A micro-lesson from an expert interview: one task and a check

Limit the scope of the task as well as the length

In one hour, an expert described dozens of workplace situations. It’s easy to cut the recording into equal clips, but a clip may start mid-explanation and leave learners without a clear outcome. A short lesson needs its own starting point, action and check.

Use this approach for a task you can explain without a long chain of new prerequisites. If the action requires substantial preparation, state what learners must know first or choose another format. Keep the necessary conditions even when you have a time limit.

Build a standalone learning activity

1. State the action and conditions

   Specify what the employee will do, what information they’ll start with and what counts as a correct result. “Know the processing rules” is too broad. “Identify the missing details in a request and ask for them” gives the learner a concrete task.

2. Find the reasoning behind the decision

   Take the cues the expert uses to make the decision from the interview. Keep important exceptions and explain when to ask for help. A list of buttons won’t be enough if employees need to judge when an action is appropriate.

3. Show an example and let learners try

   Walk through one situation, then give learners a similar case with some details changed. Ask them to choose an action and explain why. Prepare feedback that shows what they got right, which condition they missed and why another choice would be unsuitable.

4. Test the lesson with a beginner

   Give the material to someone with the required starting knowledge. See whether they can complete the task without guessing. If they can’t, clarify the explanation or conditions. Cut repetition before removing a step needed to make the correct decision.

A lesson about an incomplete request

This is a fictional training example. Any names, conditions and results are included solely to explain the method.

The learning objective is to identify the required information missing in a given situation. The lesson needs a rule for choosing the required fields, an example of an incomplete request and a practice task based on a different case.

Asking “Should you check the request?” tells you very little. Give learners two requests with different conditions and ask them what to clarify before forwarding each one. Fictional data let you demonstrate the action without using customer information.

Plan for one micro-lesson

Start with the task and how you’ll check it. Then add only the material needed to complete both.

Audience and prior knowledge:
Workplace situation:
Action after the lesson:
Conditions for a correct result:
Brief explanation:
Worked example:
Independent task:
Expected answer and reasoning:
Typical mistake and feedback:
Exception or when to ask for help:
How to update the material:

Check whether the lesson stands on its own

• Learners can tell when to use the action.
• The necessary prerequisites are stated.
• Practice requires applying the rule, beyond guessing an obvious answer.
• Feedback explains why the right choice works.