the instructors fly in from their last gig, spend the night at a ritzy hotel, babble for a while to a roomful of people, and then fly out again the next day after a steak and lobster dinner. However, the truth isn’t nearly so glamorous; there’s a lot more to being a technical instructor than just that. Here are some of the tasks that occupied my time when I was conducting PCB CAD training classes:

• Research: I would spend time going through the latest versions of my company’s software to update the training materials and databases.
• Content creation: Sometimes I even re-wrote the materials from the ground up if the changes were significant enough.
• Travel agent: Since I conducted most of my classes at the client’s site, I researched and booked all my own travel arrangements and hotel accommodations.
• Publisher: Teaching onsite meant arranging for the publication and distribution of the training materials and databases for the class.
• System administrator: I ensured the classroom CAD systems were correctly configured because often these systems wouldn’t have the correct software installed.
• Racing the clock: Sometimes I arrived the morning of the class and jumped right into teaching without a chance to catch my breath.

There are also a few misadventures. There were times that clients were, let’s say, less than satisfied with my efforts. Thankfully, I was never run out of town on a rail, but there were a couple of times when I left a training session with my ears burning. I’ve had people fall asleep during the class, get up, and storm out because “it was too hard.” They would glare at me with such red faces and bulging eyes that I nervously looked for a quick escape route out a back door.

(Right about now, Andy is probably thinking, “What are you doing, Haag? We’re supposed to create interest in being a design instructor, not scare everyone away.” Be patient, Andy! I’m getting to that.)

However, those misadventures, although worthy of a good story shared around the campfire, were only a small slice of my experiences as an instructor. The other 98% of my time was filled with some genuinely great moments. Here are some examples of those times in no particular order:

Travel
In my time as an instructor, I journeyed from coast to coast and spent some time up in Canada as well. I visited places and saw sites that I probably never would have experienced without the benefit of traveling as a CAD instructor. One thing that I enjoyed a lot was asking the people I was working with what the best local spots were for dinner, and I was usually rewarded with a great and unique place to eat. I even sampled a “Garbage Plate” in upstate New York, which was a next-level adventure. A word of warning: Be careful of the practical jokers who send you to a place not necessarily considered “family dining.” I can neither confirm nor deny that something like this ever happened to me. Just be on your guard.

People
I am very grateful for everyone I met while teaching CAD classes. Those in the PCB design business are some of the greatest folks you will ever know, and it was a privilege to spend time with them. It has been said that teachers learn just as much or more than they can impart. That was certainly the case for me. Not only did I learn about my students’ businesses and the products they were designing with our software, but getting to know them and finding out what makes them tick added another layer of richness to my own life.

Technology
My company created software to design electronic circuitry and lay out printed circuit boards. However, in the field I discovered how diverse the applications were for those PCBs our clients were designing and how unique their CAD workflows could be. Addressing the specialized needs of our clients often required new software specifications and enhancements that we “in the factory” had not originally thought of. A few that come to mind are library tools, database translators, and plug-ins for different third-party tools. It was an absolute pleasure for me to take these needs back to the factory and be part of the change and enhancement process that ultimately led to increased functionality and better design solutions.

When you conduct technical training, you can count on being faced with many demanding challenges. There’s a lot of work that goes into technical instruction, and most of it takes place long before you stand in front of a class. However, the great thing is when you come to understand just how much of an effect you are having on the lives of others and how you are contributing to the growth of our industry. So, how do you become a great technical instructor? Here are some simple takeaway points that can help:

• Know your topic inside and out.
• Study how to be a speaker and teacher; don’t simply assume it will happen organically.
• Plan ahead for your trip and teaching engagement; don’t wait until the last moment to prepare.
• Be armed with materials, data, and whatever else you need to make a great presentation.
• Be prepared for the unexpected because, like death and taxes, it will happen.

Develop a mindset that puts yourself in your students’ shoes so you can better see what they need. Teach toward that.

Perhaps the most important key to successful teaching is not something that easily fits into a bullet point. To be a great technical instructor you must have a passion for wanting to see others succeed. This perspective will allow you to truly connect with those you are instructing, and help them to get the most out of what you are presenting.

All right PCB designers and instructors, until next time, keep on designing.

This column originally appeared in the March 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine.