A Short Rant About Boring Learning Videos!

In the first of a three part series, I have shared the learnings from my conversations with some of the very best learning leaders out there on the trials and tribulations they have faced in engaging with learners over the years. Let’s jump in!

One of the major issues learning leaders face today is the reluctance of learners to sit through dull & boring training videos. In-person training is time-consuming, expensive, and frankly not the best approach in these crazy times. Understanding the 'why' behind the frustration that training videos often cause is the first step toward solving it.

My conversations with L&D leaders over the last 5 years has made it clear that learning videos are not a panacea, they need to be produced based on the need. If L&D teams put out long-form videos and try to cover a vast topic in a single session, learners run for the hills. The short-term (and a somewhat popular) solution, of course, is to create short 3-5 minutes videos. However, time and again they have proved to be ineffective in imparting quality knowledge about a topic. And also, this style requires L&D teams to put out more videos on a single topic that the teams may or may not complete.

Is this problem restricted to L&D leaders alone? Nope!

Massive open online courses (Udemy, Coursera, etc.) are prominent examples where learners register for courses only to drop off because it was boring/tedious for them. Ultimately, it is both a financial and time loss for the company, as the employees are not getting the proper knowledge from the videos that cost an arm and a leg.

A viable alternative that I’ve seen work is creating 15- 25 minute videos that allow learners to learn at their own pace, interact and engage with the video. To make the deal sweeter for the employees, one can also think about announcing incentives based on scores or completion of a course in the form of prizes, vouchers, bonuses, etc. Additionally, learners get more involved in training when they earn an official qualification or certificate at the end of a course, according to experience.

Effective training allows learners to advance in their careers, and provide businesses the competitive advantage it needs, and it is within our control to put together training programs that benefit our learners. It’s time we rethink how training videos are made!

Source: This blog first published on LinkedIn.