"What is actually a Blink?" – This question is asked by many trainers or HR professionals 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, what concept lies behind it, and how three criteria result in perfect learning content!
To begin with, a little thought exercise: What do the following words have in common?
Zewa. Tempo. Walkman. Blink.
The solution: All these words are called deonyms. Admittedly, not a very common term. But it refers to a phenomenon that we all know from our everyday lives: Words in the vocabulary that are derivatives of proper names. A deonym is when “tissue” suddenly becomes “Tempo” – derived from the name of the well-known tissue brand. Often, we associate certain qualities with these memorable names: For example, I associate Tempo with particularly tear-resistant, Zewa with great absorbency, and Walkman with good technical quality. Surely you also have such expectations of certain brands or names.
But what does all of this have to do with a learning platform? Quite simply: Behind the deonym "Blink" lies a unique story and a clear concept that make the Blinks perfect learning transfer helpers for course creators!
"Blink": The name of the learning platform is program
The concept of blink.it is simple: Course creators share content with their participants as quickly and easily as possible through an online learning platform. Ideally, the content is delivered in the blink of an eye. The English phrase for this is:
"in the Blink of an eye"
That's exactly why we are called blink.it! It hides a request for you as a course creator: Summarize your knowledge as briefly as possible! So that your participants can process knowledge in the blink of an eye.
On one hand, a Blink is technically a component of the Learning Management System (LMS) blink.it. On the other hand, the Blink itself follows a specific concept that turns the tile into a Blink. What exactly that is, I will introduce to you in the next paragraph!
This is what a Blink looks like on the blink.it learning platform: a clear tile with a title, intro text, content, and a clear call to action.
A Blink = Learning unit in the online course + the following 3 criteria
3 criteria that define a good Blink
From the very beginning, there has been a clear concept behind the Blink. According to the definition by blink.it founder Konstantin Ristl, three criteria must be met to transform a simple learning tile into a real Blink.
It is important to note: A Blink rarely stands alone. Its full effect is only realized in conjunction with other Blinks within a clearly structured learning path. Only the sequence of several short, build-up impulses ensures sustainable competence development.
1. A Blink is short
Each Blink has the ambition to live up to its name: Even though a moment may often be a bit brief, a good Blink is as short as possible! Konstantin sets a clear time limit:
"A Blink should be no longer than two minutes. Some trainers also set five minutes as the limit, but in my experience, two minutes is better. More than two minutes is no longer enjoyable for me as a participant and doesn’t hold my attention."
What Konstantin refers to as length means in practical terms: This is the maximum time a learner should need to view and appropriately process the content. Conveying information and knowledge in such a short time can be a challenge. To create content that is as short yet effective as possible, there are a variety of formats that are technically possible in Blink. Possible formats in the online course are, for example:
Bullet point lists
Graphics and images
Own explanatory videos, simply and perfectly tailored to the content
Surveys and quizzes
2. A Blink is instructive
The knowledge conveyed through a Blink should never be merely theoretical. A Blink should provide the participants with a basis for action. This basis can be quite varied:
To initiate or support an action, for example,
a guide for a process can be provided to enable new actions.
a video can stimulate self-reflection by showcasing a situation from everyday life.
a list of pros and cons can help evaluate and change actions and routines.
Keep criteria no. 1 in mind and summarize the guide, video, or list as briefly as possible! And just like that, you have created a learning content that fulfills two of the three criteria for a perfect Blink.
However, note - the third criterion is the actual core of each Blink!
3. A Blink is inviting
Many trainers are convinced that the most important aspect of a learning concept is the content itself: The new theoretical knowledge that the participants acquire. Konstantin from blink.it sees it quite differently:
"The Blinks primarily aim to provide instructions and impulses for actions! Only when I regularly receive a stimulus from a Blink, indicating what I can practice right now, do I spring into action."
The focus of a Blink is therefore not on theoretical knowledge transfer, but on practical application. Blinks should provide impulses and encourage participants to take active action. If you keep this focus in mind when creating a Blink, it will be much easier for you to stay concise!
That’s why 2 minutes of learning in one go is sufficient
"Two minutes is far too little! For my content, I need at least ten minutes!"
This is the most common reaction to the requirement to create a basis for practical actions in a maximum of two minutes. However, these two minutes are not arbitrary: Scientifically, adults have an attention span of 20-25 minutes. Observations from seminars and presentations show, however, that many adults begin to drift off or distract themselves with their own smartphones after 3-5 minutes in a presentation.
We need to let go of the idea in further education that the length of the learning unit ensures success. To explain a simple exercise or action, two minutes is sufficient. What truly takes time is application and practice!
By the way: The concept of breaking down learning content into small learning bites is grounded in the term microlearning.
Example: The ideal time allocation in the learning process
Imagine you want to train in a fitness studio. 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 completed in a few sentences: How does the machine work? What should I pay attention to? The trainer might also give you a word or two of motivation regarding the training. The trainer will probably not explain ten exercises to you in one day and give a one-hour lecture for that; rather, he will add new exercises gradually.
The time-intensive part only begins after the short introduction: The instructions must be implemented to see a result. And regularly and over a longer period of time. Ideally, the trainer occasionally checks in, gives you tips, or reminds you of certain exercises.
Just as in fitness training, it’s the same with a Blink:
A Blink provides the theoretical knowledge of how to perform an exercise.
It actively invites the participants to act.
It maintains motivation through regular impulses.
Shorter learning units convey, when applied correctly, no less knowledge. They utilize the full attention span of the participant and assist in practical implementation in everyday life.
Conclusion
Sustainable learning doesn’t arise from long blocks of theory, but through short, clear impulses with immediate practical relevance.
A Blink is more than just a small learning unit. It is deliberately kept short, instructive, and inviting to ensure that knowledge is applied rather than just consumed. The two minutes serve not for simplification, but for focus.
Those who break learning into small, activating steps and regularly provide impulses enhance attention, motivation, and transfer into everyday work. This is where the strength of the Blink concept lies.
Updated on 02.03.2026
