The global corporate training market size has grown steadily in recent years, and it is projected to increase from $400.94 billion in 2024 to $485.4 billion in 2028 at a growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9%. The learner experience (LX) is crucial for engagement and success, influencing learners' progress through a training program, their success or failure, and overall learning outcomes, including completion and retention rates.
Forward-thinking organizations emphasize the learner experience, motivating trainers to deliver more personalized, relevant, and engaging learning. This experience encompasses a person’s emotions, perceptions, and cognitive processes during learning, considering the entire journey from start to finish.
What is a Learner Experience?
In corporate learning, LX design focuses on creating goal-oriented, human-centered learning experiences. LX design integrates instructional design, experiential learning, project-based learning, and cognitive psychology to offer highly engaging and valuable experiences for learners.
3 Key Aspects of Learner Experience
Let's explore the three key aspects of the learner experience and how they can be incorporated into your next learning program.
1. Individual Learner Experience
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The individual learner experience focuses on each learner's journey during upskilling. It encompasses their personal goals, needs, expectations, skills, and emotions, all crucial factors in the LX design process.
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In upskilling settings, key elements of a meaningful learning experience include engagement, content mastery, and retention. These aspects reflect the quality of training and learner success, underscoring the importance of effective LX design.
2. Group Learner Experience
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The group learner experience centers on how individuals within a group navigate the learning journey together. This includes the group's cohesiveness, the diversity of its members, and the ability of each member to express their unique perspectives and ideas.
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A positive group experience ensures that every member can contribute equally, feel recognized and understood, and influence the project's process and outcome. Effective communication within the group should be reciprocal and respectful.
3. Blended Learning Experience
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Blended learning experiences integrate both group and individual learner experiences to create a comprehensive upskilling plan. These experiences typically combine online or distance learning with traditional in-person sessions.
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Organizations focused on upskilling must design a positive blended learning experience to achieve high-quality outcomes.
Some ways to improve the experience include
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Offering online chat and collaboration features
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Using video chat technology, such as Zoom, to mimic in-person interactions in a digital space
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Balancing online learning with in-person sessions
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Defining clear objectives
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Teaching self-motivation skills
Identifying Gaps in Learning Systems
What's Preventing Admins From Delivering These Solutions?
Using traditional learning management systems (LMS) presents significant challenges due to the technical expertise required to set up intricate systems.
Administrators often struggle to create customized and intuitive learning experiences for users without extensive software development skills.
The traditional LMSs weren't built to meet the needs of the customer, so they frequently had to devise workarounds or find solutions to various issues. Often, systems are designed to facilitate a hierarchical, formal learning model, leaving little room for experiential or social learning.
One of the major challenges with current platforms is their heavy reliance on the LMS admin for everything from platform setup and content creation to recommendations and reporting. This places a significant burden on admins who often have other responsibilities beyond managing the LMS.
Despite the considerable effort admins invest in the LMS, they often struggle to achieve learner buy-in or engagement, largely due to the previously mentioned poor user experience.
Why is it Essential to Incorporate a Positive Learner Experience into your Training?
Learning and development (L&D) initiatives aim to keep employees upskilled, engaged, and empowered, while also demonstrating the company's commitment to their growth aspirations. This is where the learner experience plays a crucial role. It involves creating opportunities for learners to grow and be excited about L&D. Ultimately, focusing on a positive learner experience is essential for achieving better training outcomes.
A robust learning strategy ensures employee satisfaction and fosters commitment, enthusiasm, and productivity. Companies focusing on a culture of learning often enhance the learner's training experience by fostering a supportive environment where continuous improvement is encouraged. This proactive approach not only boosts individual performance but also contributes to organizational resilience and innovation.
5 Strategies for Enhancing Learner Experiences with LMS
Incorporating good learner experience into your training is essential for ensuring your training program’s success.
It’s best to begin with these five strategies
1. Take A Learner-Centric Approach
Organizations understand that enhancing learning initiatives leads to more engaged employees, ultimately boosting productivity and closing skill gaps. It's crucial to rethink how learning is delivered, shifting from an administrative focus to a learner-centered approach. This involves prioritizing learning experiences to foster continuous improvement.
Moving beyond traditional methods like PowerPoint, eBooks, and generic videos, empowers learners to take charge of their learning journey. Emphasizing learning experiences is essential to motivate learners, improve training effectiveness, and enhance knowledge retention.
2. Create Frictionless Experiences
Learning experiences must be intuitive and user-friendly. Expecting employees to engage with something challenging to use is unrealistic. Both learning management systems and eLearning courses should prioritize user experience for a seamless and enjoyable learning journey.
Adopting a "Don't make me think" approach in design ensures effective learning experiences. This involves designing training from the learner's perspective, focusing on accessibility, usability, and engagement throughout the interaction. For example, applying user experience principles from product design can enhance LMS usability, while testing eLearning courses based on audience interest levels helps identify effective elements and areas needing improvement.
3. Build Contextual Customization And Personalization
Understanding learners' job roles and specific needs involves assessing their existing skills and knowledge levels. Observing their content consumption patterns and preferred devices is crucial for developing a learner-centric approach. The goal is to create meaningful learning experiences that enhance job performance. For instance, millennials are adept with technology, making mobile learning more effective than traditional classroom methods or one-way lectures.
4. Enable Continuous Learning
In today's 'anytime, anywhere' era, learner experience must prioritize accessibility due to factors like diverse workforces, evolving daily requirements, and dispersed teams. Learning solutions should facilitate continuous learning and seamless access to information. For instance, salespeople should effortlessly retrieve needed information from their learning repository during meetings, underscoring the importance of mobility in enhancing learner experience.
5. Allow For Ease Of Use Which Is A Great Learner Experience Driver
If an LMS is difficult to navigate, it hinders learning experiences just like poorly designed eLearning courses dampen engagement. Learners must easily navigate the LMS to meet their training goals and objectives promptly. Excessive queries upon login signal usability issues that require immediate attention. Integrating gamification and interactive features enhances engagement and enriches learning experiences, accelerating learning and improving outcomes.
Conclusion
We delved into the critical role of LX in shaping successful upskilling programs. The learner experience encompasses not only the learning journey but also the emotional and cognitive aspects that influence engagement and retention. By emphasizing personalized, human-centered learning experiences, organizations can foster a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.
Disprz offers innovative solutions designed to overcome the challenges highlighted in traditional LMS. The Disprz platform integrates advanced features like intuitive user interfaces, robust analytics for personalized learning paths, and seamless integration with modern learning technologies. These capabilities empower organizations to create dynamic learning environments that inspire learners to excel.
To effectively implement these strategies and elevate your training outcomes, exploring Disprz through a personalized demo is essential. Witness firsthand how Disprz can revolutionize your approach to L&D, driving learner engagement, improving retention rates, and ultimately contributing to organizational success.
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