Filled example: course summary
A fictional half-day course for 12 shift team leaders. The site, the figures and the dates are invented.
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Course title and outline version | Handovers that hold, outline version 0.2 |
| Who it is for, and the group size | Shift team leaders at a fictional distribution centre. 12 people from all three shifts, in one group. |
| The problem the course answers, and how we know | Open issues are not passed on at shift change: 14 of 40 logs sampled in September listed none although the incident list showed one. |
| What learners can already do | All 12 run a shift and fill in the handover log every day. Nobody has shown them what a complete note looks like. |
| After the course, learners can… | Hand over and receive a shift’s open issues, in writing and aloud, so that the next team leader can act without a question. |
| Agreed course minutes, without breaks | 225 |
| Limits: date, place or platform, breaks, budget | Thursday 12 November, 09:00 to 13:00, in the training room. One 15-minute break. Paid time. No external cost. |
| Access: what learners need to take part | Cards and briefs also as a plain-text list, sent two days before. Notes typed or by hand. Spoken handover seated, or in writing. |
| Out of scope | The log software and incident investigation. Each has its own procedure. |
| Who signs off the outline, and the dates | Operations manager signs off on Friday 16 October. Materials drafted by Friday 30 October. |
Filled example: objective-to-practice map
Each objective is an action. Each has practice in the course, something the trainer can see or collect, and at least one module.
| Code | Objective: the learner will… | Practice in the course | How we will see it was met | Module |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O1 | Sort the events of a shift into “hand over”, “log only” and “leave out”, using the site’s three tests. | Pairs sort 12 event cards from one fictional shift | At least 10 of 12 cards match the answer key, and the pair names the test for each “hand over” card | M1 |
| O2 | Write a handover note for an open issue in four lines: what happened, the state now, the next action and its owner, and the deadline. | Write three notes for fictional issues; rewrite one real log entry | A partner states the next action and the owner from the note alone, without asking a question | M2, M4 |
| O3 | Give a spoken handover of three open issues in under three minutes, most urgent first. | Speaker role in a trio, one round each | Observer sheet: the order, the time taken, and an owner named for all three issues | M3 |
| O4 | When receiving a handover, ask about anything that is missing and read back the next actions before accepting it. | Receiver role in a trio; each speaker brief leaves out one fact | Observer sheet: the receiver asked for the missing fact and read back the actions | M3 |
| O5 | Choose one change to their own shift’s handover and use it within seven days. | Fill in the first-use plan and tell a partner | The plan names a shift and a date; the note from that shift comes to the follow-up on Thursday 26 November | M4 |
Filled example: module outline
225 minutes planned against 225 agreed, with 130 minutes of practice (58%). Every module lists at least one objective code, and every code from O1 to O5 appears.
| # | Module | Min | Practice min | Objectives | Content in brief | Practice | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | What must be handed over | 45 | 25 | O1 | The three tests for an open issue: safety, a promise to a customer, equipment out of use. Two short fictional cases of a missed handover. | Pairs sort 12 event cards into hand over, log only or leave out, then compare with the answer key (25 min). | 12 event cards, also as a numbered list; answer key |
| M2 | The four-line handover note | 60 | 35 | O2 | The four lines: what happened, the state now, the next action and its owner, the deadline. A weak note and a strong note side by side. | Each person writes notes for three fictional issues. A partner reads each note and says the next action and the owner (35 min). | Three issue briefs; note template; four-line checklist |
| M3 | Give and receive a spoken handover | 75 | 45 | O3, O4 | Most urgent first. The read-back. A two-minute demonstration by the trainer and a volunteer. | Trios: speaker, receiver and observer, three rounds of 15 minutes. Each speaker brief leaves out one fact for the receiver to find (45 min). | Three speaker briefs; observer sheet; timer |
| M4 | Plan the first real handover | 45 | 25 | O2, O5 | What gets in the way at a real shift change. How the follow-up on 26 November works. | Each person rewrites one real log entry in four lines (15 min), then fills in the first-use plan and tells a partner (10 min). | One real log entry each, without names; first-use plan |
Filled example: outline check
The check found something to change in every row of the first draft, which was also 30 minutes too long.
| Check | In the first draft | What the team changed |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Every objective has a practice activity | O4 had only a discussion of “good questions”. | Each speaker brief in M3 now leaves out one fact for the receiver to find. |
| 2. Every objective has a module | O5 was in no module. The plan was left for “after the course”. | O5 moved into M4, with 10 minutes to fill in the first-use plan. |
| 3. Every module serves an objective | A 30-minute module on the procedure’s history had no objective. | Cut. The three tests, which were one slide in it, moved into M1. |
| 4. The minutes fit | 255 minutes planned against 225 agreed: 30 over. | 225 minutes planned against 225 agreed. |
| 5. Share of minutes spent on practice | 105 of 255 minutes: 41%. | 130 of 225 minutes: 58%. The team had set itself an aim of at least half. |
| 6. Each objective can be seen | Evidence for O2: “learners understand the four lines”. | Now: a partner states the next action and the owner from the note alone. |
Filled example: first draft, before the check
255 minutes against 225 agreed, with 105 minutes of practice (41%). D3 lists no objective. O5 is in no module, and O4 appears in D4 but has no practice of its own. The Excel workbook holds this draft, so you can see each flag appear.
| # | Module | Min | Practice min | Objectives | Module check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | What must be handed over | 45 | 25 | O1 | OK |
| D2 | The four-line handover note | 60 | 35 | O2 | OK |
| D3 | How the handover procedure came about | 30 | 0 | — | No objective |
| D4 | Give and receive a spoken handover | 75 | 30 | O3, O4 | OK |
| D5 | Wrap-up and questions | 45 | 15 | O2 | OK |
Course summary
Blank version. Copy it into a document, or use the Word or Excel file.
| Item | Your course |
|---|---|
| Course title and outline version | |
| Who it is for, and the group size | |
| The problem the course answers, and how we know | |
| What learners can already do | |
| After the course, learners can… | |
| Agreed course minutes, without breaks | |
| Limits: date, place or platform, breaks, budget | |
| Access: what learners need to take part | |
| Out of scope | |
| Who signs off the outline, and the dates |
Objective-to-practice map
Blank version. One row per objective; three to five objectives suit a short course.
| Code | Objective: the learner will… | Practice in the course | How we will see it was met | Module |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O1 | ||||
| O2 | ||||
| O3 | ||||
| O4 |
Module outline
Blank version. The Excel file adds up the minutes and the practice minutes and checks the objective codes.
| # | Module | Min | Practice min | Objectives | Content in brief | Practice | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | |||||||
| M2 | |||||||
| M3 | |||||||
| M4 |
Outline check
Six checks to run on any course outline, including one you did not write.
| Check | How to check |
|---|---|
| 1. Every objective has a practice activity | Read down the practice column of the map. Talking about the task does not count: learners must do the task. |
| 2. Every objective has a module | Look for each objective code in the Objectives column of the module outline. |
| 3. Every module serves an objective | A module with no objective code is cut, shortened or turned into a handout. |
| 4. The minutes fit | Add the Min column and compare the total with the agreed course minutes. |
| 5. Share of minutes spent on practice | Add the Practice min column and divide by the total minutes. Decide whether the share suits these objectives. |
| 6. Each objective can be seen | Read the “How we will see it was met” column of the map. Someone must be able to watch it or collect it, in the course or at a follow-up. |
Does the practice fit the objective? Six fictional examples
| The objective says the learner will… | Practice that does not fit | Practice that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Write a handover note in four lines | Discuss what makes a good note | Write three notes; a partner acts on each one |
| Choose the right refund route for a customer case | Watch the trainer work through two cases | Sort ten fictional cases and give the reason for each |
| Give a colleague feedback on a missed deadline | List the features of good feedback in groups | Hold the conversation in a trio with an observer |
| Enter a purchase request in the finance system | Follow a recorded screen demonstration | Enter three requests in a test system from written briefs |
| Run a ten-minute daily team meeting | Read a checklist for short meetings | Run a timed meeting with four colleagues and a fixed agenda |
| Carry out the pre-use check on a pallet truck | Answer a quiz about the check | Do the check on a real truck while a colleague follows the checklist |
Needs analysis, course outline, training plan or facilitator guide?
Four planning documents and the order in which a trainer usually needs them.
| Question | Training needs analysis | Course outline | Training plan | Facilitator guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| When | Before you decide to train | When one course is agreed and nothing is written yet | When several sessions must be scheduled over weeks | When one session is designed |
| What it answers | Is training the answer, and for whom? | What will learners do in this course, in which module, and does it fit the time? | Which sessions, on which dates, with which trainer and for how many hours? | How exactly do we run this session? |
| Main output | Ranked skill gaps | Objective-to-practice map and module outline | Session schedule and hours | A step-by-step delivery guide |
| Related kit | Training needs analysis template | This template | Training plan template | Facilitator guide template |
What you'll leave with
In 60 minutes, one to four people complete a course outline in which every objective is an action a learner does, has a practice activity, a way to see that it was met and a module; every module serves at least one objective; and the planned minutes fit the agreed course length.
Before the session
- For trainers, course designers and subject experts who design a short course for adults at work, such as a half-day with four modules, before anyone writes slides or handouts. It is not a syllabus for students and has no grading or credit section.
- Bring what is already agreed: the audience, the problem the course should answer, the evidence for it and the limits, such as hours, date and group size. If nobody can name the problem, complete a training needs analysis first.
- Invite one person who knows the job the learners do. Open the workbook or the Word file on a shared screen, or print the four blank sheets, and keep the filled example to hand.
- Send the blank sheets as a file the day before for people who use a screen reader or prefer to prepare in writing. Start each step with silent writing, accept typed or spoken input, keep cameras optional and let anyone pass.
How to fill it in with your team
Agree the course summary
Read the problem aloud in one sentence (1 minute). Say: “We are designing for this problem and this group. Anything else goes on the out-of-scope line.” Take four minutes to fill in the audience, what they can already do, the agreed course minutes without breaks, the other limits and the access needs you know about. Take three minutes to write one sentence that starts “After the course, learners can…”.
Write the objectives as actions
Four minutes of silent writing: each person writes what a learner will do after the course, one action per line, each starting with a verb. Five minutes to compare, merge duplicates and choose three to five. Three minutes to test each one with the question: “Could I watch someone do this, or hold the result in my hand?” Rewrite any objective that starts with understand, know or be aware of. Give each objective a code, O1 to O5. Knowledge that supports an action stays inside that action’s module; it does not need an objective of its own.
Match each objective to practice and evidence
Take about two minutes per objective, ten minutes for five. Ask: “Where in the course does the learner do exactly this?” and “What will we see or collect that shows they did it?” Write both in the map. Use the last two minutes to read down the practice column and mark any activity in which learners only talk about the task.
Build the module outline
Five minutes: group the objectives into modules and put the modules in the order a learner needs them. Seven minutes: for each module, write the minutes, the minutes of practice inside it, the objective codes, the content in one or two lines, the practice and the materials. Three minutes: add up the minutes and compare the total with the agreed course minutes. Write the module codes back into the last column of the map. A module is a block of the course with its own practice, often 30 to 90 minutes. A break is not a module.
Run the check
Three minutes: read down the map. Does every objective have practice, a module and evidence that someone can see? Three minutes: read down the outline. Say for each module: “This module is here because of objective…”. A module that nobody can finish the sentence for has no objective. Two minutes: divide the practice minutes by the total minutes and ask whether that share suits these objectives. Record what you found on the outline check sheet.
Decide what to change and who writes what
Three minutes: decide what to cut, shorten or move so that the check passes and the minutes fit. Cut content before you cut practice. Two minutes: name who writes the materials for each module and by when, and who signs off the outline. Set the date of the first delivery or pilot, and book 15 minutes after it to compare the real minutes with the plan. Read the outline back once in module order.
Participant worksheet
Copy this table into a document, or print the worksheet from the bundle. Share only what you choose.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Course summary | The audience, the problem, what learners can do afterwards, the agreed minutes and the limits |
| Objectives | Three to five, each an action you could watch a learner do, with a code from O1 |
| Objective-to-practice map | For each objective: the practice in the course, how you will see it was met, and the module |
| Module outline | For each module: minutes, practice minutes, objective codes, content in brief, practice and materials |
| Outline check | Every objective has practice and a module, every module serves an objective, and the minutes fit |
| Next steps | What to cut or move, who writes each module and by when, and who signs off |
Debrief questions
- Which objective was hardest to write as something we could watch, and what does that tell us about the course?
- Which module did we keep although it serves only one objective, and is it worth its minutes?
- Where do learners first do something, and how many minutes into the course is that?
- If the sponsor cut the course by a quarter, which objective would we drop, not squeeze?
Adapt it for your group
- Working alone, fill in all four sheets in 45 minutes, leave them for a day, then ask a colleague who knows the job to run the six checks with you in 15 minutes.
- For a 45-minute version, fill in the course summary before the meeting and send it round. Then run steps 2 to 6 in 10, 10, 13, 7 and 5 minutes.
- Online, share the workbook or the Word file and let everyone type in it. Use silent writing in the document before each discussion, paste each step’s question in the chat, and keep cameras optional.
- For people who prefer not to speak in a group, or who work in a second language, collect objectives and practice ideas in writing first and read them out without names. Anyone can pass. Send the sheets as a file the day before for people who use a screen reader.
- For a course that already exists, fill in the map and the outline from the current materials and run the six checks. The check often shows a module with no objective, which is time you can give to practice.
After the session
Send the outline to the person who signs it off within one working day, with the outline check attached. Write the materials module by module, and start with the practice, because it shows what content learners need first. When the materials for a module are drafted, read its row again and correct the minutes. After the first delivery, note the real minutes next to the planned ones and update the outline and its version number before the next group.
Questions people ask
What should a course outline template include?
A summary of who the course is for and the problem it answers, three to five objectives written as actions, the practice and the evidence for each objective, and a module outline with minutes, objective codes, content in brief, practice and materials. This template adds a check that every objective has practice and every module serves an objective.
Is a course outline the same as a syllabus?
Not here. Many course outline templates are syllabi for school or university students, with grading, reading lists and policies. This one is for trainers of adults at work, who design a short course around what people must do in their job. It has no grading or credit section.
How do I write objectives for a course outline?
Write what a learner will do after the course, starting with a verb that someone could watch, such as sort, write, give or choose. Then ask whether you could see it happen or hold the result. Many designers use Bloom’s taxonomy (Bloom et al., 1956; revised by Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) to choose verbs. This kit does not reproduce it; the test here is only whether the action can be observed.
How is this different from the training plan template and the facilitator guide template?
The training needs analysis template helps you decide what to train. This course outline designs one course: its objectives, practice and modules. The training plan template schedules a team’s sessions and hours over several weeks, and the facilitator guide template scripts one session step by step. Use them in that order.
What does the Excel version calculate?
It counts the modules that cover each objective and flags an objective with no practice or no module, and a module with no objective. It adds up the planned minutes, compares them with the agreed course minutes and shows the share of minutes spent on practice. That share is a prompt for discussion; the kit sets no standard for it.
What is included in the free and editable files?
The open PDF has the blank course summary, objective-to-practice map, module outline and outline check, a filled example of all four and the 60-minute design session. Subscribers also receive the editable Word file, an Excel workbook with blank, filled and first-draft sheets that run the checks, and a CSV of the example module outline.
How to use the files
Print the PDF, edit the Word file in Word or Google Docs, or open the CSV or XLSX in a spreadsheet. Open files need no email.
Can I use this with paying clients?
Yes. Use and adapt this original Superglue kit in your own training, including paid client sessions. Please share this page rather than redistributing the unmodified kit. Read the full usage terms.