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Start planning top down - "helicopter view", although there are no hard rules here - use any planning tool/methodology that works best. Pen and paper will work to - create a storyboard and do a walk-through: if there are gaps or broken links in the flow - they will become more obvious.

1. Formulate the goals of training session (s)/programme
2. Take stock of the content available
3. Timescale: agree the start date and “roll back” from that date to see how much time you have/need to prepare.
4. Resources available to me (i.e. who else can help/needs to be involved)
5. Consider any time saving options
6. Include considerations of a target audience (s): what do we know about potential participants? Is any pre-existing knowledge/skills/training required?

Most critically important things to decide at the very start are the goals and the content.

What are the goals of the training session(s)/programme? How do I define goals?

Ask yourself a question: “What do I want the participants to do after they complete the training?”  Think about it in specific actions (rather than generic terms), i.e. “participants should be able to review/replace/install/contact meus, etc”.

And your answer will be the definitions of goals that training is meant to achieve.

Pitfall to avoid:

Focussing on your own actions (“I will do the presentation, then I will do the demo, then…) and losing the site of goals.

Solution:

Plan your own actions but keep audience in mind at all times, i.e. “how my actions will help to achieve the goal”goal?”

Taking stock of the content: do I have everything I need for the training?

Sample content inventory: