The Training in Disguise: How Micro eLearning Delivers More Than You Think

In many ways, microlearning and Training Flash courses fool us all! To put it in simple food terms, microlearning is like a two-bite brownie and Training Flash is a one-biter. But done right, these courses can be as filling as a complete dinner! The idea is to include only the best bits of information into an easily digestible training. No one wants to clean their plate wanting more. There’s a reason learners love micro content – almost as much as those moist and delicious brownies!

We’ve seen it all. There are things you should avoid when developing micro and Training Flash courses. There are also amazing tactics to employ to give your learners the information they need in the most effective way. Consider this your recipe for the perfect brownie – er – micro training! Here are the steps you can take to ensure your bite-sized content delivers more flavour and nutrition.

The Host with the Most

The best host always accommodates all the guests. The vegetarian will have plenty of meat-free options. The kids will have something to do while the adults discuss. When developing micro training, you’ll want to drive the biggest impact by acting like an exceptional host and having something for every type of learner. Consider also what motivates your diverse crowd of learners to take and engage with the content you deliver. Apply your practices to micro training to get everyone on the same page and actively learning.

A Dish for Any Occasion

Versatility is one of micro learning’s greatest benefits. Even so, L&D teams can miss the opportunity to make their training as versatile as it can be!

Micro training can serve purposes beyond simply teaching learners new concepts. These courses can also function as a sales tool to be used alongside a potential buyer. Learners can easily pull up the training and within seconds find the information they need to answer the customer’s questions. Or the training can be used as helpful infographics and animations that can help a sales associate show and sell the product to the customer. These quick nuggets of information can also help learners in the long run. Because they are so small and easily digestible, they can be used to refresh knowledge that may have diminished over time.

Take It to Go

To get the most out of these various use cases, micro training should be developed in a responsive framework that adapts to the screen it’s being accessed on. Equipping learners with training that they can access from a desktop, tablet, and mobile phone gives them an incredible level of options never seen in training before modern technology. It will also enable them to use the training for all the purposes listed above!

Common Mistakes

Some ingredients just don’t pair well with others. You need to know what will work well for the recipe you want to make. For micro training, this means avoiding certain mistakes, including:

1. The wrong set of course objectives – Without direction, there’s no clear path for learners to follow. At the same time, too many course objectives may confuse, distract, or derail learners. Find what knowledge gaps you want to fill and use those to decide on 1-2 specific course objectives. These objectives should be achievable from the micro training alone.
2. Faking it instead of making it – It’s best to do your research and work with your training and development teams or agencies to understand what micro training really entails. Though it’s often a more affordable solution compared to more complex training courses, it is not always the best option. Fitting an intensive course into a micro-sized format isn’t achievable, attractive, or effective. Too much sugar will ruin the brownie, and too much information can tarnish the micro training.

As you can see, micro training has a lot of potential to accomplish BIG goals in a small package. Equip your learners with training that gives them the most bang for your buck. Need a boost of motivation to get started? Check out what we can do for your micro training here.