TRANSKRIP 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:12.160
Welcome to the Simply SharePoint Podcast.
00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:19.760
I'm Liza Tinker, and today we're talking about something I've been developing for years, but I'm finally ready to share with the world.
00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.399
It's a completely different approach to SharePoint training that actually works.
00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:26.239
The container method.
00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:35.679
But before I reveal what makes this approach so effective, let's talk about why traditional SharePoint training fails so consistently.
00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:46.079
Why traditional training fails.
00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:49.679
Have you ever sat through a SharePoint training session?
00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.799
The typical approach goes something like this.
00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:55.359
Click here to access your site.
00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:57.679
Click here to upload a document.
00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:00.079
Click here to share a file.
00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:11.040
It's a feature-by-feature walkthrough that might make sense in the moment, but as soon as you're back at your desk facing a real-world scenario, that clarity evaporates.
00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:16.560
There are three fundamental problems with traditional SharePoint training.
00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:22.000
First, it's feature-focused rather than concept-focused.
00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:26.400
Knowing where to click is useless if you don't understand why you're clicking there.
00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:33.680
It's like teaching someone to drive by only showing them which pedals to push without explaining the principles of driving.
00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:40.000
Second, traditional training doesn't account for how our brains naturally organize information.
00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:48.159
SharePoint's terminology, sites, libraries, lists, metadata, is abstract and technical.
00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:51.599
Our brains don't naturally think in these terms.
00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:55.519
We think in familiar, real-world concepts.
00:01:55.760 --> 00:02:00.640
And third, traditional training overwhelms users with too much information.
00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:06.159
SharePoint is incredibly powerful, which means it's also incredibly complex.
00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:12.560
Showing users every feature creates cognitive overload, and then they retain almost nothing.
00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:16.479
I've seen this pattern repeat for over two decades now.
00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:25.360
Organizations invest thousands in SharePoint, then thousands more in training, only to find that adoption rates hover around 20 to 30%.
00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:39.759
Users revert to old habits, storing documents on their desktops, sharing via email attachments, creating information silos, all because the training didn't give them a mental model that actually makes sense.
00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:46.560
After watching this pattern repeat across hundreds of organizations, I knew there had to be a better way.
Load full transcript
00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:55.520
How had all started?
00:02:55.919 --> 00:02:59.439
Well, about five years ago, I had a breakthrough moment.
00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:05.039
I was conducting a SharePoint workshop for a group that was particularly struggling with all the concepts.
00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:15.360
I could tell because they had glazed eyes, looking confused, politely nodding, but I could tell they weren't just understanding any of it.
00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:19.520
So I put down my prepared materials and grabbed a marker.
00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:22.479
On the whiteboard, I drew a simple house.
00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:25.680
I said, let's think of SharePoint as a house.
00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.960
The house itself is your SharePoint site.
00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:32.240
These rooms are like your document libraries.
00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:36.240
So different spaces for different types of content.
00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:44.960
Then I drew windows and said, these windows are like your views, different ways of looking into the same room.
00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:48.800
I could see the confusion starting to lift.
00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:55.599
People were now nodding, but this time with comprehension, not just with politeness.
00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:06.319
One participant raised her hand and said, So my marketing materials would go in the marketing room and finance documents in the finance room.
00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:10.400
I said yes, because they were finally getting it.
00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.960
So over the next few years, I refined this approach.
00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:17.360
I experimented with metaphors.
00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:19.519
Some were better than others.
00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:24.720
At one point, I even tried a sushi box and restaurant metaphor.
00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:26.000
Yes.
00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:32.000
I used bento boxes as views, different restaurants were content types.
00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:33.360
It was funny.
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:40.160
It worked in parts, but honestly, I started confusing myself as much as the participants.
00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:45.680
If you can't keep your own metaphor straight, it's probably time to retire it.
00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:55.279
So that trial and error is what eventually led me to the simpler, universal concept of containers.
00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:57.040
Everyone gets it.
00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:00.079
A container holds related things.
00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:11.759
Inside, you have filing cabinets, which are your libraries, drawers, which are your folders, and labels, which is metadata.
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:16.160
The transformation was remarkable.
00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:26.399
Training sessions that once produced confusion now produced those wonderful aha moments where you can literally see understanding dawn on people's faces.
00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:36.399
So what makes this approach so effective is that it maps SharePoint's abstract concepts to mental models that we already have.
00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:42.480
We all understand containers, filing cabinets, drawers, and labels.
00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:47.279
We've been organizing physical information this way for centuries.
00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:54.879
The container method simply applies these familiar concepts to the digital world of SharePoint.
00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:05.279
How the methodology works.
00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:08.879
So how exactly does the container method work?
00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:11.680
First, we start with containers.
00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:17.600
In the physical world, containers are separate spaces that hold related items.
00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:26.879
Your kitchen contains cooking items, your garage contains tools and vehicles, and your bedroom contains personal items.
00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:31.519
In SharePoint, containers equals sites.
00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:34.959
A marketing container holds marketing content.
00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:38.560
A projects container holds project content.
00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:42.560
And a department container holds departmental content.
00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:53.199
This simple mental shift from thinking about sites to thinking about containers immediately makes SharePoint more intuitive.
00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:57.199
When someone asks, where should I put this document?
00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:59.839
the answer becomes obvious.
00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:02.720
Which container does it belong in?
00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:09.040
Next we have filing cabinets, which are document libraries.
00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:16.879
The marketing container might have filing cabinets for campaigns, brand assets, and market research.
00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:20.639
Then we have drawers, which are the folders.
00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:28.639
The campaign's filing cabinet might have drawers for 2025 campaigns, 2024 campaigns, and so on.
00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:32.480
Finally, we have labels, which is metadata.
00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:40.319
A campaign document might be labeled with campaign name, target audience, and launch date.
00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:42.879
Here's the really powerful part.
00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:54.480
You learn these concepts first using the container method, and then by the end of the course, you know both the intuitive model and the actual SharePoint terminology.
00:07:54.800 --> 00:08:03.839
So when IT says site or library, you know what they mean, but you also have the everyday mental model to guide you.
00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:09.920
That bridging of intuition and technical knowledge is what makes this stick.
00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:34.799
The first example is for HR onboarding.
00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:37.440
Imagine an HR container.
00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.720
In SharePoint, that's an HR site.
00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:51.679
Inside, you set up filing cabinets, or in SharePoint language, document libraries for policies, training, and employee records.
00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.559
Within those cabinets, you might have drawers.
00:08:54.799 --> 00:09:00.720
That's SharePoint folders for things like new hires, contractors, and compliance.
00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:06.000
And of course, you then need to add labels, which is SharePoint metadata.
00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:11.120
And those labels might be employee type, start date, or region.
00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.000
So HR can filter and instantly find what they need.
00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:20.320
The next example is a marketing campaign.
00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:25.759
A marketing container in SharePoint, which is a marketing site.
00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:32.879
This holds cabinets, document libraries for campaigns, brand assets, and market research.
00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:42.639
Inside the campaigns cabinet, the drawers or folders could separate 2025 campaigns from 2024 months.
00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:50.000
Then every file gets labeled with metadata with a campaign name, product line, and launch date.
00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:56.480
That way, someone can filter show me your campaigns for product X in 2024.
00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:01.200
Then another example is of project workflows.
00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:07.039
You would use a project container, which is a dedicated project site in SharePoint.
00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:14.639
In the cabinets or document libraries, we would hold contracts, design files, and progress reports.
00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:23.039
The drawers or folders separate each project phase, such as initiative, design, construction.
00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:30.559
And then our labels or metadata track things like milestone, approval status, or risk level.
00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:39.120
And when the project wraps up, the entire container or site is archived as a package so nothing gets lost.
00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.960
This is the real strength of the container method.
00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:50.399
You learn it first with simple intuitive terms like containers, cabinets, drawers, and labels.
00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:59.759
And by the end of the training, you not only know those concepts, but also their SharePoint names, sites, libraries, folders, and metadata.
00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:07.840
So when IT says we need to set up a new library in this site, you know exactly what they're talking about.
00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:11.440
And more importantly, you know how to use it.
00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.480
And now for the announcement.
00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:35.519
After years of refining this methodology and seeing its impact across organizations, I'm excited to announce that I finally packaged the container method into a comprehensive training course that's available starting today.
00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:49.840
I'm beginning with the container method end user course, designed specifically for the everyday SharePoint user who just needs to navigate, find, store, and share information effectively.
00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:55.600
In just 60 minutes, this course will transform how you think about SharePoint.
00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:18.080
You'll learn how to visualize SharePoint structure using the container method, how to navigate around your site, how to find any document in seconds, not minutes, how to add, edit, and manage your documents, and all about collaboration and how to use the different SharePoint features to collaborate with your team.
00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:28.879
Just the basics and the methodology to get you started with working with SharePoint quickly and to understand SharePoint.
00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:31.600
And this is just the beginning.
00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:40.639
Next week, I'll be releasing the container method foundations course for those who manage document libraries and build SharePoint sites.
00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:46.720
This course includes the different types of containers and how to plan and build them.
00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:53.679
You'll be able to choose between project, resource, and team containers and pick the right one every time.
00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:58.960
You'll learn what libraries you need and designing metadata that actually works.
00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:04.320
You'll have step-by-step guidance on building governance into your structure.
00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:09.440
And then in the advanced modules, you'll actually create those containers.
00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:18.399
You'll set up structures that scale, add metadata that saves hours of searching, and apply governance without drowning in red tape.
00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:28.399
You'll also learn when to use different components such as content types, document sets, and workflows, and how to create them.
00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:43.200
Think of it like this: the end user course helps everyone be productive tomorrow, and the foundation and advanced courses teach you to architect properly, fixing the mess before it happens.
00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:51.279
So it wouldn't be a launch without a special offer.
00:13:51.600 --> 00:14:06.080
So if you're tired of SharePoint confusion and ready to embrace a methodology that works the way your brain already thinks, check out the container method and use a course at simplysharepoint.com.
00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:13.519
For the launch period, I'm offering the course at a reduced price of$67 instead of the regular$97.
00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:17.279
Thank you for listening to the Simply SharePoint podcast.
00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:24.159
I'm Liza Tinker and I look forward to helping you make SharePoint simple, intuitive, and actually enjoyable to use.
00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:45.600
Make sure you join me next week when we're staging an intervention for a SharePoint document library, which is buried under final underscore version seven underscore really underscore final dot doc few documents and transforming it into a clean, simple container your team will actually love.
00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:47.120
Bye for now.