Short form content: what does it mean for us, and is anyone actually using Rise microlearning?

Hey DShaw, you’re raising some interesting questions here.

Personally, I do think attention spans have become shorter. Yes, people still binge-watch Netflix and listen to hour-long podcasts, but how are they doing it? Often while multitasking: scrolling through their phones, doing household chores, or working on something else at the same time.

I’ve noticed this in myself as well. I may be consuming the content, but am I actually learning anything from that podcast? Am I really following the plot of the Netflix series I’m watching? Sometimes I’m not so sure.

Regarding my experience with Articulate’s Microlearning tool, we’ve used it a few times. It works well when you only have a few key points to communicate. For example, we currently use the microlearning format to provide short introductions to specific process management methods.

However, we’ve already run into some challenges. Tracking learner completion is not as reliable as it is in Rise. Occasionally, our LMS indicates that users have not completed a microlearning resource, even though they have. With a Rise course, it’s easy to direct learners to the progress bar and troubleshoot the issue, but that option doesn’t exist in Microlearning.

As for our stakeholders, they usually want to include as much content as possible. Learners, on the other hand, generally want to spend as little time as possible on training. Finding the right balance between those two perspectives is often the real challenge.