Group learning at scale: A game of tradeoffs
As the former head of innovation at a corporate health company, I would create programs designed to support culture and behaviour change in large organisations with a vision to support all employees. A key part of these programs involved facilitated group learning experiences. The group part was critical because it was not just about absorbing information; it was about actively engaging with concepts and learning with and from others through rich discussion. However, rolling these out at scale with facilitators was expensive, leading us and our customers to rely on delivering impactful learning to the chosen few—or settling for something less impactful. Eventually, I came to refer to this top-down approach to delivery as “magical dissemination theory.”
Impactful learning to the chosen few
Magical dissemination may sound like something out of a fantasy novel, and to be fair, fantasy is quite a good description. It describes the hope that if we provide impactful learning for a small percentage of the organisation (generally leaders), these learnings will somehow filter down through the organisation to everyone who needs to hear it.
The Neuroleadership Institute also has little faith in the top-down approach:
“But in addition to being exclusive, the top-down training model likely only benefits the top-level leaders who attend…if most people aren’t engaging in the new behaviour—which is likely if only a small portion of the company learns the new habits—employees will continue to engage in old, undesired behaviours since that’s what they see.”
If an organisation truly wants behaviour change, that traditional top-down learning is less effective than putting an entire organisation—or the full target audience— through the same learning experience (which Neuroleadership Institute calls “everyone-to-everyone learning”). Unfortunately, as this comes at significant cost, it often leaves organisations with limited alternatives and a game of tradeoffs.
The tradeoffs of alternative approaches
As we spoke to more and more organisations it became clear that rolling out impactful group learning at scale was a significant challenge. Other than rare examples, such as in 2018 when Starbucks ran a company-wide diversity training shutting down their 8,000 stores for an entire day—organisation wide delivery was seldom attempted. Instead, organisations would make a choice between delivering impactful learning to fewer people or less effective alternatives at scale. Let’s break them down:
Train-the-trainer approach
Train-the-trainer has been the go-to option for corporations for years. While this method does indeed allow for greater scale, it’s expensive and resource heavy. Furthermore, with the number of trainers it requires (and their variable abilities), this approach can lead to inconsistencies in quality. It also takes time to train the trainers, delaying the rollout of learning initiatives.
Leader-led delivery with playbooks
This model leverages company leaders or managers to conduct training sessions using standardised materials or playbooks. The benefit of this approach is its potential to achieve scale—without needing to find an army of trainers—by disseminating training through individuals already in leadership positions within the organisation. However, it heavily depends on the varied capabilities and availability of these managers, who are juggling their regular duties alongside the added responsibility of training. The inherent challenge of this approach comes from its reliance on static materials and the variable engagement and capabilities of leaders, which can result in inconsistent delivery quality, reduced visibility of the learning impact, and varied uptake across different teams.
E-learning and webinars
The rise of technology has unlocked e-learning, course libraries, and webinars as scalable methods for delivering training. These digital formats can reach a wide audience regardless of geographical location, making them highly efficient for reaching dispersed teams. However, their effectiveness is hampered by a one-way communication flow and a more passive learning experience. This method sacrifices the active participation and rich, dynamic discussions characteristic of in-person group learning, impacting the participants’ ability to actively engage with the material, and ultimately, the effectiveness of the learning.
A new approach to group learning
Faced with these challenges, we at Makeshapes were determined to try something different. We built a digital platform that enables effective group learning to take place without the requirement of a facilitator. Essentially, we combined the active engagement and rich discussion of group learning with the scale and on-demand nature of a digital solution, in a format that did not break in a modern hybrid workforce (remote, hybrid, or in-person). This is what we call on-demand group learning.
The results exceeded our expectations. We successfully delivered to thousands of small groups across 30+ countries in five languages, reaching a diverse audience across various industries. We even rolled out to an entire company in just five days. We knew we had something special and believed that we could open up this platform to other enterprises to deliver meaningful learning at scale.
Reimagining delivery with Makeshapes
At Makeshapes, we're challenging the status quo and reimagining what group learning at scale can look like. We believe it's possible to deliver high-quality, engaging group learning experiences to large audiences, without the traditional trade-offs or relying on magical dissemination.
More than just enabling faster, more consistent delivery at scale, Makeshapes provides a consistent vehicle for discussion-rich learning in a psychologically safe way. We see that this opens up new ways to design and deliver learning across an organisation, the same way that e-learning impacted organisations over the past 20 years.
Group learning at scale doesn't have to be a game of tradeoffs or a fantasy involving magical dissemination. With the right tools and approach, it's possible to deliver high-quality, engaging group learning experiences to everyone, regardless of their location, role, or organisation’s size. At Makeshapes, we're committed to making this vision a reality.
challenge
solution
Group learning at scale: A game of tradeoffs
As the former head of innovation at a corporate health company, I would create programs designed to support culture and behaviour change in large organisations with a vision to support all employees. A key part of these programs involved facilitated group learning experiences. The group part was critical because it was not just about absorbing information; it was about actively engaging with concepts and learning with and from others through rich discussion. However, rolling these out at scale with facilitators was expensive, leading us and our customers to rely on delivering impactful learning to the chosen few—or settling for something less impactful. Eventually, I came to refer to this top-down approach to delivery as “magical dissemination theory.”
Impactful learning to the chosen few
Magical dissemination may sound like something out of a fantasy novel, and to be fair, fantasy is quite a good description. It describes the hope that if we provide impactful learning for a small percentage of the organisation (generally leaders), these learnings will somehow filter down through the organisation to everyone who needs to hear it.
The Neuroleadership Institute also has little faith in the top-down approach:
“But in addition to being exclusive, the top-down training model likely only benefits the top-level leaders who attend…if most people aren’t engaging in the new behaviour—which is likely if only a small portion of the company learns the new habits—employees will continue to engage in old, undesired behaviours since that’s what they see.”
If an organisation truly wants behaviour change, that traditional top-down learning is less effective than putting an entire organisation—or the full target audience— through the same learning experience (which Neuroleadership Institute calls “everyone-to-everyone learning”). Unfortunately, as this comes at significant cost, it often leaves organisations with limited alternatives and a game of tradeoffs.
The tradeoffs of alternative approaches
As we spoke to more and more organisations it became clear that rolling out impactful group learning at scale was a significant challenge. Other than rare examples, such as in 2018 when Starbucks ran a company-wide diversity training shutting down their 8,000 stores for an entire day—organisation wide delivery was seldom attempted. Instead, organisations would make a choice between delivering impactful learning to fewer people or less effective alternatives at scale. Let’s break them down:
Train-the-trainer approach
Train-the-trainer has been the go-to option for corporations for years. While this method does indeed allow for greater scale, it’s expensive and resource heavy. Furthermore, with the number of trainers it requires (and their variable abilities), this approach can lead to inconsistencies in quality. It also takes time to train the trainers, delaying the rollout of learning initiatives.
Leader-led delivery with playbooks
This model leverages company leaders or managers to conduct training sessions using standardised materials or playbooks. The benefit of this approach is its potential to achieve scale—without needing to find an army of trainers—by disseminating training through individuals already in leadership positions within the organisation. However, it heavily depends on the varied capabilities and availability of these managers, who are juggling their regular duties alongside the added responsibility of training. The inherent challenge of this approach comes from its reliance on static materials and the variable engagement and capabilities of leaders, which can result in inconsistent delivery quality, reduced visibility of the learning impact, and varied uptake across different teams.
E-learning and webinars
The rise of technology has unlocked e-learning, course libraries, and webinars as scalable methods for delivering training. These digital formats can reach a wide audience regardless of geographical location, making them highly efficient for reaching dispersed teams. However, their effectiveness is hampered by a one-way communication flow and a more passive learning experience. This method sacrifices the active participation and rich, dynamic discussions characteristic of in-person group learning, impacting the participants’ ability to actively engage with the material, and ultimately, the effectiveness of the learning.
A new approach to group learning
Faced with these challenges, we at Makeshapes were determined to try something different. We built a digital platform that enables effective group learning to take place without the requirement of a facilitator. Essentially, we combined the active engagement and rich discussion of group learning with the scale and on-demand nature of a digital solution, in a format that did not break in a modern hybrid workforce (remote, hybrid, or in-person). This is what we call on-demand group learning.
The results exceeded our expectations. We successfully delivered to thousands of small groups across 30+ countries in five languages, reaching a diverse audience across various industries. We even rolled out to an entire company in just five days. We knew we had something special and believed that we could open up this platform to other enterprises to deliver meaningful learning at scale.
Reimagining delivery with Makeshapes
At Makeshapes, we're challenging the status quo and reimagining what group learning at scale can look like. We believe it's possible to deliver high-quality, engaging group learning experiences to large audiences, without the traditional trade-offs or relying on magical dissemination.
More than just enabling faster, more consistent delivery at scale, Makeshapes provides a consistent vehicle for discussion-rich learning in a psychologically safe way. We see that this opens up new ways to design and deliver learning across an organisation, the same way that e-learning impacted organisations over the past 20 years.
Group learning at scale doesn't have to be a game of tradeoffs or a fantasy involving magical dissemination. With the right tools and approach, it's possible to deliver high-quality, engaging group learning experiences to everyone, regardless of their location, role, or organisation’s size. At Makeshapes, we're committed to making this vision a reality.
challenge
solution
Group learning at scale: A game of tradeoffs
As the former head of innovation at a corporate health company, I would create programs designed to support culture and behaviour change in large organisations with a vision to support all employees. A key part of these programs involved facilitated group learning experiences. The group part was critical because it was not just about absorbing information; it was about actively engaging with concepts and learning with and from others through rich discussion. However, rolling these out at scale with facilitators was expensive, leading us and our customers to rely on delivering impactful learning to the chosen few—or settling for something less impactful. Eventually, I came to refer to this top-down approach to delivery as “magical dissemination theory.”
Impactful learning to the chosen few
Magical dissemination may sound like something out of a fantasy novel, and to be fair, fantasy is quite a good description. It describes the hope that if we provide impactful learning for a small percentage of the organisation (generally leaders), these learnings will somehow filter down through the organisation to everyone who needs to hear it.
The Neuroleadership Institute also has little faith in the top-down approach:
“But in addition to being exclusive, the top-down training model likely only benefits the top-level leaders who attend…if most people aren’t engaging in the new behaviour—which is likely if only a small portion of the company learns the new habits—employees will continue to engage in old, undesired behaviours since that’s what they see.”
If an organisation truly wants behaviour change, that traditional top-down learning is less effective than putting an entire organisation—or the full target audience— through the same learning experience (which Neuroleadership Institute calls “everyone-to-everyone learning”). Unfortunately, as this comes at significant cost, it often leaves organisations with limited alternatives and a game of tradeoffs.
The tradeoffs of alternative approaches
As we spoke to more and more organisations it became clear that rolling out impactful group learning at scale was a significant challenge. Other than rare examples, such as in 2018 when Starbucks ran a company-wide diversity training shutting down their 8,000 stores for an entire day—organisation wide delivery was seldom attempted. Instead, organisations would make a choice between delivering impactful learning to fewer people or less effective alternatives at scale. Let’s break them down:
Train-the-trainer approach
Train-the-trainer has been the go-to option for corporations for years. While this method does indeed allow for greater scale, it’s expensive and resource heavy. Furthermore, with the number of trainers it requires (and their variable abilities), this approach can lead to inconsistencies in quality. It also takes time to train the trainers, delaying the rollout of learning initiatives.
Leader-led delivery with playbooks
This model leverages company leaders or managers to conduct training sessions using standardised materials or playbooks. The benefit of this approach is its potential to achieve scale—without needing to find an army of trainers—by disseminating training through individuals already in leadership positions within the organisation. However, it heavily depends on the varied capabilities and availability of these managers, who are juggling their regular duties alongside the added responsibility of training. The inherent challenge of this approach comes from its reliance on static materials and the variable engagement and capabilities of leaders, which can result in inconsistent delivery quality, reduced visibility of the learning impact, and varied uptake across different teams.
E-learning and webinars
The rise of technology has unlocked e-learning, course libraries, and webinars as scalable methods for delivering training. These digital formats can reach a wide audience regardless of geographical location, making them highly efficient for reaching dispersed teams. However, their effectiveness is hampered by a one-way communication flow and a more passive learning experience. This method sacrifices the active participation and rich, dynamic discussions characteristic of in-person group learning, impacting the participants’ ability to actively engage with the material, and ultimately, the effectiveness of the learning.
A new approach to group learning
Faced with these challenges, we at Makeshapes were determined to try something different. We built a digital platform that enables effective group learning to take place without the requirement of a facilitator. Essentially, we combined the active engagement and rich discussion of group learning with the scale and on-demand nature of a digital solution, in a format that did not break in a modern hybrid workforce (remote, hybrid, or in-person). This is what we call on-demand group learning.
The results exceeded our expectations. We successfully delivered to thousands of small groups across 30+ countries in five languages, reaching a diverse audience across various industries. We even rolled out to an entire company in just five days. We knew we had something special and believed that we could open up this platform to other enterprises to deliver meaningful learning at scale.
Reimagining delivery with Makeshapes
At Makeshapes, we're challenging the status quo and reimagining what group learning at scale can look like. We believe it's possible to deliver high-quality, engaging group learning experiences to large audiences, without the traditional trade-offs or relying on magical dissemination.
More than just enabling faster, more consistent delivery at scale, Makeshapes provides a consistent vehicle for discussion-rich learning in a psychologically safe way. We see that this opens up new ways to design and deliver learning across an organisation, the same way that e-learning impacted organisations over the past 20 years.
Group learning at scale doesn't have to be a game of tradeoffs or a fantasy involving magical dissemination. With the right tools and approach, it's possible to deliver high-quality, engaging group learning experiences to everyone, regardless of their location, role, or organisation’s size. At Makeshapes, we're committed to making this vision a reality.
challenge
