Rethinking learning design? Let go of modality, and focus on business outcomes

When the pandemic shut down our ability to learn together in the same physical space, learning professionals responded in the spirit of navigating a short-term disruption. Onboarding and upskilling couldn't stop without real cost to the business, especially when companies were flexing to new ways of serving customers. To meet the challenge, learning teams had to move fast to repurpose established content from instructor-led formats, to virtual or self-guided learning. What did they discover? In the attempt to quickly address the clamor of “the training must go on,” the rapid conversion of facilitated modules into online learning or day-long virtual sessions led to sacrificing the experiential, activity-based components that are key to learning.

It wasn't ideal, but it was thought to be temporary. Once the pandemic was under control, teams could return to designing learning"the right way."

A year later, we at Oxygen don't think we're going back to that old baseline. We believe that there is a new way: the ability to respond to an emergent situation – whether a global lockdown or a sudden business need– and quickly provide outcome-based experiential learning across physical distance and multiple time zones. To be this agile means thinking differently about learning design, content, and modality so we can design, deliver and scale learning when and where it's needed. When the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror, we'll be carrying these practices into the future.

There are still many organizations that take a "modality-first" position as the way to move faster and solve for business constraints: for example, using self-guided, on-demand eLearning to reduce the cost of classroom training. What can happen in these scenarios? The design becomes focused on "let's fit all this content into eLearning," resulting in lots of words on slides or obliging people to spend yet more time in front of their computers watching pre-recorded video presentations by company experts. On-the-job learning components are pushed to managers. And these organizations struggle with getting the intended results of the program.

When modality becomes the leading driver for learning design, then everything becomes subject to the modality, and runs the risk of decreasing learning impact.

Yet there is a viable alternative that will deliver both learning impact and speed to deployment! If you've explored Oxygen's work and our point of view, you already have part of the answer: learning architecture. The architected approach starts with business outcomes and what people need to know and do to meet them. That drives the learning content. Architecture also takes into account the reality of a person's work and the impact on seat time or in-person interaction. When we know outcomes, content, and constraints, we can then select and blend modalities to support learning, not stifle it.

Here are some of our favorite modalities to blend together for a great learning experience:

• Micro-learning can introduce new concepts or explore a specific application of a skill.It's great for frameworks and models, pro tip videos from experienced colleagues, conversation strategies, customer success stories, and more. These resources can help people move from knowledge to specific application. Format: short, consumable videos, articles or graphics
• eLearning is great to build essential knowledge in context of a person's role, offer ideas to apply the knowledge, and encourage practice. It works best when it's experiential and relevant to the job role. We often incorporate video clips with advice from experienced colleagues on how to apply ideas successfully on the job. Format: interactive modules ; can include embedded video, downloadable job aids and graphics, and on the job activities
• On the job activities connect people with peers and managers to dive deeper and practice skills together. These connections can be virtual and asynchronous as well as real-time. Your architecture and design should identify a cadence for these connections so that they move people from receiving knowledge into practicing skills throughout a learning journey. Format: Conversation, usually with a brief guide to support the key points of the conversation; interviewing or shadowing colleagues; project-based work individually or in cohorts
• Instructor-led training (virtual or classroom) is premium time and should focus as much as possible on discussion, exploration of ideas and skills, and practice. Use your architecture to identify self-guided ways to acquire knowledge and information: use real time to dive deeper into how to apply that knowledge. Format: Facilitated interactive sessions with breakouts and collaboration tools if virtual

An architected approach allows you to identify what needs to be learned and then select the right combination of containers –modalities - that respect business goals without compromising learning effectiveness. Modality becomes an opportunity, not a trap. Curious to know more about how architecture and design can work together to make better, more impactful learning experiences? Watch our webinar, Creating Relevant & Engaging Blended Learning Experiences.