"We need an e-learning." Or: "Let's do a seminar for that." Such sentences are quickly uttered during training and development planning. The problem: With this, the solution is already set in stone before it is even clear what your employees should know or be able to do at the end.
Therefore, reverse the order: First, define the learning objective, derive the necessary content from it, and only then decide which learning format is suitable. This way, you avoid e-learning, workshops, or classroom training becoming an end in themselves.
Start with the learning objective, not the format
Imagine you are planning a training program for managers.
Not like this:
"We need a two-day seminar for our managers."
With this, the duration and format are already set, even though the actual learning objective is still open.
Better like this:
"Our managers should be able to better recognize and more systematically promote the skills and potential of their employees."
Now you can consider what knowledge, exercises, and experiences are needed for this. Only afterwards do you decide how to best convey them.
The learning format must not be an end in itself
"We would like an online course for topic XY" sounds like concrete planning at first. In fact, however, a crucial question is missing: Why is an online course the right solution for this learning objective?
The same applies to classroom seminars, webinars, videos, or other formats. Even a modern learning format is not automatically a good learning format.
Before you commit, you should therefore answer three questions:
What should your employees know or be able to do after the training?
What content and learning activities do they need for this?
Which format best supports precisely this content and these activities?
Consultant Cathy Moore also recommends not thinking prematurely in terms of courses and other pre-made solutions during design. Exactly this openness helps you first understand the learning problem clearly.
The right order: Objective, Content, Format
1. Define the objective
First ask: What should have changed after the training?
A good learning objective does not just describe a topic, but rather, as concretely as possible, what your employees should be able to know, decide, or do afterwards.
2. Determine content and learning activities
Then consider what knowledge your employees need and what they need to practice to achieve this goal.
Sometimes it is enough to provide information. For other learning objectives, your employees need exercises, feedback, sharing experiences, or practical application.
3. Select the appropriate learning format
Only now do you decide how you will deliver the content. An online course may make sense, a workshop, coaching, or a combination of multiple formats.
Question predefined solutions
Perhaps as an L&D professional, you don't always get just a learning problem handed to you, but directly the supposed solution:
👉 "We need an e-learning."
👉 "We should do a workshop for that."
👉 "Can't we just create a video for this?"
Then it is worth asking again about the actual need: What should change for the employees? What problem should the training solve? And can this goal actually be achieved with the desired format?
You don't have to simply adopt a proposed solution. Your job also consists of sensibly connecting learning needs, objectives, and formats.
A combination of several learning formats is often the best solution
You don't necessarily have to choose between e-learning or classroom training. Many learning objectives consist of different requirements for which different formats are suitable.
For example, you can deliver basic knowledge digitally: A joint session can make sense for exercises, discussions, or feedback. Practical tasks, in turn, bring what has been learned directly into everyday work.
This is precisely where Blended Learning comes in handy: You combine different learning formats in such a way that each of them takes on a specific task in the learning process.
For example, a training program could consist of digital preparation, a collaborative workshop, and subsequent practical tasks. The decisive factor is not the mix itself, but that each format makes a recognizable contribution to the learning objective.
Conclusion
A learning format makes sense if it fits the learning objective and the necessary learning activities, not if it merely follows a current trend or habit.
Do not start your training planning with the question of whether you want to use e-learning, a seminar, or another format. First ask what your employees should actually know or be able to do after the training.
From this objective, you derive the necessary content and learning activities. Only after that do you decide which format is best suited for it.
Sometimes that is an online course, sometimes a workshop, and often a combination of several formats. If you stick to this order, you will choose learning formats not out of habit or trend, but based on what really helps your employees achieve the learning objective.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
How do I choose the right learning format for training?
First define what your employees should know or be able to do after the training. From this, derive the necessary content and learning activities, and only then decide which learning format best supports them.
When is e-learning suitable as a learning format?
E-learning is particularly suitable when your employees need to learn flexibly in terms of time or location and content can be easily delivered or practiced digitally. However, whether it is the right choice always depends on the specific learning objective.
When is a seminar or workshop more useful than e-learning?
A collaborative session can be more useful if exchange, discussion, direct feedback, or joint practical exercises form an important part of the learning process.
Why is blended learning useful for many training programs?
Blended learning allows you to combine different learning formats to suit different learning objectives and activities. For example, you can deliver knowledge digitally and use workshops specifically for exchange, exercises, or feedback.
