Learning a new skill can take a few hours to a few days, but mastery of that skill, according to Malcolm Gladwell, can take upwards of 10,000 hours. While some dispute this 10,000-hours-to-mastery claim, it’s clear that proficiency takes practice, measurement and drive.
How does this apply to creating skill development training — especially online skill development training? Beginning with the end in mind: a performance-centered approach to build training that incorporates additional learner testing and calibration of the solution. But focusing on the final result isn’t enough. The learning experience (LX) needs to be built in an environment where learners can feel safe to explore and supported to thrive. Learners need to be able to experience tailored and meaningful interactions that are rooted in real-world applications. Points along the LX journey will enhance and grow learners’ confidence in making decisions based on their new skills. On top of all that, there needs to be a way to improve accuracy, proficiency and overall performance with lots of practice opportunities that translate to on-the-job behaviors.
A Measured Approach: Where to Start With Skills Development Training
What gets measured improves — a phrase commonly attributed to management theorist Peter Drucker — is especially true in L&D. However, it can be a sticking point when learners are hesitant to be measured. Measurement in learning isn’t an afterthought but a necessity in designing a truly effective skills development program.
By framing measurement to empower learners, enhance and personalize their training experience, and support their professional growth, L&D leaders can foster a more positive attitude toward the process. This helps learners understand that measurement is not about scrutiny but about creating a path for continuous improvement and success. It is imperative to set expectations for them and explain why their results are a vital part in creating a better experience for all learners.
Practicing the skills the learners are trying to master, whether interpersonal or technical, yields better results when they have access to individual feedback. The best way to do this is by building in plenty of informal practice to build their confidence. Let them know what is a formal assessment and what isn’t. When it isn’t a formal assessment, assure them that any data on their performance is being used only to personalize the learning experience and that it isn’t an evaluation. When done right, the measurement becomes a stepping stone, rather than a stumbling block, bringing learners to a higher level of proficiency. When learners are offered immediate feedback, for example, they can more clearly see the value of measurement.
When technology fits measurement seamlessly into the LX, the learner becomes more comfortable with the process and L&D teams can see what is working and adjust accordingly. A professional vendor can analyze whether your legacy tech will fit the bill and offer low-tech or low-cost strategies for reaching your training goals. AllenComm transformed the existing training for USA Clay Target League into a more engaging skills training program that appeals to a modern audience and builds confident coaches and student-athletes from the ground up.
Moving From Theory to Practice: Making Skills Development More Hands-on
The LX journey is most impactful when it goes beyond simply providing information or pushing knowledge. It’s about creating relevant learning moments that tie knowledge to specific behaviors and skills learners will need to succeed in their roles.
Many traditional learning solutions push too many facts and knowledge acquisition through lectures or quizzes, assuming learners can automatically apply this information. Focusing solely on memorization often lacks the practical application necessary for true comprehension and doesn’t provide proficiency. A more effective approach integrates real-world action and application, where learners review concepts and immediately apply them in realistic scenarios.
From the outset, the skills development training AllenComm built for the USA Clay Target League contains interactive activities for coaches and athletes that review information and foundational principles. That practice enhances retention and builds confidence by allowing learners to practice, make mistakes and understand why an answer is incorrect, preparing them to handle similar challenges more effectively in the future. Additionally, student-athletes are more interested in and ready to participate in events where they will test their skills in the real world.
Creating the right LX for skills training incorporates the learning technologies that facilitate practice. When multiple learner groups need skills training, the technology needs to be robust enough to address growing and changing needs of workers. Adequate time needs to be taken to build a one-stop skills training platform, like the one AllenComm designed for Nestlé, which resulted in a post-training assessment score of 70% and above for learners.
Improving Proficiency and Beyond
Getting great results from skills training is achievable but can seem out of reach when challenges arise. Those obstacles may include not having the right tools to track data, not knowing how to use training tools or having too many to harness them effectively, problems with staff or budgets, and trouble analyzing data and turning it into actionable steps. A trusted training partner can help achieve better results or target organizational goals that previously felt impossible. Learners will feel better prepared as the approach to measurement is adjusted and the skills development LX journey is refined. Ultimately, learners’ proficiency and performance will increase their satisfaction and buy-in because they’ll be accountable for their actions and make informed decisions on the job.
Part of hitting the level of proficiency or accuracy you want learners to achieve will be to carefully define the levels you want to measure. For proficiency, which questions are you asking (or which scenarios are you providing) that target proficiency at all levels? For accuracy, are you gauging only right or wrong answers, or adding more depth by targeting an in-between value? Take a close look at how you can relate the skills training to their actual work environment.
Another part of hitting proficiency goals requires determining whether the practice or assessment items included in the training are realistic or if they’re too abstract. Focus on the ones that matter most. Practice should relate closely to the task or work that learners will actually do.
Conclusion
Skills development training is most effective when it moves beyond theory to focus on hands-on, real-world application. By incorporating interactive activities, practice opportunities and personalized feedback, learners can build proficiency and confidence in their new skills. Measurement plays a critical role in this process. When done right, it empowers learners, enhances their learning experience and supports continuous improvement of both the learners’ skills and the training itself. As Malcolm Gladwell famously suggested, mastery takes time and practice — up to 10,000 hours — but by offering tailored practice and feedback, skills training programs can fast-track learners towards higher proficiency. Leveraging the right technology and learning solutions, like those developed by AllenComm for clients such as Nestlé and USA Clay Target League, helps ensure that training programs are both engaging and effective. By focusing on practical application and aligning skills training with real-world tasks, organizations can drive better results, improve learner satisfaction and ensure their teams are equipped to succeed in their roles.
