The Training Experience Buffet

Diversifying learning elements in your training experience design is as important as choosing your morning coffee!

So, you've been tasked with designing a training program, exciting, right? But here’s a question: are you reaching for the same old slides, the same boring lecture format, and the same tired group exercises? If you are, you might just be committing the unforgivable sin of training experience design. Yes, it's that serious. Diversifying learning elements isn’t just a "nice to have"; it’s what makes or breaks the impact of training on participants. So, why should we mix it up, and how exactly does it work?

Why Bother Mixing It Up?

Imagine you’re at a buffet with just mashed potatoes. They’re good mashed potatoes, sure. But would you go back for seconds or thirds? Probably not. The same principle applies to training. When trainees are exposed to a range of learning elements; interactive activities, role-playing, simulations, videos, group discussions, quizzes,..etc, it’s like serving a rich buffet of learning experiences. It keeps their interest alive, caters to different learning preferences, and, ultimately, helps them retain what they learn.

Practice design, not decoration: Don’t just make pretty talking points. Instead, display information in a way that makes complex information clear. - Nancy Duarte

The Impact: It’s Real

Let’s face it, the main goal of any training program is to help people learn, grow, and apply what they’ve learned in their roles. Diversifying learning elements makes that possible. When you break down complex topics into bite-sized, interactive formats, participants have a much better chance of actually remembering what you’re teaching them.

Think about this: have you ever been in a training program where you actually felt like you learned something useful? The odds are that it wasn’t just a long lecture. Maybe there was a hands-on exercise or a debate that got heated. Maybe there was a case study that felt so real you were thinking about it even after the training day ended. That’s the power of mixing it up. You engage people on multiple levels, making learning not only stick but resonate.

Real-World Examples

To make things real, let’s say we’re running a leadership training session. You could:

Use a simulation game where participants manage a hypothetical team. It’s fun and surprisingly insightful. Suddenly, everyone realizes that managing people isn’t as easy as it looks!

Host role-playing exercises where one trainee plays the boss, and others are the “difficult employees.” It’s funny, relatable, and brings out surprising insights.

Incorporate reflective journaling for those who need a more introspective element to absorb what they’re learning.

But What About the Challenges?

Is it all fun and games? Not quite. Mixing learning elements isn’t without its challenges. Different people prefer different styles. Some love interactive activities, while others dread them down to their DNA. Thus, balancing these styles can be tricky.

Then there’s the time factor. How do you fit everything into a one-day session without it feeling like a tornado of learning elements? That’s where a solid design plan (and maybe a little cup of tea) comes in handy.

And let’s not ignore the budget elephant in the room. Some training methods, like VR simulations, can be pricey to design and develop. So, yes, you need to be creative yet mindful of the challenges that might pop up. Pick elements that offer the most impact within your budget.

Wrapping Up: Why It’s Worth It

The bottom line? Diversifying learning elements isn’t just about making training more fun; it’s about making it effective, memorable, and, dare we say, enjoyable.?

When participants leave feeling like they’ve gained real insights (and maybe laughed a little along the way), you know you’ve done your job.

So next time you’re in training experience design mode, ask yourself: am I really putting out a learning buffet? If the answer is no, maybe it’s time to shake things up. Because in the world of training, variety truly is the spice of the experience!