What to Expect

The OSR Seminar Experience

So, you’re in the fortunate position of being able to consider attending a public seminar by OSR. You like what you’ve heard or read about OSR seminars, but you’re not entirely sure about what to expect from the experience.  Let us tell you what it’s like, step by step.

Before You Register

Getting the information you need about training options from OSR is one of the first important steps in your OSR seminar experience. Whether you’re a software engineer, manager, training coordinator, or executive management, our seasoned seminar staff want to help you choose the most appropriate training option for you or your team. Tell us your background and your goals. Voice any concerns you may have, get additional clarification on a seminar outline. Describe the unique situation you’re in and let us help you find an equally unique solution. Now is the time – after all, it’s in both parties’ best interest to ensure that you will receive maximum value for your time and money.

Once you’re happy and ready to move forward, then you can easily manage your registration online. If  your company’s finance department has some special requirements to process your registration, let us know.

Before Your Seminar

The week of your training is on the horizon. You have received logistics information concerning the event. You have a hardcopy of the seminar handout. You have received notice of your “test call” to meet your instructor and confirm the confirm the correct operation of your audio and video setup. Perhaps you have some last-minute logistical questions. Or maybe you’re winding down on a project from the week before and have some spare time to do some preparatory research before the event. Whatever the case may be, call us. Email us. We know how hectic it can be juggling work and a week-long seminar. If there is something we can do to make your days leading up to the event easier, please, by all means, let us know!

Some helpful suggestions:

• There’s always the chance that a seminar gets cancelled. “Stuff happens”. Only in a highly unusual case is this going to happen on less than two weeks notice, but, well, events outside of our control can occasionally occur.
• DO join the “test call” for your seminar. Yes, we know…everyone is familiar with online learning, so perhaps you’re “good to go” in that department. But, the test call is brief, you will get a feel for the learning environment and the instructor, and perhaps that last-minute burning question you have can be addressed.
• Prepare: If you have time, read-up on your Windows internals or more detailed topics in advance; do some research; when provided for your seminar, dig into the suggested pre-reading material.

At Your Seminar

This is where the magic happens. This is where we impart our wisdom, experience and definitive expertise. Don’t expect to fall asleep. We’ll be keeping the presentation animated.  Because our seminars are designed to build upon previous material, you won’t want to miss anything. Just when you think your head is ready to explode, a break will be coming. Mid-morning and afternoon breaks are standard, and we’ll always break between 12:00-1:00PM for “lunch” so you can relax or just refuel for the next session.  And yes, we understand that “lunch” is all relative…folks are attending our sessions from all over the world, but we all need a break after a few hours of lecture. Depending on the pace, number of questions, and whether there is lab time involved, we’ll usually finished up each day between 4:30-5:30PM. Use the “evening” however you choose, but come back the next day refreshed and ready for more…we will be!

Some suggestions to make your time at the seminar as comfortable as possible:

• Arrive on time. We start promptly at 9:00AM with “check-in” online on the first day starting at approximately 8:30AM
• DO mute your audio if you are not actively asking a question, but also DO turn your video on if you can. This really does help the instructor ensure you’re engaged, even if it is to see a quick “thumbs up” or “nod” in response to something in the lecture.
• ASK QUESTIONS. In a public seminar, we won’t be able to cater the seminar to you alone, but if you don’t ask questions to ensure you understand the material (and help us understand that you’re grasping it), you really only have yourself to blame. Again, maximize your experience…you paid for it! Just jump in with a “I have a question” or “Yo Peter!” 🙂

After Your Seminar

Bottom-line: Our intent is not to perform a “brain dump” on you and whisk you “out the door” with good luck wishes. We know that sometimes that burning question only comes after you have had the time to digest the material. Maybe it doesn’t come up until months later, and you’re deeply involved in your project. No matter.  You can relax, because now you’re a member of the OSR seminar “family”.

If you’ve taken a course from us, we hope and expect to hear from you if we can help clarify the material from your course. This is why we provide you with the email address of the OSR engineer who teaches your seminar. Send us your question. Ask us for pointers to more info. This is one of the privileges you get after you have taken a seminar with us.  And, while we can’t promise to provide you with unlimited software support via email, we can tell you that we still regularly answer occasional questions that we receive from students more than ten years after they’ve attended just one of our seminars.  We think you’ll agree, that shows our dedication to your success.