For learning and development professionals, time and resources (namely money) have always been precious commodities. L&D professionals are often tasked with addressing performance issues or improving employee effectiveness, and the default solution is frequently, “Let’s create training.” But what if informal learning is a better answer than training?
One of the most powerful ways to reduce training waste and increase the impact of L&D is to pause and ask: Is formal training truly the right solution for this problem? Not every performance gap is rooted in a lack of knowledge or skill, and not every issue is best addressed in a classroom or e-learning module. In fact, building training that doesn’t solve the real problem can waste resources (namely time and money), frustrate learners, and harm the credibility of the L&D function.
Employees spend ~22% of their working hours on informal learning activities. Informal learning accounts for 91% of total time spent on work-related learning versus formal training. – IZA World of Labor
What Is Informal Learning?
Before I go further, let’s define what I mean by informal learning. Informal learning refers to the unstructured, often self-directed ways people acquire knowledge or skills on the job. It happens during conversations with peers, while troubleshooting problems, or by referencing job aids, quick guides, or short videos. Unlike formal training, which usually involves courses, facilitators, or modules, informal learning is embedded in the flow of work. It’s efficient, scalable, and often more aligned with how employees prefer to learn. When designed thoughtfully, informal learning solutions can reduce the need for time-consuming training programs while still driving meaningful improvements in performance.
Because I lead a company of instructional designers at Endurance Learning, our work is often focused on the big deliverable of a training session or elearning modules. That said, we do often recommend informal learning as part of these projects and have been known to turn down a formal training project because we believed it was better suited to informal learning.
Here are a few examples of informal learning in action:
- A peer-to-peer Slack exchange where an experienced team member walks a colleague through how to handle a tricky customer request.
- A short screen-recording video shared during onboarding that shows how to navigate a new internal system.
- A laminated checklist posted at a workbench to guide equipment setup and calibration.
- A “top 5 tips” email from a manager highlighting successful sales tactics gathered from the field.
- A searchable intranet article with screenshots explaining how to update an employee’s benefits in the HR portal.
These types of solutions are often faster to produce, easier to update, and more immediately useful than a traditional training course.
Is Informal Learning an Option? Decision Tree
This idea of examining whether training is the right solution before developing it was explored in our recent webinar “Instructor-Led Training the Doesn’t Waste Time or Break the Bank,” where we introduced a simple decision-making tool: an “Is Informal Learning an Option?” flowchart that walks through a series of yes/no questions. The goal is to help L&D teams make smarter choices about when to develop training and when to consider alternative solutions.
Let’s walk through the logic of this approach and see how the flowchart might help you make the best choice for the business problem you are faced with. You can follow along with this YouTube video of how to use the flowchart tool to guide your decision-making.
1. Is there a Performance Gap?
Before anything else, we must ask: Is there an actual gap between current and desired performance? If the answer is no (if people are already performing well), then no intervention is needed. At most, you might consider light awareness campaigns or optional support tools, but formal training would not be unnecessary.
On the other hand, if a performance gap exists, we dig deeper.
2. Is the Gap Caused by a Lack of Knowledge or Skill?
Training is a tool designed to build capability. If the root of the performance issue isn’t tied to knowledge or skill, training is unlikely to help. Common non-training issues include:
- Poor feedback or unclear expectations
- Failure to hold people accountable for things they already know how to do
- Lack of motivation or incentives
- Broken processes or systems
- Inadequate tools or job support
- Organizational barriers
In these cases, coaching, better management practices, process improvements, or communication strategies might be more effective. Jumping to training without identifying the true cause is like prescribing medication without a diagnosis. It’s not just ineffective, it’s risky.
3. Is the Task Performed Frequently?
Assuming the performance gap is knowledge- or skill-based, the next question is: How often does the employee perform this task?
If the task is done frequently, training makes sense. Repetition supports retention, and learners are more likely to apply what they’ve learned, reinforcing the new knowledge or skills through practice.
But if the task is performed infrequently—say, once a quarter or once a year—learners are likely to forget what they’ve been taught by the time they need it. That’s where the next question becomes important.
4. Is There a High Risk if the Task Is Done Incorrectly?
Some tasks, though infrequent, have serious consequences if performed incorrectly. Think of emergency procedures, compliance processes, or safety protocols. In these high-stakes situations, robust training is warranted. But even then, training shouldn’t stand alone. To combat knowledge decay, consider reinforcement strategies like:
- Refresher modules
- Simulations
- Checklists and job aids
- Scenario-based practice
If the risk of error is low, we continue filtering.
5. Can the Task Be Supported with a Job Aid or Reference Tool?
For low-risk, infrequent tasks, informal support can often be more effective than training. This might include:
- Step-by-step guides
- Visual walkthroughs
- Video tutorials
- Checklists
- Intranet resources
- Quick-reference cards
These tools enable employees to access what they need at the moment of need, eliminating the need for employees to memorize information they rarely use. This approach is not only efficient, but it’s also more aligned with how people actually work.
Scenario: Evaluating an Expense Report Training Need
Let’s apply this logic and our flowchart to a scenario: submitting expense reports in a new digital system.
- Is there a performance gap? Yes. Employees don’t know how to use the new system.
- Is it due to lack of knowledge or skill? Yes. This is a new task requiring specific steps.
- Is the task performed frequently? No. Most employees do this once or twice a month, if at all.
- Is there high risk if it’s done incorrectly? No. The worst case is a delay in reimbursement.
- Can the task be supported with a job aid? Yes. A well-designed guide or annotated screenshot can walk users through the process.
Conclusion: A formal training program is unnecessary. A simple reference tool does the job more efficiently and respects the learner’s time.
Why This Matters
Every time L&D says “yes” to building a course that isn’t needed, it costs time, energy, and money. It also pulls employees away from their work and burdens them with content they may not retain or need.
Worse, when that training inevitably fails to produce results, L&D gets blamed, even if the real issue was never training-related to begin with.
This is why developing a decision-making mindset is critical. When L&D professionals are willing to ask hard questions (and occasionally say “no”!), they position themselves as strategic business partners, not just content creators. They focus on impact, not output. They provide solutions that solve real problems, not just check boxes.
And perhaps most importantly, they create learning experiences that respect and support the people they’re designed to help.
Before your team starts developing training, take a step back and ask the right questions. Use the “Is Informal Learning and Option?” flowchart to guide you. And remember: the most effective learning solution might not be formal training at all. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is not build training.
