Short, effective, and engaging, it’s no surprise microlearning has become the darling of corporate training. But to create it, you need the right authoring platform. Don’t get overwhelmed by the options. Instead, read our expert round-up of what to look for and the best microlearning platforms available.

What is microlearning and why use it?

Microlearning is simply learning that’s shorter than usual – a micro version, if you will. A good rule of thumb is that it takes no longer than 10 minutes. 

Microlearning is popular for employee training, and for good reason:

• Fits around busy schedules: Bite-sized learning slots into even the smallest gaps for on-the-job performance support.
• Increased engagement: Attention fades fast when learning drags on. Microlearning maximizes focus and boosts knowledge retention with its ‘little and often’ approach.
• Quick to create: Less content means faster development, saving time, resources, and money.

What is a microlearning platform?

Ready to create microlearning content? You’ll need an authoring platform. 

This is a tool that lets you build learning using customizable components, editing the look and feel to match your brand. For the best results, you’ll need to choose a platform that’s optimized for microlearning. 

There are two types of authoring tool:

• Integrated platforms are built into a learning management system (LMS), letting you develop simple learning within the LMS itself. 
• Standalone platforms are dedicated tools designed specifically to create digital learning content that can be hosted anywhere.

Integrated or standalone platform: Which is best?

While an integrated authoring platform within your LMS might seem convenient, these tools often fall short for creating effective microlearning. 

Why? Integrated platforms are typically basic and limited, resulting in dull, repetitive, and often clunky learner experiences.

For high-quality microlearning, standalone platforms are your best bet. Unlike LMS add-ons, they’re purpose-built for creating digital learning. That means they offer richer features, greater scalability for larger teams, and a vastly improved learning experience. Plus, leading providers continuously improve their software.

That’s why, in this article, we’re focusing exclusively on standalone authoring platforms optimized for microlearning – giving you the insights you need to choose the best one.

How to choose the best microlearning platform

How do you choose the right authoring platform to create microlearning? Ask these five questions before you commit. 

1. How easy is it to use? 

Microlearning platforms vary hugely in how user-friendly they are. Some are suitable for the complete newbie, while others require technical expertise. Consider your team’s skills and how quickly you need to produce microlearning.

2. How customizable is the look and feel?

Some tools offer only basic branding options, like fonts and logos. Others give you ultimate design flexibility for serious visual flair. If you’re craving extra pizzazz, just make sure you won’t need a graphic design degree to pull it off.

3. What components does it offer? 

Most authoring platforms include standard components like text, images, and multiple-choice questions. Some go way further with advanced interactive features that let you truly customize how you present your microlearning.

4. Does it facilitate collaboration and feedback? 

Got multiple team members working on the same microlearning? How about stakeholders who need to review before launch? If so, collaboration features are crucial. Look for software with central asset sharing, version management, and review tools.

5. Does it support mobile learning, accessibility, and translation?

For do-anywhere microlearning, seamless performance on mobile devices is a must, and most top platforms offer this by default. Accessibility and translation features can vary greatly though, so be sure to pick a platform that meets your learners’ needs.

The 5 best microlearning platforms

Lots to think about, right? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover the top five microlearning platforms and find your perfect match.

1. Elucidat

Summary: Elucidat strikes the perfect balance between ease of use and customization, making it an excellent all-rounder for creating slick microlearning.

Notable features: PowerPoint import, ready-to-use templates, free stock images, and an Auto-Translate feature make for a rapid authoring experience.

Pros:  It’s quick and easy for anyone to create quality microlearning with Elucidat – even complete beginners. The plethora of component options prevents microlearning experiences from feeling repetitive, and visuals are highly customizable, with no graphic design expertise required. Built-in features make collaboration, reviews, accessibility, and translation a dream.

Cons:  Elucidat is less cost-effective for small projects, making it better for producing content at scale. Some of Elucidat’s cooler features, like social learning, take time to master. 

2. Articulate Rise

Summary: While Articulate Storyline gives advanced authors ultimate flexibility, its little sister tool Rise offers a beginner-friendly way to create basic microlearning. 

Notable features: Pre-built course templates and an image library help streamline development.

Pros:  If you already have an Articulate 360 license, Rise is included at no extra cost, making it a great go-to for simple, clean-looking microlearning. Its review and collaboration features keep development hassle-free.

Cons: Very limited visual design and component options can leave microlearning feeling repetitive. Rise also lacks strong translation and accessibility features.

3. EasyGenerator

Summary: The clue’s in the name. EasyGenerator makes developing microlearning straightforward while foregoing the frills offered by some other tools.

Notable features: Along with an image library and pre-built templates, there are built-in options to record video and an auto-translate feature.

Pros:  For creators looking to build a small amount of simple microlearning, Easygenerator makes development, well, easy. Video and screen capture features are a bonus for creating multimedia microlearning.

Cons: Customization is limited, leaving content looking pretty similar, with more exciting interactions simply unavailable. An extra preview step slows down development. EasyGenerator isn’t optimized for managing large-scale content, so it’s not ideal for big teams.

4. Adapt Learning

Summary: Open-source platform Adapt offers the Adapt Learning tool. There’s one big advantage: it’s free! But to unlock the full potential of Adapt, you’ll need a developer’s help. 

Notable features: An online community offers support instead of professional assistance.

Pros: Did we mention it’s free? Plus, Adapt Learning makes it reasonably easy for beginners to create microlearning. With access to a developer, you can dial into the full power of the Adapt framework, hugely increasing your options.

Cons: The authoring experience is somewhat clunky, with an extra preview step slowing things down. Without developer input, microlearning feels basic and repetitive. Adapt lacks any review or translation features, and there’s no support team if you get stuck.

5. Evolve

Summary: Evolve avoids the middle ground, instead catering to two groups: beginners creating basic microlearning and skilled creators seeking advanced features.

Notable features: Pre-built templates help novice authors, while advanced options include novel interactions not found in other tools.

Pros: It’s quick to create basic courses using Evolve’s templates, but customization is where the platform truly shines. Authors with enough time and the right skills can create tailored, highly interactive learning experiences that make microlearning feel different.

Cons: The features that set Evolve apart can be time-consuming and challenging for less experienced authors. Without the right skills, you’re restricted to very basic content creation. Evolve also lacks an image library, and its weak collaboration and translation features make it suited only to smaller teams.

Conclusion

Who says you can’t have it all? With the right authoring platform, anyone can create engaging, effective microlearning – minus the hassle. 

Every microlearning platform has its pros and cons, so the best choice depends on your organization’s unique needs. Consider ease of use, customization, and scalability when deciding. 

To get started, check out a versatile authoring software like Elucidat. Book a demo and get a free trial to see microlearning creation for yourself.

Keen to see some microlearning examples that have been created in Elucidat? Check out these inspiring microlearning examples.

With so many jumping on microlearning’s bandwagon, is it the big L&D heist many experts argue – or is promise lurking? As always, it comes down to execution. We’ve shared 6 top microlearning examples and best practice tips to help you hit the mark.

What is microlearning?

Microlearning is a way of providing short, focused pieces of content to an audience. It’s not a new idea, and the effectiveness of microlearning has been debated within the learning and development industry. Bite-sized courses don’t necessarily equal good learning. However, in the right context, it can be highly effective.

Why consider microlearning?

In a world where people are checking their smartphones 9 times an hour, and competition for attention is now extra fierce, it’s no wonder that shorter digital learning content is becoming more popular.

Zoom fatigue in the wake of lockdown has also meant that average learning session times have decreased from 20 to just over 4 minutes, on average.

Modern workplace learners want to access elearning courses on mobile devices, on the move and in stolen pockets of time – on trains, over breakfast, before meetings. If you want to gain traction for your content, you should consider how to target those tiny windows of opportunity. Mobile microlearning is one method of offering on-the-go learning on any device.

When designing microlearning, it’s key that the bite-size learning format isn’t used as a vehicle to deliver lots of content randomly. That would misuse the small amounts of time modern learners have and disable the learning from sticking. The best microlearning tools utilize the pockets of time effectively, not overloading the learner with information which is unlikely to lead to worthwhile changes in behavior.

An introduction to microlearning theory

Microlearning theory is based on a concept by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus and his trials on human memory. Ebbinghaus pioneered the ‘forgetting curve’ which illustrates how much information the brain can retain over time, and how quickly people typically forget new knowledge they have acquired. According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, people only retain 21% of what they learn within a month. 

Microlearning provides a solution to this by adopting a ‘little and often’ approach. Learners are much more likely to retain information if it’s broken up into digestible pieces that they can revisit on a regular basis.

Benefits of microlearning

Could microlearning be an effective approach to help you reach your L&D objectives? Here are just some of the key benefits of microlearning content.

Quicker and easier to consume

As the name suggests, microlearning focuses on small snippets of information. These bitesize training modules are quick and easy to consume, meaning your employees can still learn alongside their other day to day tasks, without disruption.

Allows for flexible learning

The concise nature of microlearning means that learners can fit it around their busy schedules and complete modules on the go. It’s also well-suited to mobile or tablet devices, enabling employees to pick it up at a time that suits them, from wherever they are

Learners can choose their own path

Microlearning enables learners to adopt a fluid learning schedule by choosing which topics they want to tackle when and setting their own pace. Offering learners this flexibility can help to keep them engaged and support different learning preferences.

Higher learner engagement

It can be challenging to keep learners engaged for long periods of time, especially for topics such as compliance and soft skills. Keeping the content concise and giving learners the freedom to choose which topic to focus on can help to keep them engaged and focused./head

It is easier to digest resulting in higher knowledge retention

Microlearning follows memory retention best practices by offering small blocks of learning that can be revisited regularly to engrain new knowledge. Delivering training in small segments also allows for the learner to focus on one idea or concept at a time, instead of having to try to absorb a lot of information at once.

Challenges of microlearning

While there are numerous benefits of microlearning, it doesn’t come without its challenges, most of which can be addressed with the right LMS or authoring tool. 

Managing vast amounts of content

Unlike more traditional corporate elearning formats where content is split into 20 or 30 minute sessions, microlearning content may only be 5 minutes long which means you’ll need more content to cover all topics. You may have more to organize and maintain within your LMS which can be time-consuming.

Ensuring design and branding consistency across all content

It can be difficult to keep the look and feel of your microlearning content coherent, especially if you’re creating it at scale with input from multiple team members. Opt for an authoring tool that allows you to create customizable templates and change logos or images across multiple content assets in just one click.

Achieving the right level of detail

Striking the balance between making your microlearning content short and engaging whilst also detailed and informative can be challenging. When building your content, be sure to enlist the help of your Subject Matter Experts who will be able to ensure the content is impactful and includes all the key information the learner needs on each microlearning topic.

Here are some ways to deliver microlearning, smartly.

6 microlearning examples

Some of the microlearning examples here have been produced using Elucidat’s pre-build templates and can be gifted into your Elucidat account (or free trial). This feature helps you create high-quality engaging content 4x faster!

Microlearning comes in all shapes and sizes. Some example formats and techniques you could consider include:

1. Quizzes and games

Test your learners’ knowledge with short and snappy quizzes that allow them to gain instant feedback and have fun along the way! 

2. Microlearning videos

Easily one of the most engaging formats, video-based learning can break down larger, more complex topics into interactive modules for learners to follow. 

3. Action-led microlearning 

This microlearning example encourages learners to be reflective and actively engage with the content by putting their own plan together for developing their skills instead of passively absorbing information.

4. Short scrolling pages 

A one-stop scrolling page allows users to access all the information they need on a topic in one, easy-to-follow format. This makes it simple for learners to extract the key highlights of a topic and understand the order of linear processes. 

5. Microlearning masterclasses 

Combine short segments on theory with speedy demo videos and expert tips to create a comprehensive masterclass menu that learners can work through in small increments.

6. Practical on-the-job learning

This type of microlearning focuses solely on practical, action-based content that users need to focus on their job more effectively. No theory, no time-wasted, just useful, relevant training available on the go. 

Take a look at some of these microlearning examples in practice below.

1. Testing knowledge with interactive training

When employees are developing their skills, theory isn’t enough. To improve, learners need to reflect on their current skill level, understand the practical steps they need to action, and commit to practicing on the job – and that’s where interactive microlearning can help. 

See this example

This microlearning example of how to manage remote teams shows how microlearning principles can support this process of skill development.

Why it works:

• After kicking off with an attention-grabbing statistic about remote teams, 5 top tips are presented on dedicated pages. This consistent design approach helps to deliver microlearning content in short bursts while keeping a focus on practical steps
• Crucially, learners don’t just read the tips; they are encouraged to reflect on which ones they want to implement in their teams
• At the end of the elearning, each learner creates their own action plan, committing to put their new knowledge into action
• This helps employees take ownership of how they develop their skills, particularly where there’s not just one ‘right way’ of doing things

This microlearning training example was created using one of Elucidat’s pre-built templates – meaning you can use this template yourself to quickly build your skill development training!  This template is free and available to all Elucidat customers and free trial users.

2. Microlearning for briefing global company updates

Your busy employees are focused on enhancing their skills, making it essential to provide information in a concise and easily understandable manner. This microlearning setup enables you to promptly convey the steps in a brief and uncomplicated process. It allows room for presenting examples, posing questions, and summarizing the main learning points in multiple languages.

Elucidat’s Auto-Translate and multi-language export features have been used to reach a global audience!

See this example

Single-scrolling pages like those used in this quick briefing microlearning example are great for sharing policy updates quickly and in an easily digestible way. This is particularly important when changes take place in the business. 

This is a great interactive elearning approach for:

• Employees working in busy environments with little time for elearning
• A blended learning journey comprised of short bursts of elearning that can be taken at the learner’s own pace

3. On-the-job support

Learning shouldn’t be separated from the day job. Short, snappy performance support resources designed to be used “on the job” make corporate elearning practical. They often go down well with learners, as they’re designed to be succinct and useful above all else.

See this example

This example of a product knowledge resource illustrates how a well-designed, responsive digital resource can put practical performance support literally in the palm of a salesperson’s hand.

Why it works:

• It’s pared right back to only the practical content the user needs to do their job
• Images and formatting help to highlight key information at a glance
• It offers true on-the-job reference support, as well as just-in-case learning
• There’s a clear structure, so it’s easy to dip in and out at the point of need
• It works seamlessly across devices (crucial for real-time performance support)

4. Step-by-step compliance process

Many compliance courses are primarily created to fulfill a requirement and check off a box. While compliance training is mandated by law, its significance extends beyond mere legality. The ultimate objective is to effect behavioral change and assist your employees in making the appropriate decisions. Therefore, your training must truly resonate with the participants. 

See this example

When learners are required to understand a practical compliance process, it is vital to present it in an easily understandable manner. This example demonstrates how a visual menu can be used to divide the steps of a process, ensuring clarity without losing sight of the overall context

Why it works:

• This visual menu shows each step of the process as individual topics, presented in the sequential order of the process. Providing learners with an overview of the entire process at a glance, helps them grasp the bigger picture before delving into the specific topics for detailed information.
• The design of each topic can be adjusted to accommodate the complexity of the process. In this particular example, each topic offers a concise overview of the step using a single interaction, allowing the course to serve as a quick refresher module as well. For more intricate processes, this approach can be expanded by incorporating multiple pages within a topic.
• A concluding case study reinforces the steps by demonstrating how the process can be applied in real-life scenarios. It is accompanied by a summary, directing learners to additional resources for further information.

5. Scrolling ‘what, why, how’ page

Scrolling pages give learners a user-friendly, immersive, and efficient learning experience, greatly benefiting their upskilling journey. This form of microlearning is flexible as learners can easily scroll through content at their own pace, helping to maintain their focus

See this example

Keep process-based microlearning practical with a focus on what learners need to do, why they need to do it, and how to go about it. This microlearning example about how to wash your hands offers a one-stop-shop resource to upskill learners.

Why it works:

• When you’re training on a simple and practical process, a short scrolling page that focuses on what, why, and how cuts straight to the core information 
• The scrolling design is perfect for explaining a linear process for the first time as it shows the whole process on one page
• The content is broken down into clear visual sections and headings. Each section only takes around 1 minute to interact with, making it manageable and easy to digest 
• It’s also simple for learners to skim when they need a quick refresher late

6. Quick onboarding for practical tasks

New starters have a lot to take in those first few days in their role, but you can ease the learning curve by providing quick, focused overviews. This retail microlearning example showcases how to design your onboarding training to be memorable and make the learner feel less overwhelmed in the onboarding process. 

See this example

This one-page digital onboarding experience aims to get new or redistributed staff up to speed quickly by focusing on the essentials. Scrolling pages present information in a clear and concise manner, reducing the time required to complete the course or acquire specific knowledge or skills.

Why it works:

• Practical tasks are broken down into clear, simple steps, making it easy for new staff to get up to speed in a short amount of time
• Video demonstrations and checklists provide further support
• In-page navigation makes it simple for learners to complete each section of the page
• The scrolling design makes it easy to refer back to the content on mobile devices

This onboarding microlearning was built with a Elucidat’s pre-built template and it’s available to all Elucidat customers and free trial users.

Expert tips to get your microlearning strategy to deliver

1.  Be the answer

If there’s one lesson to take away from why Google is so popular (and obviously there’s a lot more than this!), it’s because it answers your questions.

We could call this the three S approach:

• Situation – Got a flat tire.
• Seek – Look up how to fix it.
• Solution – Fix it.

In a corporate training context, it can be tempting to take a whole course on; for example, conducting performance reviews and breaking it into bite-sized chunks to make it “micro.” But this can still miss the mark. A manager about to conduct a performance review will have specific needs, such as being unsure when to deliver constructive feedback or how to deal with a certain challenge in the conversation. A performance review is a scenario that will be different for everyone, every time, so the digital learning needs to reflect that.

Run a survey to ask your audience what they need help with, and see the results in your analytics dashboard. Then, start designing for microlearning content for those needs.

Nick Shackleton-Jones, who rails against the microlearning hype, explains how taking a Q&A approach helps shape resources that are useful and short – read his thoughts here.

2.  Be useful

Armed with evidence of what your audience actually needs – as well as some evidence of specific performance gaps that need to be closed – you are now in a good position to create short, focused resources that are genuinely useful.

Ignore the plethora of content you might have up your sleeve, and instead, focus on designing resources that provide the answers to those questions you’ve uncovered. Work in specific solutions to the problems your audience is likely to come up against.

Concentrate on the media that can best deliver the help that’s needed. Use videos of experts answering specific questions, PDF downloads, infographics, digital guides, interactive diagnostics and more. Curation is king here – the microlearning examples above all do this really well.

3. Be holistic

We don’t tend to practice skills or behaviors in a siloed way, but instead, deal with what’s in front of us.

A huge benefit of going micro with your digital learning is that you can enable individual learners to build up competency and skills in incremental steps with spaced repetition – keep them coming back to your product for more!

If you’re brave, you’ll not only go micro, but do it holistically. Consider being topic agnostic and designing a microlearning strategy that focuses on enabling individuals to work toward personal improvement goals. For example, goals to perform as better team members, self-leaders, collaborators, motivators, creators, leaders of others and more can each share the same resources – as well as some that are particular to that area. Users can be empowered to use the resources and experiences on offer to reach an overarching goal, with a little guidance.

Check out the way curious.com approaches its microlearning topics.

While not all learning is workplace related, chances are you’ll inspire more people to use your content if there’s an obvious personal development goal (i.e., Do I put a hazard sign up over the spill in the kitchen because of my health and safety training, or because I care about others?).

Re-think your categories and tag multiple resources so they can sit under multiple “holistic” umbrellas. The added benefit to designing holistically? Your microlearning strategy can help you identify and build business leaders for the future.

4 microlearning approaches you might be missing

Want your microlearning to work harder? These advanced approaches turn up the impact.

1. Gamified microlearning

Make it a game, not a grind: Inject some fun into your training with game mechanics like points, badges, and challenges that reward progress. It’s not just a gimmick – gamification boosts motivation and completion rates.

2. Personalized microlearning

Right content, right person, right time: One-size-fits-all training? Nah. Personalized microlearning tailors content to the learner’s needs, roles, or past behavior – helping them focus on what actually matters. Start small: use branching scenarios or pre-assessments to serve up relevant content, fast.

3. Microlearning compliance training

Make it stick, not tick-box: Compliance doesn’t have to be dull. Break policies down into short, scenario-led modules that show learners the real-world “why.” Instead of one big course, create a spaced learning series with real-life case studies and regular refreshers – easy to digest, harder to forget.

4. Microlearning and AI

Smarter training, less heavy lifting: AI can personalize content, track learner behavior, and even flag knowledge gaps – giving you insights and saving time. Use it to recommend the next steps based on what learners have completed, or auto-generate quiz questions from your content. Clever, right?

3 hurdles to overcome before embarking on microlearning

Cutting down your content still comes with some obstacles you need to acknowledge and overcome.

1. Shine through – Given the amount of digital and workplace tasks and noise thrown at people, microlearning has to be really good to engage an audience at all.
2. Actually help – You’re being paid to improve performance. Working up “content” does not equate to effective learning experiences, or useful performance improvement resources.
3. Personalize – One person’s useful resource is another’s white noise.

Final thoughts

Congratulations for making it to the end of this article. Your attention span made it! (Plus, the whole attention span spin isn’t necessarily true – and neither is the myth about goldfish memory!).

Don’t be scared to go deeper – microlearning isn’t always the right approach. A lot of learning needs dedicated time to build up and stick. Here are some tips on how to deliver with microlearning.

The key to any successful digital learning project is to hone in on the goals and create solutions that work for those and the audience(s). If you’re not sure on the best approach for your elearning project, download our project planning template. Or see this useful guide to elearning best practice, including microlearning!

And, if you’re looking to compare authoring tools don’t forget to check out our best elearning software review blog. Or you can book a demo with Elucidat and start your free 14-days trial now!

Microlearning can be an effective way to deliver learning in short bursts that fits with learners’ needs and busy schedules. But is shorter elearning always better? Find out exactly how to create microlearning that is engaging and easily digestible, yet still creates a learning impact.

Watch the webinar recording to find out why learners respond better to shorter topics and how to create successful microlearning, with examples and tips.

What is microlearning?

Microlearning is a way of delivering content to learners in short and digestible bursts, often at the point of need. It can take various forms, from text to an interactive, but the key is to make it short with a focused and specific learning outcome.

When is it a good fit?

It works well for learning on-the-job, at a moment of need, and as part of spaced learning, where users build up their learning over time through a series of microlearning topics.  It can help drive long-term behavior changes in this context.

When is it not a good fit?

If you have complicated or lengthy processes, high-risk or regulatory subjects where learners really have to understand it in-depth, microlearning might not be the best fit. Unless that is, you are stringing together short topics and activities into a cohesive journey or blend.

5 microlearning tips

Here are our top tips to create microlearning with impact.

1. Purpose – make sure each microlearning topic has a clear purpose and a single learning objective to focus on only what is essential. Be strict about what content to keep and what to lose.
2. Connection – look for ways to quickly engage the learner. They still need to know “What’s in it for me?” upfront and reason for using this piece of content.
3. Flow – use simple navigation and clear signposting, and guide users through a mini-journey. Even if it’s a single scrolling page. Always end with a call to action.
4. Re-use – nothing supports speedy learning more than a consistent interface. Use templates to help you and learners, like those available in our Learning Accelerator.
5. Space – avoid splatter-gunning one-hit-wonders. Create a spaced journey that pieces together microlearning and other resources and activities to form a journey.

5 elearning examples

Here are five key microlearning examples that show the tips in action.

1. Succinct Scrolling Pages

Succinct scrolling pages are perfect to set up a clear flow and sections. This example shows some of the key principles to good microlearning as it has a clear introduction, outro and signposted sections. 

Here is a best practice guide to creating scrolling pages.

Make process-oriented microlearning effective by prioritizing learners’ actions, the reasons behind them, and the methods to accomplish them. This microlearning example, which demonstrates the proper handwashing technique, serves as a comprehensive resource to enhance learners’ skills.

Why it works:

• Training on a straightforward and practical process benefits from a concise, scrollable page that focuses on the “what,” “why,” and “how,” delivering essential information directly.
• The scrolling format is ideal for introducing a linear process, as it presents the entire process on a single page.
• The content is organized into visually distinct sections with clear headings. Each section requires only about one minute of interaction, ensuring manageability and easy comprehension.
• Learners can easily skim the content for quick refreshers whenever needed.

See this example on the Showcase.

2. On-the-job Resources

On-the-job resources are effective for creating helpful resources which users can access at a point of need. 

This is a classic use for microlearning, this product knowledge example supports people on the shop floor. It is focused and can be used when needed or with customers.

Try out this example here.

This particular form of microlearning concentrates exclusively on actionable, practical content that empowers users to enhance their job performance efficiently. It avoids theory, minimizes time wastage, and provides valuable, applicable training that can be accessed conveniently.

Why it works:

• On-the-job elearning resources can be accessed anytime and anywhere, providing learners with the flexibility to learn at their own pace and convenience. This ensures that employees can engage with the training materials when they need them the most, enhancing their learning experience.
• Learners can apply what they learn directly in their work environment, helping them to see the direct relevance and practicality of the knowledge or skills being taught.
• This type of resource is great for those who enjoy short, action-packed learning. The ability to easily jump back into the learning is perfect for those with busy schedules with limited time.

Try this example in Learning Accelerator if you are an Elucidat customer. 

3. Infohubs

An infohub design can link microlearning topics together from a menu, creating a non-linear module for learners to browse.

This works well if you have content that learners can explore in any order, and/or topics that aren’t mandatory to view.

In this example, the module as a whole contains lots of content – but individual topics are micro.

Tips are available on how to set up a menu for non-linear designs, like the OU’s career infohub, in this support article.

See this example from The Open University.

This infohub example focuses on women in engineering. It offers content and resources to enhance understanding and awareness of women’s contributions to the field. The resource aims to inspire and empower women to pursue engineering careers by highlighting role models, addressing challenges, and showcasing opportunities in the industry.

Why it works: 

• Infohubs serve as a central place for elearning content, bringing together various learning materials and resources in one place.
• Infohubs use structured navigation and visual organization to help learners easily navigate through the content, with clear sections, headings, and menus.
• Infohubs allow learners to personalize their learning experience by choosing their path, accessing specific sections, and engaging with content in various formats, promoting a user-friendly and tailored learning environment.

4. In-page Menus

In-page menus can be used to structure content. 

This example uses an in-page progress menu to help learners orient themselves in the learning experience.

Check it out on the showcase.

This concise, one-page digital onboarding experience is designed to swiftly familiarize new or reassigned staff with the essentials. By utilizing scrolling pages, information is presented in a clear and succinct manner, reducing the time required to complete the course or gain specific knowledge and skills.

Why it works:

• The onboarding experience simplifies practical tasks by breaking them down into clear and straightforward steps, enabling new staff to quickly acclimate themselves.
• Additional support is provided through video demonstrations and checklists, enhancing understanding and facilitating the successful completion of tasks.
• In-page navigation streamlines the learning process, allowing learners to easily progress through each section of the page.
• The scrolling design ensures easy access to content on mobile devices, enabling learners to refer back to information whenever needed.

Elucidat customers, you can try this example in Learning Accelerator here.

5. Spaced Learning

Spaced learning is great as it combines different microlearning approaches from guides, activities, examples and games into a spaced out journey. This allows learning to build up cumulatively and gives space for reflection and application.

Watch expert Stella Collins for further views on how to make learning stick. 

Why it works:

• Spaced learning promotes better retention of information. By spacing out learning sessions over time, learners have the opportunity to review and reinforce the material multiple times. This repetition helps to strengthen memory consolidation, making it more likely for learners to retain the information in the long term.
• The spaced repetition of information prevents learners from getting bored or fatigued, as they are exposed to the material in manageable doses at different intervals. This variation in learning sessions helps to maintain learners’ interest and attention, leading to increased engagement and motivation to continue learning.
• Spaced learning allows learners to practice and apply knowledge over time, promoting deeper understanding and connection of concepts. It facilitates the transfer of learning to real-world situations, enhancing the ability to apply knowledge in meaningful ways, ultimately improving real-world performance.

Summary

Microlearning can be an effective means of driving learner engagement and retention and, most importantly, impact when it’s done with a clear strategy and purpose. It is not effective for every type of learning goal, so don’t force it where it doesn’t fit. If you want to explore further, check out the best microlearning examples and best practice tips to help you hit the mark.

Plus there are lots of other ways to design awesome elearning that delivers impact. See how you can create high-quality, impactful microlearning in this handy guide.

Bite-sized elearning modules are small, self-contained information nuggets. They typically range in duration from 1 to 15 minutes and are usually focused on one or two tightly defined learning objectives. Here are a few examples. In contrast, more conventional elearning modules can take between 30 and 60 minutes (or longer) to consume and have a wider range of objectives. 

Bite-sized elearning is gaining popularity. Our analysis of over 65,000 pieces of digital learning in Elucidat reveals an average session time of 15 minutes, which is actually a relatively long time, given these modern averages.

What is bite-sized learning?

Bite-sized learning (also known as ‘short-form learning’) is as simple as it sounds: breaking down elearning content into digestible chunks, which is easier for learners to work through at a pace that suits them. Also known as microlearning, it makes it much easier for learners to fit into their busy schedules. 

It’s considered to be the modern way of learning, which is both effective and engaging. But what are the benefits of bite-sized learning? 

Here are a few examples of how businesses and employees can benefit from bite-sized learning.

• Increases learner retention – Learners are more likely to remember information when it is presented in small, consumable chunks.
• Suitable for refresher training – Delivering smaller nuggets of information is  a useful and efficient way to respond to evolving business environments when a full training course isn’t suitable.
• Improved employee engagement – Short-form learning increases employee engagement, as it suits the content consumption habits of modern learners. It enables learners to guide themselves through the training materials at their own pace.
• Provides transferable insights – Micro-content supplies job-specific knowledge that learners can apply to their roles straight away. It gives learners the information they need to put into practice. 

In addition to general learner preference for bite-sized learning, here are three great reasons why you should consider adopting it.

1. It takes less time to consume and is more flexible

Employers are increasingly squeezing training into gaps in employees’ schedules, rather than allocating extended blocks of study time. Elearning pieces that are designed to be meaningful in a short session (10-15 minutes) fit more easily into this model.

Available just-in-time

Bite-sized nuggets also tend to be better than larger modules for just-in-time support. For example, if an employee needs a refresher on a seldom-used software feature, they probably want it immediately. In this case it’s more meaningful and convenient for the employee to watch a simple 2-minute video on that particular feature, rather than wading through a 60-minute module that covers all of the software features.

Use flexibly

Bite-sized nuggets can be combined and consumed in flexible ways. For example, one learner can access nuggets A, C and D, and another can access C, B and A, depending on their preferences and immediate needs. Learners only have to work through the topics (nuggets) that are meaningful to them, and access them in an order that meets their needs. You can see many examples of bite-sized learning on our Showcase.

2. Shorter sessions suit modern learners

Our profile of a modern learner reports that workplace learners are keen to consume highly relevant and personalized content, which can be consumed on any device of their choice. More often than not, this is on the fly – 56% of modern learners learn at a point of need, and 28% on their commute to and from work.

But reports from Bersin at Deloitte state that the biggest barrier to learning at work is time.

Whilst we know that true learning takes effort, energy and dedication, many learners struggle to find those windows of concentration. Learning broken into short, bite-sized chunks at least has a higher chance of being used.

Interesting work by Dr. Paul Kelley has shown that intense 20-minute bursts of study, separated by 10-minute breaks, can yield better long-term memory retention than longer, continuous periods of study. This mirrors the evidence found by Peter Brown and Co in Make it Stick.

3. Demand for mobile learning is growing

We know that mobile learning is becoming more important as devices become more powerful and more pervasive in the workplace.

Imagine the difficulty of concentrating on a mobile-based lesson for 40 minutes whilst being jostled on the morning commuter train. The obvious solution is to break modules into smaller, more meaningful chunks.

But that doesn’t mean the nuggets can’t tackle sophisticated issues or be absorbing. To Lie or Not To Lie is an excellent example of an Open University bite-sized nugget that tackles a deep subject in an engaging way. This would only take a learner around 15 minutes to complete, and it is responsive — that is, it adapts and renders well on desktop, tablet and smartphone screens.

Related: Mobile learning design strategy: Why it matters and how to get the best results for your learners

Our top 5 tips for bite-sized learning

Now you know why you should invest in bite-sized learning, here are our top five tips on how you can create effective microlearning materials.

1. One subject at a time

Bite-sized learning means that you have a narrow time slot in which to deliver the information, so you have to decide what subject matter is specific to the learners’ requirements. It’s important to stick to one subject matter at a time and focus on the key takeaways learners are required to know. Get your subject matter expert (SME) to outline what information is vital and should be the key focus of the micro-content. Concentrate on setting as few objectives as possible to avoid getting bogged down with excessive and unnecessary information.2. Increase retentions with a recap

2. Increase retentions with a recap

Although short-form learning is an effective elearning method, there is no clear way of gauging just how much your learners know. Incorporating recaps into bite-sized modules can help assess their proficiency, but remember, it needs to be bite-sized as well! A simple 2-minute test to stimulate and determine their skills will identify learners’ strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to get help with the task.3. Remedy performance gaps

3. Remedy performance gaps

Perhaps the most significant benefit of bite-sized learning is the ability to provide learners with the knowledge they need most. Think about the type of micro-content you create and how it will stimulate learners to focus on specific work-related tasks. In some instances, a simple presentation would do the trick, or perhaps learners would find a game more beneficial depending on the subject matter. 

Find out where your learners’ performance gaps are and how you can tailor your micro-content to address their needs. Which skills or tasks do they use on a regular basis? What skills or tasks are they rarely exposed to?4. Provide a support system of additional resources

4. Provide a support system of additional resources

Bite-sized learning doesn’t mean that your learners shouldn’t benefit from a full-scale learning experience. Ensure that your learners have access to other content formats, which can support various microlearning styles. Give learners the flexibility to access longer-form content or video-based learning to expand their knowledge and skills. It’s important to make sure there are other microlearning formats available to supplement the short-form learning experience to cater for different learning styles, and also to keep learners engaged throughout.

5. Create a bite-sized learning roadmap

If you have a large subject area that requires a lot of bite-sized modules and additional supporting content, it can be extremely difficult to keep track of everything. And if you can’t find everything, then your learners sure won’t be able to either. 

Implementing a roadmap that organizes all of the short-form learning materials will enable learners to easily track their progress, highlighting the modules that are complete and those that are yet to be tackled. It gives learners the freedom to choose what modules they would like to work through next based upon their individual needs. You could even think about creating a personalized bite-sized learning roadmap for each learner.

How to use bite-sized training for real impact

Bite-sized training is all about giving people the right knowledge, at the right time, in the right way – and it fits perfectly into digital learning strategies. Here are three practical ways to bring it to life in your elearning:

1. Quick-hit compliance refreshers

Skip the annual 45-minute slog. Break compliance topics into short, scenario-based modules – like a 3-minute “What to do in a data breach” refresher or a quick quiz on reporting misconduct. Deliver it via email or LMS notifications as a monthly check-in to keep things top of mind.

Try this example

2. Onboarding in easy-to-digest chunks

Instead of front-loading new hires with endless info, serve up daily 5-minute modules – one on your company values, another on using key tools, another on who to ask for what. Learners can work through them at their own pace, and you can build progression with micro-certifications or checklists.

Try this example

3. Just-in-time product training

Got a new product launch? Create short, mobile-friendly elearning nuggets like “Top 3 features to demo,” “Common customer objections,” or “How to explain pricing.” Perfect for sales or customer support teams who need answers on the fly – not a full training course.

Try this example

How can Elucidat help achieve your bite-sized learning goals?

Whether you’re looking to create an effective bite-sized learning experience or require help with your micro-content strategy, Elucidat can help you get the best results from your microlearning content. We have a free guide for some of the best elearning practice tips. 

Our Elucidat Learning Consultancy experts are on hand to help you produce engaging bite-sized elearning to complement your general learning strategy.

In conclusion

The three arguments for bite-sized learning presented here are very compelling from a learner’s point of view. But as a training provider, the good news is that learning nuggets are also quicker to produce and easier to maintain than larger modules!

Find out how Elucidat can help you produce effective bite-sized elearning to work with your microlearning or general learning strategy.

The shift from “courses to resources” has been a hot topic for more than ten years. Many elearning designers chop up their content into bite-sized chunks. But is this more micro than learning? In this article, Kirstie Greany challenges traditional perceptions and shares some ideas on how to create a successful microlearning strategy.

Microlearning: What is it?

It’s certainly a topic of huge industry debate. Many people would define microlearning as simply being about providing learners with tiny bites of learning material rather than longer form modules or courses. These tiny bites could be interactive videos, podcasts, activities, and more. But it’s their length that is key. We’re talking two to three minutes max. Generally, learners have some choice about what they use and when.

Others argue that shorter doesn’t equal better. In theory, making learning bite-sized is a great idea. We know workplace learning often happens in short windows, attention spans are finite, and no one wants to drown in content—especially when the chances of it all being relevant are slim. Even if you don’t read theory about “spaced learning,” your gut feeling would tell you that dishing up ninety concurrent pages of online content doesn’t feel right.

If you’re not sure what microlearning looks like, take a look at these 5 microlearning examples for inspiration.

At Elucidat, we feel that microlearning has more to offer than just being short. Here’s why.

Big or small learning chunks – does it matter?

On a given day, whether I eat an entire cake (i.e., the course) or munch on five or six muffins (i.e., bite-sized chunks), what’s the difference in outcome? For both, I’d probably feel a bit sick. But that’s not the point. Perhaps the cake would make me feel so full I wouldn’t be able to do anything after, whereas the muffins give me the chance to do something in-between.

Actually, the difference in performance outcome is totally dependent on how good the learning experience is in each and how it relates to me and my personal learning and performance needs and gaps. We believe that one of the pillars of people-centered learning is about time well spent – respecting the limited time people have, yet using that to the max for true added value.

Just because something is shorter doesn’t mean it’s better for learning. But there is potential to make something of the spaces in between smaller nudges of learning. But what?

How long should an elearning course be?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — but there is a golden rule: keep it under 15 minutes, ideally closer to 10. The reality is, modern learners are time-poor, easily distracted, and often learning on the go. Long modules? They get skipped. Smart, short training? That sticks.

This is where the microlearning methodology really delivers. By focusing each module on one clear outcome, you help learners get what they need and get back to work – faster and with more confidence.

Where microlearning can work

Structure, spacing, personalization

Where microlearning can have the edge over simpler resource-based approaches is by applying some structure, shape, or journey to how learners use the microbites. 

In our interview with Neuroscientist Stella Collins, she states that repetition is fundamental to brain-friendly learning. Other studies, like those in Make it Stick, show that providing learners with regular challenges that enable them to practice applying skills, not just repeat them, in slightly new situations helps grow competence and memory more than taking challenges all in one go. This is especially the case when those challenges gently stretch learners by getting incrementally harder.

This is where a well-thought-out microlearning methodology really comes into its own and beats older “resources not courses” approaches.

We also see personalized and adaptive learning as a must for effective microlearning strategies. Why overwhelm users with an array of hundreds of shorter topics, when you can provide them with a subset of targeted starting points and recommendations tailor-made for them? Then, depending on how they do and what they need, recommend the most useful next topics for them to continue their personal learning.

Five tips to make your microlearning strategy really deliver

Here are our five quick tips to creating a microlearning strategy that delivers on the “learning” as much as it does the “micro.”

1. Start with challenges 

Using an action-mapping approach or something similar, focus on the activities that will help build competence, confidence, and skills. Then, work back from that to consider what guidance, examples, expert tips, etc., learners might need to help them complete that challenge, particularly if they don’t pass it.

2. Create a scale

Work out which challenges newbies should start with and where they can go from there. You might want to create a single string of challenges that get incrementally harder. Or, in the name of choice, perhaps you offer learners a choice of challenges, all at the same level or at different levels, and each earns them different totals of points.

3. Use scores and rules to personalize the learning curve and create adaptive learning.

You can send out a challenge-based microbite on a weekly basis. Alternatively, you can let learners work through the content more freely, unlocking the next challenge or level as they go. But this is where you can be super smart. Use Rules to track their scores or opinions across multiple questions or content bites. If you know someone is struggling with something, have your authoring tool serve up an extra challenge or set of examples to help them. You can also do this if they are all-stars; stretch them even further with a more in-depth challenge.

4. Build in incentives

Consider allocating scores, badges, or some kind of reward to learners when they complete a challenge. Even a simple acknowledgment at the end to say they’ve passed will suffice. Peer-to-peer incentives are also a strong tactic to use. Use your Analytics Data to highlight how many other learners have made it to a certain level, look to leaderboards, or simply show the results of social polls.

5. Create milestones

Even if the microlearning content is covering a big expanse of skills and competencies, such as leadership skills, don’t let it go on forever. Everyone needs a break, but we also need to feel a sense of completion and greater achievement.

After ten or so challenges, build in milestones that mark when learners have achieved a certain status. Help them celebrate it with social media links, badges, certificates, and more.

How to design microlearning

Microlearning isn’t a difficult concept to grasp. If you’re responsible for creating or delivering online training and are curious as to how to switch to microlearning, the good news is that there isn’t much to learn.

The change has more to do with a mental shift rather than a whole new way of designing. Rather than delivering an hour-long course, the microlearning methodology encourages breaking content into bite-sized nuggets. Easy, right?

There’s no official right or wrong length for microlearning. Most experts suggest two to five minutes as being optimal. However, the amount of time per lesson is largely irrelevant – it’s the content that is important. If each lesson is under 15 minutes, it can be classed as microlearning.

The key concept to remember is that you’re taking one learning objective and allocating that to a single item of content (I’m calling these “lessons”). If you stick to one learning outcome per microlearning lesson, you’re good to go.

How many lessons per course? Well that’s up to you, but a good rule of thumb would be a maximum of ten; any more than that and you may want to consider breaking your course into more modules.

Potential problems to be aware of when designing microlearning

Often the tools that we use to create content work against the principle of microlearning. If you think about some of the more traditional rapid authoring tools out there, they often guide us into using their features to build complex menu structures, adding navigation within the player or browser.

Whilst the software developers are trying to make our lives easier, what happens is that we build huge courses with complex menus, hit publish, and export a single course. Our LMS ends up looking like this:

How should we use the tools?

We should be using the tools to create bite-sized lessons. I would go as far as recommending that you stop using built-in menus from rapid-authoring software altogether.

Take a look at the following elearning course as an example. Whilst it may seem like a small detail, the fact that the menu itself is contained within the elearning course means that the learner is going to have to hunt through the built-in menu to find what he or is looking for.

Now, if this course were broken up into the same components as displayed within the menu, and then individually loaded into the LMS as microlearning, we are immediately giving the learners the choice of accessing the exact content they are looking for.

Authoring tools like Elucidat are so effective because you can quickly create microlearning without thinking about menus – simply login, create your lesson, and publish.

The following is an excellent example of a bite-sized learning intervention – the content is engaging and it takes a learner less than three minutes to pick up some key facts about making a cup of tea!

How to Make a Cup of Tea really embraces the true nature of microlearning; it uses only one page with multiple interactions.

See this template in action

How to use Elucidat to design microlearning

If you’re working as a learning designer, you’ve probably been creating microlearning your entire career.

What do I mean by that? Well, you design each learning intervention one at a time, right? So, rather than bundling them all into the same course, why not just break them down into individual modules?

We’re simply taking a longer course and breaking it down into more impactful, stand-alone lessons that can be delivered individually.

It really doesn’t have to be any more complicated than this, so don’t let this scare you!

The other beautiful consequence of microlearning is that the lessons can still sit together as a longer course, so you’re not going to lose the opportunity to deliver a full “course”, if that is what your establishment demands.

A simple, three-step process

Microlearning content can be created quickly using tools like Elucidat.

1. Select the type of interaction you’re looking to create:

2. Add your content:

3. Release the microlearning lesson:

Final thoughts

As with all things learning and design, there’s no one-size-fits-all. But the key to getting microlearning to work is to consider the following:

• How are you using the spaces in-between the activities?
• How can you work in spaced practice that builds in complexity?
• In which ways can you create personalized and adaptive learning pathways?
• How can you use live data to incentivize and make the experience more social?

Feeling inspired?  Ask us for a free trial, or book a demo of Elucidat and see how we can help you deliver on your microlearning strategy.