What are the best ways to design learning programs for different team members?

Depending on how large the team is; it might be challenging to adjust or modify your teams learning curriculum to meet everyone’s learning styles. On this case I always recommend an experiential, hands on, event so everyone can get out of it what they need. Plus it turns learning in to team building! 🦋

1. Know your team: Assess individual needs, learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic), and goals through surveys or interviews. Adapt formats (videos, lectures, hands-on) to cater to each style. 2. Tailor the content: Focus on specific skill gaps and desired outcomes for each member. Offer personalized learning paths with optional modules or varying difficulty levels. 3. Embrace variety: Blend synchronous (live workshops) and asynchronous (online courses) options to fit busy schedules and preferences. Include interactive elements like group projects or peer mentoring for practical application.

What's also important to consider is what's best for the audience that is receiving the training as a whole. You cannot, in most jobs, create the same training but in different formats and you will have to usually pick one type of format to run with. Also consider the subject matter. If it's going to take more than 30 minutes to learn, it doesnt matter how engaging you make the e-learning, learners will switch off. If you are forced to make an e-learning due to other constraints, then split the learning to different modules. In doing so, you can also stagger the release of the learning over time.

With every good learning, comes great evaluation. How else will you know what worked and what did not if you dont follow up with your creation. While you might tick all the boxes in creating a magnificent e-learning and made something award winning or engaging, it means nothing if the learners did not learn the content. Evaluate the learning with feedback forms which can trigger as soon as the learning is complete. Allow learners to submit on the spot feedback for what they just experienced while it is fresh in their minds. 5 or 6 questions that target what you need to know with one of those questions an open feedback on anything the learner wants to share.

When preparing materials for diverse groups, I've adopted a practice of utilizing surveys ahead of the session. These surveys help identify the common needs and the skill levels of the attendees. This approach ensures that the content is tailored to their requirements. Additionally, it's essential to incorporate various learning styles—be it visual thinking, imagination, reading, or hands-on learning—ensuring that the content is multifaceted to effectively deliver information to different preferences in learning.

Start by understanding what the workplace of the attendees look like. Too often trainings are given without taking the time to know who will be in the room with you and what their job really consists of. Cases used need to reflect on that workplace and their jobs.

It is also important to ensure that learning programs are inclusive and address the diverse needs of the different team members. Some team members may have different language preferences or proficiency levels and it is best to ensure that the materials and content can be provided in multiple languages. When presented with case studies, it should reflect diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Conduct an class assessment after training sessions especially for trainings done in more two (2) sessions. Ensure this information is shared at the beginning of the training course. Administer feedback forms to all participants at the end of the training course. Ensure that all training participants' identity remains anonymous providing feedback information on their training experience