Even though we live in a hyperconnected world thanks to the internet, social media, and smartphones, our attention span is undeniably in crisis.

The abundance of information hinders us from focusing on a single thing, and studies already warn us that our attention span doesn’t exceed 8 seconds! If we add theories like the forgetting curve, which claims that 80% of what we learn will be forgotten within 30 days, it’s clear why organizations are gradually moving away from traditional learning to adopt microlearning.

The essence of microlearning lies in a cognitive framework that acknowledges the natural attention span of human beings. It involves micro-content capsules that a learner can complete in a period of 2 to 5 minutes, targeting a specific learning objective. In other words, it is based on the belief that people acquire new skills in small segments.

This learning approach is employed for both formal and informal learning, emphasizing an action-oriented focus that encourages learners to understand, act, and practice. In this way, it reduces the likelihood of exacerbating the attention crisis.

Learning should be dynamic.

Microlearning isn’t just about breaking down a 20-hour training into small parts. It requires considering the larger learning objective and then choosing the appropriate tool: videos, mobile apps, infographics, games, quizzes, or animations. All of these should be designed to meet the mandates of knowledge acquisition, application, and behavioral change.

Perhaps the easiest way to start is by extracting critical learning points from your existing content and creating small independent courses. This provides actionable feedback on what is useful for the future. Whether your goal is to retrain individuals, optimize the management process, or ensure a higher level of training, microlearning can make a difference.