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How to create a customized training session with modular training materials?

In our detailed step-by-step guide “How to Create a Tailored Training Using Modular Training Material”, we have compiled seven steps to help you plan and conduct agriculture-specific RDM trainings tailored to your target audience.

From defining the training format (Step 1) and analyzing the target audience (Step 2) to defining the content (Step 3) and creating a training script ([Step 4] (#step-4)) to the development (Step 5), finalization of the materials (Step 6), and delivery and reflection on the training event (Step 7), this guide leads you through the various phases of organizing a training event.

The guide recommends and explains how to use FAIRagro's modular training materials.

Info

The step-by-step guide is part of the publication „Research Data Management for Agrosystem Sciences - Modular Training Material for Reuse (Version 1.0)“ by Boße, S., Rey-Mazón, E., Sahwan, W., Singson, L. S. & Vedder, L. (2026); DOI: 10.4126/FRL01-006527953 [Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/20055188].

Step 1: Define the Training Format

Start by clarifying the structural framework of your training.

1.1 - Decide on the Delivery Mode

  • Will the training be online, in-person, or hybrid?
  • Are there technical requirements (platforms, room setup, recording)?

1.2 - Define Duration and Structure

  • How long will the training last?
  • Is it a single session or spread across multiple sessions?

1.3 - Clarify the Level of Interaction

  • How interactive should the training be?
  • Will participants engage in discussions, polls, breakout groups, or hands-on exercises?

1.4 - Check for Predefined Requirements

Determine whether the training

  • is embedded in an existing format (e.g., a colloquium, seasonal school, conference, graduate program);
  • has predefined constraints regarding time, structure, or assessment;
  • needs to align with institutional or program-specific guidelines.

Important

→ Always adapt the format to both the context and the audience!

Step 2: Analyze Your Target Audience

Understanding your participants is essential for tailoring the training.

2.1 - Identify Participant Profiles

  • Are they data producers, data re-users, or both?
  • Are they beginners in research data management (RDM) or more experienced?
  • What types of data categories do they work with (e.g., field data, sensor data, socio-economic data, modeling data, ...)?
  • Do they share similar institutional infrastructures?

2.2 - Identify Their Needs

  • What challenges do they face in agrosystem-specific RDM?
  • Do they need practical tool guidance or conceptual understanding?
  • Are there regulatory or funder requirements they must meet?

2.3 - Consider the Trainers' Expertise

  • Who are the trainers?
  • What domain expertise and RDM knowledge do they bring?
  • Will specific tools or infrastructures be presented?

Step 3: Define the Content Structure

Now, create a rough structure of the content you want to include.

3.1 - Select Core Topics and Subtopics

Choose topics that match:

  • Audience needs
  • Training format
  • Available time
  • Trainers' expertise

Choose from the topics and subtopics available in the FAIRagro modular training materials and add additional topics as needed:

  • 01_Researchdatamangement
    • 01-01_Researchdata
    • 01-02_Researchdatamanagement
    • 01-03_DataLifecycle
  • 02_GoodResearchPractice
  • 03_ResearchPolicies
  • 04_FAIR-Principles
  • 05_DataOrganisation
    • 05-02_DataOrganisation_NamingConvention
    • 05-03_DataOrganisation_FolderStructure
    • 05-04_DataOrganisation_VersionControl
  • 06_DataDocumentation
    • 06-01_DataDocumentation_Intro
    • 06-02_DataDocumentation_Types
    • 06-03_DataDocumentation_Metadata
    • 06-04_DataDocumentation_MetadataStandards
    • 06-05_DataDocumentation_SemanticWeb
    • 06-06_DataDocumentation_PersistentIdentifier
    • 06-07_DataDocumentation_ComputationalReproducibility
  • 07_DataManagementPlan
    • 07-07_DataManagementPlan_Tools
  • 08_DataCollection
    • 08-01_DataCollection_ElectronicLabNotebooks
    • 08-02_DataCollection_ElectronicFieldbooks
    • 08-03_DataCollection_DataReuse
  • 09_DataStorage
  • 10_DataPublication
    • 10-01_DataPublication_Sharing
    • 10-02_DataPublication_Repositories
    • 10-03_DataPublication_Data-Journals
  • 11_LegalAspects
    • 11-00_LegalAspects_CaseStudy
    • 11-01_LegalAspects_DataRights
    • 11-02_LegalAspects_DataProtection
    • 11-03_LegalAspects_BusinessSecrets
    • 11-04_LegalAspects_Nagoya

3.2 - Define the Focus Areas

Not all topics can be covered in depth. Decide:

  • Which topics are essential?
  • Which can be optional or supplementary?

3.3 - Structure the Sequence

Organize topics in a logical order. You may:

  • Follow the Research Data Lifecycle
  • Use a case study as a guiding example
  • Use the included research journey (00-06)

Important

→ Place essential or complex topics earlier in the training and, whenever possible, schedule exercises for this purpose.
→ Avoid scheduling key content at the very end, when attention may decline.
→ Allow buffer time for discussion and questions.

Step 4: Select Concrete Content and Exercises (Create a Teachingscript)

Once the structure is defined, select the relevant modules (“bricks”) from the modular material.

4.1 - Selection of learning objectives for every topic to include

  • Select learning objectives you want to include from the relevant topic-teachingscript. In addition, the description of the bricks' contents can help you make a selection.
  • Copy the respective line with all the information of the fitting brick from the topic-teachingscript to your training event-teachingscript.
    → You can use the Template_Teachingscript to create this.

Tip

When copying the metadata from the selected bricks into Template_Teachingscript.ods/Template_Teachingscript.xlxs, if you leave the first row blank and update the start time of your training session under “Timing” (Column G), you can use that row to monitor the training schedule. This field automatically displays the time at which each brick should be completed.

4.2 - Balance Input and Interaction

Alternate between:

  • Input phases (“breathing in”): short presentations or explanations
  • Reflection and interaction (“breathing out”): discussions, exercises, polls

This improves learning retention and engagement.

4.3 - Adapt to Experience Levels

If participants have diverse backgrounds:
→ Include exchange formats (peer discussions, experience sharing, ...)

If the group is homogeneous:
→ Tailor exercises directly to their specific workflows or data types

If participants are from same institution/working group:
→ include material on institutional infrastructures

4.4 - Create Framework of your Training Event

  • Include welcome-section
    • Create title, introduction of the trainers,iIntroduction of the institution, agenda of the training event.
    • Include an icebreaker in the beginning.
      → this is especially important for interactive courses
  • Include question sessions
  • Include breaks
    • Make sure to have a short coffee break approximately every ½ to 1 hour.
    • Make sure to include bigger (lunch) breaks in longer training formats.
  • Include wrap up
    • Include a wrap-up / take home message section.
    • Decide if you want to include a section for gaining feedback.
    • Include further resources and/or further support infrastructure information

4.5 - Personalize it for your target audience

  • Include bricks on institutional infrastructure or domain specific tools or examples that are not included in the FAIRagro material.

Review

You can now see if the planned timing (Column G, “Timing” in the Teachingscript) fits to your predefined format and framework.

Step 5: Develop the Training Materials

5.1 - Compile the Presentation

  • Assemble slides from the selected modular “bricks”.

5.2 - Prepare Interactive Elements

  • Create polls (e.g., using online tools).
  • Set up breakout group instructions.
  • Provide templates or worksheets if needed.

5.3 - Prepare Supporting Materials

This includes:

  • Handouts
  • Links to tools and infrastructures
  • Case study descriptions
  • Further reading resources

Additionally for online trainings:

  • It may be useful to prepare a document where you can prepare all links to share via chat during the training

Additionally for in-person trainings:

  • Decide if you need participants to bring their laptops.
  • Make sure you have power sockets available
  • If so it can be helpful to prepare QR Codes and Short URLs or one shared doc, where all needed resources and links can be found, and that can be shared with the participants in advance.

Step 6: Test and Finalize

6.1 - Before delivering the training

  • Review timing realistically (adapt our timing suggestions in the teaching script according to your need).
  • Test technical tools (especially for online formats).
  • Clarify roles if multiple trainers are involved (add responsibilities into column L in the teaching script).
  • Prepare a backup plan (e.g., in case of technical issues).

Step 7: Deliver and Reflect

7.1 - During the Training

  • Monitor time using the teaching script.
  • Be flexible if discussions require more space.
  • Adjust depth depending on participant feedback.

7.2 - After the Training

  • Collect feedback from participants.
  • Collect feedback from all the trainers and organisers involved.
  • Reflect on:
    • What worked well?
    • Which modules were too detailed or too superficial?
    • Were interaction and input well balanced?

Use this reflection to continuously improve future training sessions.

Contributors

Sophie Boße ORCID icon

(Last Update: 2026-11-02)

How to cite this page?

Boße, S. (2026). Training Handbook: Step-by-Step Guide. FAIRagro Knowledge Base. https://knowledgebase.fairagro.net/en/training_handbook/step-by-step. Under: CC BY 4.0.

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