“What actually is a Blink?” – This question is asked by many trainers or HR managers who are dealing with the topic of "Learning Management Systems" or are already actively using blink.it. We will clarify all of this now: What "Blink" means, the concept behind it, and how three criteria result in perfect learning content!
To begin, a small brain teaser: What do the following words have in common?
Zewa. Tempo. Walkman. Blink.
The solution: All of these words are called deonyms. Admittedly, not a very everyday term. But it refers to a phenomenon that we all know from our daily lives: words in our vocabulary that are derived from proper names. A deonym is when “tissue” suddenly becomes “Tempo” – derived from the name of the well-known brand for tissues. Often, we also associate certain properties with these catchy names: for example, I associate Tempo with being particularly tear-resistant, Zewa with great absorbency, and Walkman with good technical quality. You certainly have such expectations of certain brands or names too.
But what does all this have to do with a learning platform? It's simple: behind the deonym “Blink” lies its own story and a clear concept that makes Blinks perfect learning transfer assistants for course creators!
“Blink”: The name of the learning platform says it all
The concept of blink.it is simple: course creators share content with their participants as easily and quickly as possible via an online learning platform. In an ideal case, the content is conveyed within a blink. In English, the phrase for this is:
"in the Blink of an eye"
That's exactly why we are called blink.it! Behind this lies the request to you as a course creator: Summarize your knowledge as briefly as possible! So that your participants can process knowledge within the blink of an eye.
On the one hand, from a technical perspective, a Blink is part of the Learning Management System (LMS) blink.it. On the other hand, the Blink itself follows a specific concept that makes the tile a Blink in the first place. I will introduce you to what exactly that is in the next paragraph!
This is what a Blink looks like in the blink.it learning platform: a clear tile with a title, intro text, content, and a clear call to action.
One Blink = Learning unit in the online course + the following 3 criteria
3 criteria that make a good Blink
There has been a clear concept behind the Blink right from the start. According to the definition by blink.it founder Konstantin Ristl, three criteria must be met to turn a simple learning tile into a real Blink.
Crucial in this context is: A Blink rarely stands on its own. It only unfolds its full effect in combination with other Blinks within a clearly structured learning path. Only the sequence of several short, building impulses ensures sustainable competence development.
1. A Blink is short
Every Blink aims to live up to its own name: Even if the blink of an eye might often be a bit tight, a good Blink is as short as possible! Konstantin sets a clear time limit:
"A Blink should be a maximum of two minutes long. Some trainers also use five minutes as a limit, but based on my experience, two minutes is better. More than two minutes is no longer fun for me as a participant and does not hold my attention."
What Konstantin refers to as length here means in concrete terms: this is the maximum amount of time the learner should need to view and process the content accordingly. Conveying information and knowledge in such a short time can be a challenge. In order to make content as short and simultaneously effective as possible, there are a variety of formats that are technically possible in the Blink. Possible formats in the online course include, e.g.:
Bullet point lists
Graphics and images
Custom explainer videos, simple and perfectly matched to the content
Surveys and quizzes
2. A Blink is instructive
The knowledge conveyed by a Blink should never just be theory. A Blink should provide the participants with a basis for an action. This basis can be very different:
To initiate or support an action, for example,
instructions for a process can be given to enable new actions.
a video with a recorded situation from everyday life can stimulate self-reflection.
a list of pros and cons can help evaluate and change actions and routines.
Keep criterion No. 1 in mind and make the instructions, video, or list as short as possible! And just like that, you have designed learning content that meets two of the three criteria for a perfect Blink.
Please note, however – the third criterion is the actual core of every Blink!
3. A Blink is prompting
Many trainers are convinced that the most important thing about a learning concept is the content itself: the new theoretical knowledge that participants acquire. Konstantin from blink.it sees this quite differently:
"The primary goal of the Blinks is to provide instructions and impulses for actions! Only when I regularly get an impulse, coming out of a Blink, as to what I can concretely practice now, do I start taking action."
The focus of a Blink is therefore not on theoretical knowledge transfer, but on practical application. Blinks are meant to provide impulses and encourage participants to take active action. If you keep this focus in mind when creating a Blink, it is also much easier to keep it short!
That's why 2 minutes of learning at a time is enough
"Two minutes is way too little! I need at least ten minutes for my content!"
This is the most common reaction to the requirement of designing a basis for practical action in a maximum of two minutes. But these two minutes are not pulled out of thin air: scientifically speaking, adults have an attention span of 20-25 minutes. However, observations from seminars and lectures show: quite a few adults start to drift off or get distracted by their own smartphone, for example, after 3-5 minutes in a lecture.
In further education, we have to let go of the idea that the length of the learning unit guarantees success. To explain a simple exercise or action, two minutes is sufficient. What really takes time is the application and practice!
By the way: Behind the concept of dividing learning content into small learning bites is the term microlearning.
Example: The ideal time allocation in the learning process
Imagine you want to work out in a gym. A trainer explains a specific exercise to you. How long does this explanation take in relation to the actual action?
The explanation for the exercise is usually done in a few sentences: How does the machine work? What do I need to look out for? In addition, the trainer might give you one or two motivating words for the training. Presumably, the trainer will not explain ten exercises to you in one day and give you a one-hour lecture on them, but will add new exercises gradually.
The time-consuming part only begins after the brief introduction: The instruction must be implemented to see a result. And indeed, regularly and over a longer period of time. Ideally, the trainer will drop by every now and then, give you tips, or remind you of certain exercises.
Just like in fitness training, it is with a Blink:
A Blink provides the theoretical knowledge on how to do an exercise.
It actively prompts participants to take action.
It maintains motivation through regular impulses.
Shorter learning units, when used correctly, do not convey less knowledge. They utilize the full attention span of the participant and help with practical implementation in everyday life.
Conclusion
Sustainable learning is not created by long blocks of theory, but by short, clear impulses with immediate practical relevance.
A Blink is more than just a small learning unit. It is deliberately designed to be short, instructive, and prompting, so that knowledge is not merely consumed, but applied. The two minutes serve not to simplify, but to focus.
Anyone who breaks learning down into small, activating steps and sets regular impulses increases attention, motivation, and transfer into daily work. This is precisely the strength of the Blink concept.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What is a Blink in the blink.it learning concept?
A Blink is a short digital learning unit that conveys knowledge compactly and encourages direct application. Every Blink follows the principle of preparing content to be understandable and action-oriented in just a few minutes.
Why should Blinks last a maximum of about two minutes?
Short learning units help maintain the attention of participants and keep the focus clear on content. The actual learning success is subsequently generated through practical application and repetition in daily work.
What does it mean that a Blink should be "prompting"?
A Blink should not only inform learners but also motivate them to take concrete actions. The goal is to transfer knowledge directly into exercises, reflections, or practical application steps.
Why do Blinks unfold their effect particularly in the interplay of multiple learning units?
A single Blink only conveys a small learning impulse. Only the structured sequence of several short, building Blinks supports sustainable competence development and long-term knowledge transfer.
