Attention spans are shorter than ever. New distractions can reach a worldwide audience at the press of a button. Things move fast in the modern world, and that’s why microlearning is an increasingly powerful tool in training and continuing education. This approach – which breaks down information into bite-sized, easily digestible chunks – is transforming how businesses and educators engage with learners. Consider this guide to be your roadmap of microlearning: we'll define the learning strategy, detail how to effectively implement it in customer and B2B training, and explain why integrating it with a learning management system (LMS) can improve success rates for both learners and businesses.

What is Microlearning?

Microlearning is the process of delivering educational content in small, focused segments that typically last between 2-5 minutes. Each segment emphasizes a specific learning objective, making it easier for learners to absorb, retain, and apply the information.

This approach helps make sure that content is both accessible and engaging, rather than presenting too much information all at once like most traditional training methods. Breaking learning objectives down into brief, targeted chunks of content makes microlearning a particularly good fit for training in B2B training and other environments where learners may work through on-demand and self-paced courses individually.

The Importance of Microlearning in Training

Microlearning has become a cornerstone in modern training programs due to its ability to deliver content in short, impactful segments that resonate with today's learners – making it more viable for trainers and human resources associates trusted with equipping their company’s employees with the skills needed to drive business outcomes. Here are some key reasons why microlearning has caught on to become an essential part of successful training programs:

1. Enhanced retention and engagement: Studies have shown that microlearning can increase information retention by up to 80 percent. This is because our brains are wired to better absorb and recall smaller amounts of information presented in a structured, repetitive manner. Additionally, shorter, more frequent learning sessions keep learners engaged, reducing the likelihood of burnout.
2. Cost-effective and time-efficient: Microlearning reduces content development time by as much as 300 percent, making it a budget-friendly solution for organizations. The short, asynchronous nature of microlearning also allows individuals to learn at their own pace and on their own time without disrupting any other routines.
3. Scalability: Microlearning is highly scalable, making it ideal for your organization whether you’re delivering training to a global workforce or providing timely learning for specific roles at a small business. Microlearning can be easily adapted to meet the needs of diverse learning groups.
4. Improved course completion rates: Data from multiple industries shows that learners are more likely to complete microlearning courses compared to longer traditional training courses. The shorter duration of each session along with the ability to access content on mobile devices empowers learners and leads to higher engagement and course completion rates.
5. Adaptability across learning styles: Microlearning can be tailored to suit visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners’ preferences by easily incorporating various multimedia elements like videos, infographics, and interactive quizzes.
6. Global reach and accessibility: The short, concise nature of microlearning modules makes them easier to translate and localize for different regions. Plus, pairing microlearning with mobile-friendly content formats helps ensure that learners in remote or underserved areas can access the training content they need without the barriers of traditional classroom settings​.

Implementing Microlearning in Customer and B2B Training

When it comes to B2B and customer training, microlearning provides businesses and educational content creators with an added dimension of versatility while maintaining effectiveness. Here’s how you can put microlearning to work in your training programs:

1. Onboarding and product training: For customers and business partners, the onboarding process can sometimes be overwhelming. By breaking down complex information into manageable modules, microlearning helps learners grasp essential concepts without feeling overcome. For instance, you can create micro-courses that introduce key features of a product like an LMS, explain how to use them, and provide troubleshooting tips.
2. Compliance and skills development: Microlearning can transform experiences that can be otherwise tedious, like compliance training, by delivering content in brief, quickly-completable lessons. Similarly, for skills development, microlearning allows employees to build competencies gradually, with each session focusing on a specific skill or concept.
3. Performance support: Microlearning is ideal for just-in-time training, providing employees with the information they need at the moment they need it. This is particularly useful in industries where employees must quickly adapt to new technologies, processes, or regulations.
4. Scenario-based learning: Incorporating scenarios into microlearning modules can help learners apply their lessons in real-world situations. For example, scenario-based microlearning can simulate customer interactions in B2B settings, allowing sales teams to practice responses to various client concerns or objections in a safe, controlled environment to help hone skills and build confidence.
5. Gamification and quizzes: Adding elements of gamification, such as quizzes and challenges, to microlearning can significantly boost engagement. These interactive components make learning fun, encourage learners to actively participate in their education, and can often serve as a quick assessment tool to gauge their understanding of the material​.

The Role of a Learning Management System (LMS) in Microlearning

As with any training or professional development program, a robust LMS can complement and elevate your microlearning strategy to new levels of success. Here’s how:

1. Streamlined content management: An LMS enables you to organize and manage microlearning content efficiently. You can easily create, update, and distribute micro-courses across your organization and ensure that learners always have access to the most up-to-date information and skill-based knowledge for their job roles.
2. Personalized learning paths: With an LMS, you can create personalized learning paths that cater to the individual needs of learners, making sure that you are continuously delivering content that is relevant to their role, experience level, and learning style.
3. Tracking and analytics: Any worthwhile LMS will provide you with reporting analytics and data tools that you can use to glean valuable insights into learner progress and engagement, as well as course completion rates and other key performance indicators related to training. This data allows you to thoughtfully, continuously refine your microlearning programs, ultimately maximizing their effectiveness and helping you drive business results.
4. Mobile accessibility: A modern LMS should be built to support mobile learning, allowing your audience to access microlearning content anytime, anywhere. This flexibility is particularly important in today’s fast-paced work environment, where employees may need to learn on the go.
5. Integrations: Microlearning is most effective when integrated with other learning methods. An LMS can help seamlessly blend microlearning with traditional eLearning courses, webinars, and in-person training sessions, creating a comprehensive learning experience for any organization. Likewise, integrations with tools like video conferencing solutions and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms will help you keep your data aligned and your techstack operating efficiently.

Build Your Microlearning Strategy with Academy of Mine

By delivering content in short, focused bursts, microlearning enhances information retention, boosts learner engagement, and provides a cost-effective solution for organizations of all sizes – and all of this is amplified when microlearning is deployed with the content management tools, personalized learning paths, and comprehensive tracking and analytics of an LMS like Academy of Mine.

Our LMS is designed to support microlearning initiatives, whether you’re creating your content from scratch or migrating it from another system. Ready to take your training programs to the next level and boost learner engagement? Book a demo with Academy of Mine today!