70:20:10 – A Model for How People Learn (7 minutes)
Charles Jennings describes the 70:20:10 model of how employees increase their skills and knowledge more effectively. He makes an important point in describing continuous learning as a series of events over time, as opposed to a specific incident of learning.
The concept of 70:20:10 was originally inspired by something called the “Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve” that was developed in the context of training and developing employees. Named after German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, the Forgetting Curve suggests that people forget the majority of new information within one hour of learning it, unless it is put into practice in that same hour. Using it within one hour after the lesson establishes it more securely in the memory.
While Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve illustrates how quickly we lose the information we just learned if it’s not applied, the 70:20:10 model looks at where and how people learn new work skills so that is becomes part of their day to day work. The 70:20:10 ratio refers to the types of ways we learn best: 70% from “hands-on” work, 20% from other people, and 10% from formal education.
Here’s a quick video that illustrates the 70:20:10 model. And remember, different people learn different material in different ways. The significance of the 70:20:10 model isn’t on the exact numbers, but rather to illustrate commonalities in how we learn.
Let’s look into each of these a little more deeply.
People gain 70% of their new skills and knowledge in the context of doing their jobs
This means learning by doing. People learn on the job by repetition of a task and by overcoming challenges. This is the essence of “learning on the job.” It’s not surprising that some of the most famous and successful entrepreneurs – Steve Jobs, Rachel Ray, Richard Branson, etc. – either didn’t go to college or dropped out. They learned best by doing.
Learning by doing is the most powerful means of learning that we have access to. One of the great things about this is that with this approach we don’t need tens of thousands of dollars to get going, like we would with some high-profile training or degree program. Take this video for instance of an illiterate mom who does a phenomenal job teaching her daughter how to be a successful entrepreneur.
Think back to a time when you had to learn a new skill, whether it was riding a bike or learning a new software program. Did you develop your skill based more by doing it on a regular basis or by listening to a trainer tell you about how to do it?
In a business setting, some initial instruction and support creates a meaningful structure for employees. But instead of leaving employees on their own to watch a video or read a manual, your company can provide training in person where employees receive immediate feedback on their work. Then they go on to use it over and over in performing their work duties.
Take the learning software example. You might provide a high-level training in a computer lab where people can learn, experiment and ask questions as they use it. This is a foundation but it won’t replace the act of simply using the software. Each time you use a feature it becomes easier to remember. Providing easy access to resources enables “just in time” learning where the learner accesses the necessary information only when it becomes relevant in an applicable manner.
People learn 20% of new skills from others
Social learning occurs when the learning is done with the assistance of others. This could be through coaching, conferences or just chance encounters with other employees. Steve Jobs favored a design for Apple’s new headquarters that would boost employees’ creativity and innovation through spontaneous interactions. He believed that these interactions would lead people to share ideas more naturally.
This approach has gained traction in other tech companies. Google and Facebook have designed their headquarters to maximize chance encounters as well. Companies such as Yahoo reduced work from home policies to recapture face-to-face interactions among employees. Employers can encourage peer learning even more by creating incentives for employees to share information and learn from each other.
People gain 10% of new skills from formal education
Formal education is learning in a structured setting with specific learning goals. The formal learning you’re likely most familiar with is what happens in a classroom. There is one person who has the “knowledge” and the students receive the knowledge. While we generally only gain 10% of our new skills from formal learning, it can be a great way to ensure some baseline of comprehension is achieved.
Can you guess why we only gain 10% of our new skills from formal education? Here’s a hint… The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve. Since we are learning the new material in isolation without the opportunity to apply it in a real world setting (the big test doesn’t count), most of the learning doesn’t stick. The next time you’re in a formal learning environment, see if there are ways you can take what you just learned and apply it in some way as soon as the class ends. For example, if you just learned about the 5 levels of listening, monitor yourself throughout the day to see what level of listening you’re using.
