There is so much put into measuring training. There are entire conferences and research dedicated to the mind numbing activity of measuring whether learning is effective. Allow me to suggest that we can measure how effective our learning technology solutions are in one simple question. The question should be asked repeatedly during an iterative prototyping process.
Naturally the first step with any good design is to write well structured learning objectives and then apply research in cognitive technology to create your first prototype. Then you present a working prototype (not a sketch) to the user and let them play with it.
Then ask this one single question:
When working through the learning activity, I would best describe my experience as:
- boring and much too easy for my skill and knowledge level.
- (Action: Increase complexity)
- fun and challenging. I wanted to continue with the activity.
- (Action: You hit the target)
- The activity was too complicated. I was frustrated and wanted to ask a question from an expert.
- (Action: Decrease the complexity or add a pedagogical coaching element, e.g. an avatar that can come in and answer questions or give guidance.)
Would that help a designer/developer turn this type of feedback into an action item and know what to do to fix the problem? That’s what we should ask ourselves for all of the review questions.
If you ask JUST this question to 30 end users and keep working the course until the majority of users say the course was fun and challenging, all of our learning would improve by 100%.
Because when it’s fun and challenging we know that the learner is motivated, and also this is a good measurement of how well the learning will be retained in long term memory. If the learning is retained, the business will be impacted by the event.