Workflow Learning

March 31, 2020

Workflow Learning

When you are working on a PowerPoint presentation and need to figure something out, what do you do? If you go to the "Help" tab and search for what you are trying to figure out, you are experiencing Workflow Learning.  If you stopped what you were doing and went and attended an in-person or online PowerPoint Skills training class,  you were NOT experiencing workflow learning and instead, partaking in traditional skills training. 

Do you see the big difference? One is done in the course of your normal work and the other requires you to stop and do something different. 

When we deliver safety training, trainees are away from their normal job, and away from the situations where the training class information will be used. This means that the trainee is going to have to transfer the information back to their day to day job in order for the training to be worthwhile.  Sometimes it's necessary to spend a day or more providing training information and teaching new skills but other times, trainees (and you have probably experienced this yourself too) just want the answer when they need it.

Do you build workflow learning into your training efforts? If so, what have you found to be effective? If not, can you think of a few ways to provide this kind of support to your workforce?   Please add your comments below and stay tuned for some suggestions to add workflow learning to your training program in future posts.





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