Rapid Learning: What It Is and How It Works

May 31, 2024

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Written by UJJI Team

If there’s one thing we can all agree upon, it is just how fast-paced our world has become. This makes it all the more necessary for rapid learning initiatives to be established in corporate training programs. 

Rapid learning describes the process of learning new skills and knowledge in a short span. It can also be used to describe the quick creation of new content that is educational in nature. It is an evolution of classic training techniques that helps reduce the overall time taken to create the content, train your staff and help them understand and benefit from it.

In the ever-evolving corporate world, companies need to update their training programs periodically. This ensures that employees are up to date with the most relevant information that will help them perform well at their jobs.

However, it takes a lot of time to create new material regularly. This can lead to a delay in implementing newer training programs. It also becomes an issue when these modules are too complicated and technical to understand. As a result, employees take a lot longer to get comfortable with the concepts and eventually understand what is being discussed.

Rapid learning aims to reduce the overall time taken in this cycle of training. Creating micro-learning modules and content quickly can allow employees to access this information early. They then spend relatively less time while being able to absorb this information quickly. 

In this article, we dive into the details and discuss the various pros and cons of rapid learning. We also discuss how to implement this faster method of training in your organization along with evidence of this model working out in the long run.

Let’s begin then!

Advantages of Rapid Learning

Rapid learning has caught the attention of many training professionals who are constantly looking to optimize their programs. Here are some of the benefits that have made it a popular mode of content creation and consumption.

Time-Saving

The most obvious benefit of rapid learning initiatives is just how much time is saved during the entire process. Those in charge of creating content do not have to spend hours breaking their heads about new content. Instead, they can leverage authoring tools to help them roll out new modules in a matter of days.

Similarly, those consuming modules based on rapid learning do not spend a huge amount of time understanding these modules. Micro-learning and gamified content allow users to absorb the content quickly and efficiently. It also allows employees to go through their modules while commuting to work or taking a short break during work hours, increasing the efficient use of their time.

Enhanced Problem-Solving

Why do companies train their employees? To equip them with new skills that help them tackle new problems that may come their way. Rapid learning optimizes this aspect of training initiatives by focusing its content on solving problems in the real world.

This ensures that employees have the most informative way to tackle issues that they may encounter. It also allows employees to get creative and develop innovative ways to find solutions, which improves their value for the organization.

Increased Productivity

Thanks to rapid learning, employees spend fewer hours in training. It prevents employees from disengaging from boring seminars that are complicated in nature. This allows them to understand what is being discussed better.

The time saved allows them to focus on other important aspects of their job. This allows them to be more productive instead of spending time in training. They are also quickly able to implement these concepts in their daily work, which improves the overall quality of the work they do.

Better Retention and Improved Memory

Rapid learning techniques focus on breaking down complex technical subject matter into easy-to-understand modules. This allows those participating in training initiatives to focus on the most important aspects. The lack of cluttered information makes it easier for them to understand and retain important concepts. 

The use of techniques like visualization and repetition helps employees actively recall these important concepts when required. They are able to utilize this new knowledge in crunch situations, which allows them to optimize their performance as a result.

Challenges of Rapid Learning

While rapid learning has numerous benefits that help training programs in a big way, it also has a few shortcomings. It is important to be aware of these challenges and find unique solutions that cater to your requirements. 

Challenges of rapid learning

Course Monotony

Rapid learning often uses authoring tools based on templates and existing content formats. While it helps reduce the time required to create new training material, many may argue that it creates modules that may feel repetitive after a point.

This could lead to a similar structure and the use of the same techniques over and over again. As a result, employees may start to lose their motivation to complete these modules, making it more difficult to achieve the training goals you have set.

Content Quality

Many old-school learning professionals argue that curating training content requires careful consideration, which takes time. Rapid learning does not spend months creating content thanks to authoring tools. However, the quick turnaround times can have an impact of the quality of content being produced.

Lack of Personalization

Not every employee has the same aptitude when it comes to learning programs. Having a one-glove-fits-all approach to training content can reduce the effectiveness of such programs if personal considerations are not made for who requires the content the most.

Implementing Rapid Learning

Overcoming the challenges of rapid learning can be done by creating a proper strategy. It will allow you to maximize the potential benefits of this learning mode. Here are a few pointers to help you get started.

How to implement rapid learning

Utilization of E-Learning Platforms

Rapid learning has seen the best effect when it utilizes modern training techniques. This includes audio-visual presentations, case study discussions and virtual learning environments. This makes training accessible from remote locations and improves employee engagement.

This makes it critical to invest in a proper e-learning platform that provides you with the best features. From gamified content to learning management systems, they can provide you with an effective way to monitor the progress of your training initiatives. 

Content Reuse

Repurpose your existing content such as training manuals, internal documents and so on. With the help of platforms like UJJI.io, they convert this existing material into newer training modules with the help of rapid learning techniques.

This has a couple of benefits. First, the material acting as the input for such authoring tools is already approved, making it easier to approve and verify. Secondly, they save a lot of time in curating newer and more effective programs for your existing training modules.

Template Usage

Creating structured templates can help reduce the time required to create new training modules. This can be beneficial in situations where a large number of modules need to be created within a short span of time.

However, these templates must act only as a guide to creating new content. Ensure that the focus is on the quality and relevance of the content without being too rigid. Too not spend too long focusing on elements like design and aesthetics. This may distract you from your ultimate goal; creating quality training content that has an impact.

Incorporating Interactive Resources

Technology has opened Pandora’s box when it comes to rethinking learning today. Make the best use of this in your rapid learning initiatives by adding interactive resources to engage your audience. This includes interactive quizzes, multimedia demonstrations and animated demonstrations.

This allows your employees to understand and visualize concepts with ease. As a result, they become more active while participating in training sessions, increasing their overall effectiveness.

Role of Instructional Design

Rapid learning may eliminate the complexities that come with classic training approaches. However, it still adheres to the basics of instructional design that make adult learning effective. Here are some of the best things that will elevate your rapid learning efforts.

Intuitive design

  • Allow users to choose their user interface while going through their modules. 
  • Create personalized content that appeals to a variety of individuals.

Story Telling

  • Leverage case studies and scenario-based concepts for better understanding.
  • Create relatable metaphors and analogies to create familiarity.

Feedback design

  • Create feedback mechanisms that help trainees reach their goals.
  • Curate assessment methods to get the big picture of how effective your content is.

Best Practices for Rapid Learning

Here are some of the things you can do before or during the implementation of your rapid learning initiatives. This will put you in a great position to take complete advantage of this modern training tool.

Best practices for rapid learning

Setting Clear Goals

Get the clarity you need about what you want your rapid learning initiatives to achieve. Is it upskilling employees with the latest industry trends? Or are you reskilling a department to keep up with modern methods?

This will help you understand the relevance of your plans with the people you are looking to train. It will also help you create the required assessment mechanisms and help you plan your strategy around how you would like to go about your training.

Content Preparation

Once you understand your end goal, figure out what tweaks your content needs. While existing material and documents may have the required information, they may lack a sense of continuity. Identify these gaps in training content before leveraging authoring tools to quickly fill these gaps. 

Planning for Curriculums

Curriculums focus on a single topic and help trainees gain expertise in a single topic. They usually follow a sequential model, releasing new content as employees complete existing lessons. 

Curriculum planning is important in creating effective LMS systems. They will allow you to create a repository of all the content related to a given topic. It makes it easy for users to access the content they need, which is especially beneficial for those looking for a refresher course.

Utilizing Online Reviews

Thanks to rapid learning initiatives being online for the most part, it is easy to get course content reviewed. This will help subject matter experts vet your content for potential flaws and gaps and bring it to your notice. 

Utilizing new-age review platforms like ReviewLink allows you to streamline the feedback process. It gives you a single point of contact, which helps you avoid contradictory feedback and ensures smoother communication during the process.

Assigning Roles and Responsibilities

To ensure the proper execution of your rapid learning objectives, ensure that employees have clarity about who does what. This will avoid confusion and streamline the entire process of content creation, making it a smooth process for everyone involved.

A Real-Life Case Study on the Impact of Rapid Learning

doji

Doji, a UK-based e-commerce platform was looking to do its part for nature by promoting sustainable practices while selling its refurbished electronics. However, there was one major obstacle; most of their own staff and suppliers weren’t exactly sure how this was being practiced.

The company had spent considerable time, money and resources to create detailed documents and PDFs, which were either skimmed over or completely ignored by their staff and suppliers. This was mainly due to the boring and complex nature of such documents, instantly reducing their appeal.

With the help of UJJI.io, they sought to bring about a radical change in the way the educated their own staff about the company. UJJI.io used its AI driven algorithms to gather data and break down complex topics into simple micro-learning solutions. It also leveraged rapid learning tools such as interactive sessions and gamified curriculum to increase engagement.

This led to the development of rapid learning content for over 50 policies of Doji. This led to them successfully achieving their goal of giving their staff and partners a better understanding of their sustainable approach. The company saw a whopping 87% increase in the adoption of the policies across various departments.

Tools for Successful Rapid Learning

To leverage the power of rapid learning, you must have the right tools at your disposal. Invest wisely in these tools to help you get the desired results with your employees.

The key to rapid learning is a great authoring tool that helps you provide content at a faster rate. With platforms like UJJI.io, all you have to do is input the documents that form the basis for your training programs. Thanks to its AI-powered algorithms, it produces micro-learning modules in a matter of days to help you shorten your timelines.

Use content creation apps that allow you to quickly produce images, videos and multimedia content on your platform. This gives you the opportunity to make your content more interesting and engaging for your employees.

To support the framework of your training initiatives, it is important that you create Learning Management Systems (LMS) that act as the interface between employees and your curriculum. These systems are designed to monitor progress and help you assess your training methods in real-time.

The last must-have tool is an online feedback and review system. Reviewing your course before it goes live can help you make the final tweaks and also have industry experts go through your material. This will ensure that all the material you have is up-to-date and relevant to the domain you wish to upskill your employees.

Conclusion

Rapid learning has made content creation for training programs a breeze in recent times. It has positively impacted ensuring that training sessions are up-to-date and relevant to what is happening in that domain.

Companies that are looking to create impactful training methods have leveraged this method to make use of its benefits. Its long-term effects have helped upskill employees faster while also driving quicker growth amongst corporates.

At UJJI, we are committed to revolutionizing how you perceive the process of training. Gone are the days when you had to spend months planning how to create engaging training content. Upload your documents and watch our AI algorithms work their magic, curating gamified content and micro-learning modules.

Our curated training content helps you engage your audience more effectively with educational content that they can easily understand and absorb on the go. This will help you achieve personal development among your employees, creating the leaders of tomorrow to take your company to new heights!

If you are looking to take the first step in implementing rapid learning initiatives at your workplace, then begin your demo with us today at UJJI.

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