Embracing the Noob: What Starting from Scratch Teaches Us About L&D

Cain Prentice
1 day ago
4 min read

Do you ever feel like a huge noob? If so, you're in good company.

Recently, I've started learning a few things from scratch and at times it's been tough-going and a little daunting.

I've been learning some new IT systems for training projects with the expectation that in a short time I will become an expert who can train others in them. I've also taken up karate for the first time in 25 years. Nothing says 'noob' like the unmistakable white belt.

Starting a new job, learning a new skill or software (such as AI tools) are all situations likely to make someone feel like a noob.

But what is a Noob?

It's a newbie. A novice. It comes from video gaming culture. Noobs are new inexperienced players known for getting pwned (quickly beaten by more experienced players). And no one likes getting owned!

Why don't we like being noobs? Well, for one it can be uncomfortable. The pain in the soft parts of my forearms from blocking Tetsui Uchi hammer fist strikes are evidence of that. It can be hard work learning a new subject that we don't have a lot of experience in. Progress can seem awkward and ungainly.

Also, we don't like being seen as stupid. In a new job, we're keen to quickly learn the ropes so we can be seen as "competent".

These are valid concerns, but here's a few reasons being a noob can be a good thing.

Why Staying a Noob is Good for Learning Design

It gives you an outsider perspective
Approaching a problem as a novice can help give you measure of objectivity and a fresh perspective. You can identify blindspots and system errors that others might just have grown accustomed to. As an outside consultant, sometimes you're able to bypass internal politics and the inertia of groupthink and suggest a simple solution.

When running needs analyses, I’ve found that thinking like a noob helps you see what isn’t being said. It lets you pick up on mismatches between what's assumed and what's really needed, especially when navigating layers of business complexity.
It makes you a good teacher
As L&D professionals, understanding how it feels to be a noob helps us design experiences that feel safe and encouraging for others.

Ever tried to teach someone to parallel park? Maybe you learnt how to do it so long ago that you struggle to explain the steps involved. You probably have "unconscious mastery". This is when experts have trouble explaining how to do something that just comes natural to them.

In contrast, when you're learning something from scratch, you're hyper aware of the steps involved because you're trying hard to follow them. This "conscious mastery" puts you in the perfect position to teach others. You already know how to break the task down and explain to others since you've just learned it yourself.

In corporate L&D work, we often collaborate with subject matter experts who are so close to their content they find it hard to simplify. Keeping the learner's perspective in mind helps us work with those SMEs to translate that content into clear, engaging training materials.
It encourages curiosity
As a novice, it's expected that we'll make mistakes. This gives us the freedom to be curious, ask questions and learn by trial and error. As we become experts, we can sometimes think making mistakes and asking "stupid questions" will make us look like we lack expertise.

However, it's nice being a noob because you get to ask all the stupid questions you want such as;
‣ "What does this feature do?"
‣ "Why aren't the managers able to approve the reports faster?"
‣ "How can I stop that red belt kicking me in the head?"

When helping subject matter experts build training, staying in that 'noob' mindset helps us ask the right question, keep the content learner-friendly and trigger innovative ways of doing things.
It's good for your brain
Neuroscience has taught us that learning new things physically changes your brain by forming new neural pathways. This rewiring has all kinds of benefits like improving memory and focus to reducing the risk of cognitive decline. It also builds your cognitive reserve which is like a mental buffer, allowing the brain to maintain thinking and memory abilities even when under stress.

This is all incredibly valuable. Staying in the noob mindset of a continual learner can help give us resilience needed to deal with the increasing pace of change and complexity in the world around us.

The Forever Noob?

A few years back my parents looked up the history of my family name "Prentice". Like some other names of Anglo-Saxon origin, it's linked to the bearer's occupation such as Smith (a blacksmith), Carter (someone who pulls a cart) or Baker (someone who sells overpriced almond croissants).

My surname derives from the old English word "Aprentis" which meant "learner of a craft".

However, sometimes people were recorded with this surname well after they had finished their apprenticeship in a trade. They were given it because they exhibited characteristics of an apprentice well into their adulthood such as clumsiness, eagerness or perhaps asking too many "stupid" questions. They were forever viewed as a novice!

When my brothers and I read this we had a laugh about which noob in our family history earned us this seemingly derogatory title and how.

But now I think being a noob isn't so bad after all. Whether you're building training for staff or learning a new system yourself, being a forever noob helps you stay sharp.