You probably know this too: You turn on Netflix and are trapped in a series for hours. Keyword: Binge watching! Wouldn't it be great to achieve this effect with your further training? In this article, you will learn which Netflix elements are particularly captivating and how to structure your e-learning according to this principle.
You surely know the streaming provider Netflix and have perhaps got hooked on one or two series yourself. You probably watched them faster than you would have liked. Netflix is famous for this and, not without reason, made a revenue of 29 billion US dollars last year (Source: Statista). But what is actually behind it?
Binge Watching and the Secret of Netflix Series
According to Wikipedia, binge watching describes the process of a series marathon where people watch multiple episodes of a television series in one sitting. So, binge watching is about particularly captivating content: as a viewer, you desperately want to know what happens next. Often it feels impossible to break out of the series vortex and finally press pause. Looking at the clock, however, quickly brings feelings of guilt.
And that is exactly what Netflix has apparently perfected by producing their series accordingly, leaving us with no choice but to stay tuned. You can use this structure to your advantage for your e-learning, but with one crucial difference: there is no guilty conscience!
But what makes Netflix series so addictive? When producing a series, it is clear from the start that it must be divided into individual episodes. After all, no one would watch a 20-hour movie. To ensure that we, as viewers, still stay tuned, each episode or season needs a kind of cliffhanger at the end that makes us want more. Only then do we slide into the vortex of hours of "bingeing".
A Netflix series …
is released at the beginning of the season with a trailer.
consists of many, often as short as possible, episodes.
gives a preview of what happens next at the end of each episode.
offers you the option to skip recaps and intros.
is often released as an entire season (if it is produced by Netflix).
One way or another, the essential elements can be transferred to your further training:
How to Design Your Own E-Learnings in Netflix Style
The differences between a relaxed Netflix evening and further training are obvious. Accordingly, it is clear that your e-learning will never be as captivating as another season of Breaking Bad or a series marathon with ten seasons of Friends. And yet, you can use the principle behind it to your advantage:
1. Episodes: Divide Learning Content into Individual Episodes!
Many training managers try to pack all the important information into ONE e-learning course. In doing so, they often forget that while extensive course content is great, it can also be overwhelming. After all, you wouldn't watch a series that tries to appeal to action, thriller, and science fiction fans at the same time. Why? Because it simply becomes too much.
Netflix offers various series in all kinds of genres. E-learning can be just as diverse!
Therefore, you should divide your learning content into different genres and series, similar to Netflix, and release the story (or your learning content) in small episodes as well. On the topic of leadership training, for example, you could divide your courses into “How to: Conduct Performance Reviews”, “Basic Course on Data Evaluation”, and “What to Keep in Mind When Creating Reports”.
Only then do participants have the chance to listen attentively and learn something. Additionally, they can pause your e-learning just like their favorite series without losing track.
2. Brevity: Reduce Your Content to the Essentials!
Just like the individual episodes of a Netflix series, our learning content is also getting shorter. And for good reason: our attention span is constantly decreasing, which is why our input is becoming shorter as well. Learning content must be get to the point. This is the only way to guarantee that participants really stay tuned until the very end.
Because: Learners often do not have time. Once learners interrupt the learning process, they will not repeat the content so quickly. Try to make your learning content as short as possible so that participants do not even get tempted to break off the learning unit. Pay attention to the following elements:
Learning content must be relevant for the participants
Learning content must be easily accessible
Learning content must encourage wanting to learn more on one's own (Keyword: Binge Watching)
And that brings us to the second point you should consider when designing courses:
3. Cliffhangers: Arouse Curiosity and Make Them Want More!
For your e-learning to be a complete success, your learning content must be so good that your learners want more on their own! Here, too, Netflix is a good example: an episode is almost over, and already the “watch next episode” button appears in the bottom right, pointing to the next episode. Almost automatically, you will watch another episode of your current series.
Bingeing pre-programmed! Netflix automatically plays the next episode after the bar expires.
Ideally, you should also transfer this dynamic to your e-learning: it's not about learners needing more learning content. It's about them wanting to learn more on their own initiative! In concrete terms, this means: learners want to work through your training course directly and in one go.
4. Addictive Factor: Give Learners What They Want (or Need)!
You probably know the annoying phrase
