Learning a new trade can be extremely challenging. When I made the transition from Sales to Tech, I had to relearn how to learn. If you couple that with the fact that learning self-paced content online is now at a premium, I was entering a whole new world.
I found that my main issue was that I didn’t have a process. After some trial and error, I found some techniques that worked for me.
The two techniques I recommend:
- PQ4R - for reading comprehension
- The Feynman Technique - for quick subject mastery.
The PQ4R Technique
PQ4R is an acronym for Preview, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.
- Preview:
Look ahead. Expose yourself to the new material and documentation. Read through the first paragraph, the headers, the image/captions, and the last paragraph. Seeing information before you fully understand can speed up your learning down the line.
- Question:
Write down all of the questions you have as soon as they hit you. Even if it’s broad as ‘What did I just look at?’ Ask yourself questions about what you think the main points are and what you expect to learn.
- Read:
Read the documentation. Take notes. Gather screenshots. Many online articles have hyperlinks. Be sure to grab them and put them in your notes along the way. Do yourself a favor and put a summary of what the link contains next to it. A collection of hyperlinks is kind of worthless.
- Reflet:
How did this information align with information you already knew? What was brand new information? What information surprised you?
- Recite:
Think about the material and try to say it out loud. Try documenting it in some way. It’s important to put what you learned in your own words.
- Review:
Were your questions answered? Do you need to reach out to other resources to hear how they explain it?
The Feynman Technique
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool.”
- Identify the topic
No explanation needed.
- Explain the concept as if you were teaching someone new
Imagine that you are tasked with teaching the idea to a new student. If you don’t have an audience to teach, make a video.
- Review your explanation:
Don’t worry if you get stuck when practicing step #2. You are just starting to learn, so it won’t all come to you immediately. Watch those videos. By shortening your feedback loop, you are speeding up your progression.
- Simplify and refine—re-write sections in simpler terms.
Create a Knowledge Base. If you asked a question, the odds are that someone else will have the same question. Tech is loaded with acronyms and terminology. It’s a great idea to have a place to refer to quickly. In addition, it’ll encourage you to ask level-setting questions.
Final Thoughts
Appreciate how far you’ve come. There is an extreme value in establishing solid fundamentals. If you ever feel like you’re lagging behind, keep in mind how new tech is. Each day is an opportunity to learn something new and anyone can become an expert at anything nowadays. It all comes down to discipline, hard-work, and patience. Most fail to put together all three. The experts find a way to figure it out persevere.
Is there anything I missed? Is there a topic you’d like me to cover? Feel free to shoot me a message or leave a comment!
Thanks for reading!