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Microlearning is often described as short, bite-sized content. That description isn’t wrong – but it misses what actually makes microlearning so effective.
Microlearning isn’t about chopping long modules into shorter pieces. It’s about designing learning that sticks because it fits into real working days and the way people now consume information.
When it’s done well, microlearning helps L&D teams build training that fits naturally into day-to-day work – supporting performance where it matters most and reinforcing behaviour over time. When people misunderstand microlearning, it quickly becomes fragmented content that looks good on a platform but delivers little impact beyond completion rates.
This guide explores what microlearning really is, how it works in practice, and how to use it strategically within a wider learning approach.
What is microlearning?
Microlearning is a learning design approach centred on brief, targeted experiences, each built around a single objective.
It isn’t new, but its relevance has grown as working patterns, attention and expectations have changed in recent years.
Globally, we now spend six hours and 45 minutes daily on screens, with more than two of those hours spent on social media. As screen time has increased, the way we engage with information has shifted too.
Most of us already follow the principles of microlearning in our everyday lives without really thinking about it. How often have you saved a quick recipe video instead of watching a full walk-through, for example? These moments work because they’re focused, often visual and easy to take in.
In L&D, microlearning applies the same thinking – but as part of a wider learning journey. Rather than asking time-poor learners to complete long courses in one sitting, this approach breaks training into small, intentional moments.
On their own, those moments rarely shift behaviour. Real impact comes when they’re connected and supported by clear pathways, opportunities to practise and reinforcement over time.
When done well, microlearning:
- Focuses on one clear idea, skill or decision at a time
- Is easy to access, often on mobile in a scrollable format
- Fits into short gaps in the working day
- Supports action, not just knowledge
- Can be revisited and reinforced over time
How long should microlearning be?
There’s no fixed length for a learning moment. While two to 10 minutes is often quoted as a useful range, the more important question is what the learner needs to know at the end of it.
The key is to focus on one outcome at a time. Trying to squeeze multiple ideas into a set time limit usually dilutes impact. If something really needs more depth, it’s better to split it into several learning moments than to overload a single one.
What are the benefits of microlearning?
As microlearning is designed with the learner front and centre, it’s no surprise that many employees favour bite-sized learning over more traditional approaches. Research from Software Advice found that 58% of employees would be more likely to use their organisation’s eLearning tools if content were broken into shorter lessons.
But the benefits of microlearning extend well beyond employee preference. Here’s why many L&D teams use it:
1. Learners are more likely to complete training
When learning fits into natural pauses in the working day – say, a coffee break or a gap between meetings – people are far more likely to finish it. By working within these short windows, microlearning removes one of the biggest barriers to completion: finding uninterrupted time.
Research cited by Vouch even suggests microlearning courses can reach completion rates of up to 80%, compared with around 20% for longer courses.
2. Knowledge is better retained – so long as it is reinforced over time
Microlearning isn’t some abstract concept – it’s grounded in learning science, with roots going back to 1885. Psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus coined the ‘forgetting curve’, which describes how quickly we lose new information when it isn’t reinforced.
Without follow-up or opportunities to apply learning, memory drops sharply within hours or days. Revisiting key ideas over time slows this decline, which is why approaches like microlearning, built around reinforcement, are more effective for long-term retention.
3. Learners aren’t overwhelmed
By focusing on one clear idea at a time, eLearning becomes more manageable, helping to avoid information overload. That clarity also makes it easier to put learning into action straight away, rather than having to sift through loads of content to pick out what’s relevant.
4. It’s more efficient to create
It’s a no brainer that shorter courses = less time spent creating them. This allows L&D teams to build and update courses at scale.
A word of warning, though: this efficiency only delivers value when microlearning is designed as part of a wider learning approach. Without that context, faster content creation merely results in broken-up learning.
Microlearning content examples
Microlearning isn’t defined by format alone, but certain channels do mirror how people already engage with information. Mobile-friendly, scrollable content is a good starting point, and this can be supported by interactive or multimedia elements where they add value.
Common microlearning examples include:
- Short videos
- Text-based modules (often in scrollable, mobile-first formats)
- Images
- Sound clips
- Infographics
- Quizzes and knowledge checks
Tips for implementing microlearning into your L&D strategy
Implementing microlearning well isn’t just about slicing up long-form content. It’s about designing moments that fit into a wider learning journey while supporting clear business goals.
Here’s how to approach it strategically:
1. Be clear on what problem you’re trying to solve
Before you dive straight into creating a flashy course, think about your goals. Look at what’s working and what’s not within your wider strategy: where are people getting stuck, making mistakes or lacking confidence?
Learning moments work best when they’re designed to support something specific – a decision, a task or a behaviour. If the goal feels vague or too broad, it’s a sign you need to break it down further before jumping right into design.
A simple test: If you can’t explain what someone should do differently afterwards in one sentence, it’s probably not ready for microlearning yet.
2. Decide what role microlearning will play
Microlearning shouldn’t exist in isolation. Before you create anything, be clear about the role it’s meant to play in your wider strategy.
For example, is it:
- Preparing people ahead of a session?
- Reinforcing learning afterwards?
- Supporting performance in the moment?
- Refreshing knowledge over time?
Being clear about this avoids fragmented content and helps microlearning strengthen, rather than compete with, longer learning.
3. Think about connected moments, not standalone pieces
Individual learning moments should feel complete, but they shouldn’t feel random. On their own, a single moment is unlikely to result in long-term change. Valuable impact comes from how those moments connect and build over time.
Rather than focusing on isolated modules, you need to map out how learning moments link together in a way that works for your employees.
This includes:
- Grouping related content into a clear pathway
- Revisiting key ideas over several weeks rather than all at once
- Using follow-up prompts or reminders to reinforce what matters most
4. Design for how people interact with content
Learning works best when it’s designed for real people, centred around how they engage and interact with information in their everyday lives.
For engaging digital learning, opt for:
- Mobile-friendly, scrollable formats
- Clear visuals and short videos where they add value
- Minimal text, without unnecessary background or context
Microlearning apps or tools that are built with mobile scroll ability in mind, such as Articulate Rise, support this approach more effectively than trying to force traditional course structures into smaller spaces.
5. Build in reinforcement from the start
If learning is going to last, reinforcement needs to be planned from the outset.
That could include:
- Short follow-up moments
- Scenario prompts that revisit key decisions
- Simple reflection or practice activities
Microlearning works best when it’s revisited and applied, rather than completed once and forgotten.
When to avoid microlearning
Microlearning isn’t a catch-all solution. There are situations where it works well – and others where it’s simply not the right approach. If the following scenarios apply, a more traditional long-form or blended learning approach is likely to be more effective:
- You need to build deep expertise on complex subjects
- You’re replacing longer programmes rather than supporting them
Ready to use microlearning more effectively? Talk to us at OL about designing digital learning that supports real performance and business goals.