From Concept to Reality: Microlearning in Action
Real-life examples of microlearning, its impact, and ways you can get started
You have an important thing for people to learn. You want your audience to actually do the training so they can learn the thing. You want them to be engaged and motivated. You want them to remember it for the long term. Your solution? Microlearning.
Microlearning gives people just enough content to learn a particular skill and provides just-in-time readiness for when they need it. It usually takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Catch up on the benefits of microlearning and the science behind them here.
What does microlearning look like in action?
Let’s explore three examples of its use at Slalom. First, a financial services client needed help with the adoption of Salesforce dashboards to display data. The Slalom team created a variety of bite-sized trainings including 2–3 minute video clips, one-pager reference guides, quick live demos in all-staff meetings, and biweekly newsletters to reinforce key messages. The use of microlearnings promoted the retention of information. The client reported that “the change we have been through was made substantially easier” and the adoption of the dashboards took off!
Next, Slalom supported another client with the implementation of Salesforce Lightning, a new user interface, and the transition from Salesforce Classic to Lightning. Fifteen short videos were created to teach specific tasks in the software. For example, a one-minute video showed users how to switch between Classic and Lightning views. Job aids, FAQs, and other documents provided reference material. Learners could absorb each new skill one at a time and spend time applying that specific skill, as opposed to becoming overwhelmed by a video or training session on “everything you need to know about Lightning.”
Last, Slalom created internal learning for its own team members using a microlearning approach. The goal of the learning was to demystify the sales process and equip team members to feel comfortable and confident in conversations with potential clients. Instead of bringing everyone together for an instructor-led training session, a video series was created titled “Everyone Is a Seller.” The series included three videos ranging from one to two minutes, each with a specific objective:
1. Demystify sales and create an attitude change
“Selling is not scary. I can do this.”
2. See the behavior in action
“I know what it looks like. I have an example to follow.”
3. Outline the process
“I know exactly what to say if there’s an opportunity.”
There was a timed release of the videos, meant to scaffold learning for the audience. After the first video was released, the audience had a week to absorb the content, then viewed the next video a week later, followed by the third video a week after.
What were the benefits of these approaches?
Because learning was divided into manageable, bite-sized chunks …
- Participants felt more motivated to complete it.
- Information was more likely to move from participants’ working memory to long-term memory because cognitive overwhelm was reduced and their brains had time in between sessions to let the information sink in before new content was added.
- It was easy for participants to go back and find the information they needed when it was time to use the skill.
So what’s next? Here are a few tips to get started:
- Think about the specific skills you want people to learn. What do you want people to be able to do as a result of the training? Jot these down! Ideally, the different skills will be separated into individual microlearning modules.
- For each skill, what information is absolutely essential for people to know to get started versus a nice-to-have or coverage of every scenario that could potentially arise?
- Do the skills need to be sequenced because they build on each other, or similar skills grouped together?
- What’s the fastest way for people to absorb each skill? For example, people will pick up on a new task easier by watching a video demonstration versus reading written directions but might also need the support of those written directions to refer to later in a job aid.
Stay tuned for future articles, including a piece about microlearning design.
Slalom is a global consulting firm that helps people and organizations dream bigger, move faster, and build better tomorrows for all. Learn more and reach out today.
