How do you adapt your training design to different delivery formats and platforms?

1 Assess your audience

Before you start designing your training, you need to assess your audience and their needs, preferences, and expectations. This will help you choose the most appropriate delivery format and platform for your training objectives and content. For example, if your audience is diverse, dispersed, and tech-savvy, you might opt for an online or blended format that allows flexibility, accessibility, and interactivity. On the other hand, if your audience is homogeneous, local, and less familiar with technology, you might prefer a face-to-face format that fosters rapport, trust, and collaboration.

2 Align your methods

Once you have selected your delivery format and platform, you need to align your training methods with them. This means choosing the methods that best suit the characteristics and limitations of each format and platform. For example, if you are delivering your training online, you might use methods such as webinars, videos, podcasts, quizzes, polls, chat rooms, and forums. These methods can enhance engagement, interaction, and feedback in an online environment. However, if you are delivering your training face-to-face, you might use methods such as lectures, demonstrations, role-plays, simulations, games, and group discussions. These methods can leverage the physical presence, body language, and social dynamics of a face-to-face setting.

4 Design for interaction

One of the key challenges of adapting your training design is to design for interaction. Interaction is essential for learning, as it promotes engagement, motivation, comprehension, and retention. However, interaction can vary depending on the delivery format and platform. For example, if you are delivering your training online, you might need to create more opportunities for interaction, as online learners can feel isolated, distracted, or passive. You might need to use different types of interaction, such as learner-content, learner-instructor, and learner-learner interaction, to foster a sense of community, support, and collaboration. However, if you are delivering your training face-to-face, you might need to balance interaction with structure, as face-to-face learners can be more active, spontaneous, or disruptive. You might need to use different strategies to manage interaction, such as setting ground rules, facilitating discussions, and providing feedback.

5 Evaluate your outcomes

The final step of adapting your training design is to evaluate your outcomes. This means measuring the effectiveness and impact of your training in each delivery format and platform. You can use different methods and tools to collect and analyze data on your learners' reactions, learning, behavior, and results. For example, if you are delivering your training online, you might use online surveys, quizzes, analytics, and testimonials to gather feedback and evidence of learning. You might also use online metrics, such as completion rates, retention rates, and satisfaction rates, to assess the quality and success of your online training. However, if you are delivering your training face-to-face, you might use observation, interviews, tests, and portfolios to evaluate learning and performance. You might also use face-to-face indicators, such as attendance, participation, and engagement, to gauge the effectiveness and appeal of your face-to-face training.

By following these training design principles, you can adapt your training design to different delivery formats and platforms. This will help you create more relevant, engaging, and impactful training experiences for your learners.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?