When it comes time to do some training — whether for the first time or as a refresher — it can be tempting to cram as much information as you can possibly fit into the time you have. But that would be a mistake said the speakers at the Best Practices in Training session Monday at the IFA 2011 Annual Convention.
“The more you cram into a training the less takeaway people get,” said Barbara Carper, president of Profit Soup, “you need to take more time if you want people to learn.”
One way to increase the amount of information that people can take in during a training is to follow the 90-20-8 rule, said Kathy Muller, director of sales, training and development for ICED. Adults can actively listen for 90 minutes at a time, but they will only remember 20 minutes worth of information, so trainers need to break things up every 8 minutes with an interactive activity to lock in the knowledge. The activity doesn’t have to take a lot of time, it can be as simple as taking a question or more complex such as role playing or demonstrating a new skill.
Another strategy is to include plenty of repetition and practice within the training, said Christopher Yellen, vice president of association development and quality assurance for Choice Hotels. That way people aren’t bombarded with more information than they can take in and they get a chance to reinforce what they’ve already learned.
Image credit: shironosov, via iStock Photo