6 Tips to Learn Any Software

When it comes to teaching, I love helping beginners. Now, I also love working with people who are already familiar with software and other tech concepts because we can often dive deeper into certain topics, but to me, nothing beats working with someone who’s just starting out with something new and then witnessing their "A-ha!" moment as something finally clicks and you can see their anxiety and apprehension switch to relief and joy.

This month, my fellow LinkedIn Learning Staff Instructors and I are exploring concepts around the idea of how to create effective training, and I’ve always felt that a big part of being a successful trainer is knowing how to be an effective learner. ?With that in mind, I thought I’d share some strategies I often use to help beginners learn new software. These tips are meant to help put them at least and to get their bearing. One of the first things I try to get across is:

You Can’t Damage the Software

A lot of beginners tend to avoid exploring or clicking things because they worry that they’ll irreversibly mess something up in the application. So I try to explain right away that there’s very little chance of that happening. Even if you click around, change settings, or move panels around on screen, most software offers a way to reset itself or its tools back to the default settings, often found under preferences or in a menu command. At other times, you can simply quit the software and restart it to reset its layout.

Learn to Save As…

You have a better chance of messing up the document or file you’re working on than the software you’re using. But just about every application has a command called Save As, usually located under the File menu. This allows you to create a copy of your file, leaving the original version untouched. You can make as many copies of a file as you like, giving you complete freedom to play around in the software and try any features or settings you like. Since you’re working with a copy, if things get out of hand, you can always delete it and start with a fresh copy.

Look for Things You Already Recognize

There are very few applications that are completely unique. Almost all software has features or interface elements in common with other software that you might already be familiar with. For example, nearly all applications have a File menu where you can create new documents, open existing files, or perform other common tasks. Or, when you see a small triangle next to a control, it usually means you can toggle that item open to reveal more controls. Similarly, a menu item with an ellipses… usually means selecting that item will open a window containing additional settings or options. Recognizing familiar interface elements can help you get your bearings more quickly when working with new software.

Time Travel with Undo

Another common feature found in most applications is the Undo command, which is often located in the Edit menu or as a stand-alone button, and allows you to take back the the more recent change you made to a file or project, giving you yet another way to allow yourself the freedom to experiment and explore. You can try just about any menu command or button to see what it does and then choose Edit > Undo to take it back. Many applications these days even offer multiple Undo steps, letting you try a series of changes and then stepping backwards to Undo them if necessary.

Be an Explorer

The most important concept for learners is to cultivate an attitude of exploration. Keeping the previous points in mind, you can feel free to click around and experiment. As you explore the application’s menus and buttons you’ll start to get a feel for the “language” of the software—how it works, how it’s organized, and what you can or can’t do. The goal isn't to completely memorize every menu and command, but instead to get an idea of what’s possible and how things are laid out, so when it comes time to actually do some work, you’ll probably remember seeing a command or button that fits what you’re trying to do and be able to find it again.

?Look for Help

Lastly, most applications have a Help menu in which you’ll be able to find instructions for commonly-used features or frequently performed tasks. Additionally, everything from the most popular software to the most niche products often have a dedicated community of users, and you can often find them chatting about their work and answering each other’s questions on discussion boards. Google is a great tool for finding these discussions and other resources. Simply perform a search for the software name and the feature or the issue that you need to learn about.

So there you have some general guidelines for getting better acquainted with just about any software application you need to learn. Of course, it takes time and effort to really learn an application in-depth, but these tips can help you get your bearings and become more familiar with the tools you need to use. I’d love to hear about some of your strategies for learning new software or helping others learn, so comment below!