Rule #4: Less is More

8 hour training days are gone! 🛑 

I remember trying a VR headset for the first time in Singapore—an unbelievable experience that made me very curious. 

When I found out that Walmart successfully utilized #VR to reduce an 8-hour employee training session to just 15 minutes using VR, I was shocked and speechless. They introduced VR into their training programs to immerse associates in real-life scenarios like preparing for the chaotic and high-pressure environment of Black Friday within a controlled environment. 

Through VR, Walmart employees were able to practice managing large crowds, handling customer interactions, and ensuring safety during one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The VR scenarios provided a realistic, yet stress-free, environment where team members could gain valuable experience and build confidence without the real-world pressure. This approach proved to be highly effective, allowing Walmart to cut down on traditional training time significantly while also boosting retention and engagement.

Before I started a software company, I seriously considered staying a trainer and recreating public speaking courses using VR. 

I dove deep into the possibilities, researching the headsets, integration tools, and even gathering quotes from VR companies around the world. The costs ranged from $100,000 to $1,000,000 USD to develop 15 min training. 

Ultimately, I set the idea aside, realizing the timing wasn’t right...yet. ⏳ 

While VR may not be widely adopted in training just yet—mainly reserved for the big players — #AI is here, and it’s accessible to everyone. 

Meanwhile, our attention spans are becoming shorter and shorter. 😰 

I used to be the first to push for 8-hour, in person, training days. Back then, it was the best way to get results in the reality we lived in.

But not anymore.

Now, you can develop complete training in minutes, with multimedia and knowledge assignments. You can properly translate it into any language in minutes too, and assign it to team members around the globe, allowing them to learn at their own time and pace.

Even better, AI can make our language multiple times clearer and more to the point.

Consider this:#men and #women typically write and communicate differently. 

Men often under-explain, while women tend to over-explain. As much as the first approach seems easier to grasp, the second can offer more depth. There’s no right or wrong because the world needs a combination of both for balance, like #Yin and #Yang —AI provides that balance.

I first noticed this during demos of our product. Occasionally, I’d hear comments like, "Hm, it could probably be longer," which made me question whether we were doing a bad job. But instead of changing anything as usual, I decided to review every single line of training our tool generated. At first, I too thought it might be shorter than expected, but upon closer inspection, I realized it contained exactly what it should—just like how I would train. It was concise, clear, and to the point. 💥 Anything extra would be unnecessary fluff that bores people—the very reason they dislike long training sessions in the first place.

This made me realize that while attention spans have changed, so have the tools that allow us to meet these new expectations with quality.

So yes, 8-hour training days are gone.

These days, the longest in person training I’d recommend is four hours. Even then, it should be structured as 20 minutes of lecture, 30 minutes of practice, and a 10-minute break.

The best time for remote training is now 30 min. Max 2 topics. Straight to the point.

As the French would say, Et Voila. Less is more.

The best and hardest lesson to learn for many.

#AI #learninganddevelopment #rules