Mobile training lab

[JohnGage]

Thinking about putting together a mobile training lab that could be portable between our four locations.  My vision is a laptop for each user with a projector attached to the trainer's station.  Training would be small groups of 4-5 users plus trainer.

Two questions
* Anything appear to be missing from my supply list?
* Do you see any learning benefit to using a traditional monitor instead of the laptop screen? 

• 17 inch laptops
• USB/Wireless mouse
• 8 port GB router
• 10ft Ethernet cables + one 25ft cable to connect to the LAN
• Two power strips w/ ext cords
• Laptop 'trunk' or other storage solution
• Projector

[Lance Bateman]

Would suggest second monitor for each (for imaging, email, etc. as it relates with TAM use).
Think in terms of UPS? (Don't know how power is in your area).
Screen? (Or would each office have one?).
Does each office have a room you can do the training in?

[JohnGage]

Thanks Lance.  I had considered a smallish UPS for power but never considered the projector screen. 

[Andrew Carrick]

Laptop screens can be a bit small, so a second screen is definitely a good idea.

I'd suggest in addition a wipe-clean board for scribbling on - can be useful sometimes to demo things off-screen.

Also a stick to poke people with (OK scratch that one).

[DebAmstutz]

You may not need a projection screen if there is a blank wall available.  Someone may have to remove a piece or two of wall art and rehang it after the session (which is what we do), but it beats having to mess with a screen.

[Hans Manhave]

You may not need a projection screen if there is a blank wall available.  Someone may have to remove a piece or two of wall art and rehang it after the session (which is what we do), but it beats having to mess with a screen.

I was thinking, he just went from using a Honda Civic to drive around to an E-350 for that screen.  Not a bad thing, but it needs to be part of the planning/budget.

Erasable boards are portable as are the easel it sits on.  We have one of those things.  It can fit behind the front seats or in the trunk.

It may be handy to have real mice instead of laptop built-in mice.  Cordless, of course.  With mouse pads because woodgrain of desktops does funny things to mousing around.

[JohnGage]

Considering purchasing 17in laptops plus a 19" monitor for each user.  Setup the monitor as the primary display and position the laptop off to the side, like any secondary monitor.  Use desktop keyboard and mouse to keep the user in a familiar environment.  Thoughts?

Trying to make this as user friendly as possible but this feels 'half-baked' and like I'm trying to make this work rather than doing it the right way. 

[Hans Manhave]

I wouldn't do the separate screens.  The big screen display is useful for all to see, but a 17" laptop screen should be sufficient for individual use.

If you also add 19" screens then you might as well look into the mini cases and forget about laptops.  Laptops are so much easier to store.  But they do have batteries that will create problems a year down the road and they walk away easier.  May need to look into those locking devices to tie it all down just to make it slightly more difficult.

[Lance Bateman]

From experience - I'd suggest whatever done (two monitors or not) try to set it up as close to how they will actually work and see it in the office as possible.

And expect the unexpected.  When running the first classes for Producers when we went to Windows version (okay, many years back), the following happened:

I had setup in the lab with nine stations plus instructor, with instructor projecting on a screen.
"Take your mouse, click on Start, slide up to Programs, slide over to Applied, then click on TAM (or whatever it was then)"

One producer in the corner called out "My mouse isn't working".
"Just a moment, I'll be there to help".

Went to him, quietly (didn't want to cause embarrassment) asked him to show me what wasn't working for him.  He then picked up the mouse, and clicked it physically on the "start" button on the screen.


"This isn't a touch screen, see the arrow - you need to move it around".

Started over - another producer in the corner yells out "Mine still isn't working".

I turned around, and he's holding it like a garage door opener, clicking as he aims at the screen.

I realized I had to start a bit more basic.