"1. Be warm and welcoming
This is important. It sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at
how brusk or business-like and impersonal many users in help forums
can be. We need to acknowledge the steps that a user has already
made and try to connect personally. Asking for help places the
person in a vulnerable spot. We need to be aware of that and help
them relax.
"As a teacher, I know that learning takes place in an
environment and my success has as much to do with creating a
positive learning climate as it does with my personal ability to
teach. We need skills, but we need to be able to connect. When
someone is reaching out for help, we need to extend a welcoming
hand.
"2. Get background information Learners arrive with sets of
skills and knowledge. It is important for me to establish the
baseline so that I can take them to the next level. Adult learners
are able to communicate their experience, so it is just a matter of
asking a few relevant questions."
