Activities—or other opportunities for group “processing” of material—are critical parts of the learning experience. Sadly, many otherwise excellent trainers are unaware of how quickly the target audience will forget what they say if they are unable to engage in a process that enables them to apply it to their worlds. The unasked question can become a block to performance. It is wise and important to take time to help the target audiences internalize the material presented and practice performing the tasks. Providing case studies for discussion, opportunities for role playing (with meaningful feedback), and problem-solving challenges take time—but if they are well designed and relevant, they can also yield enormous benefits.

 

If the target audience cannot remember and use the material, or leaves with doubts about how to apply it on the job, training becomes an awareness exercise only—and behavioral objectives cannot be met without further training. Therefore, at the design stage, the development team discusses the kinds of methodologies that will help the target audience understand the material, integrate it in existing knowledge, and perform tasks as expected in their real-world environment.