Learning That Sticks: Building Effective Experiential Learning

In line with workforce modernization initiatives and a renewed focus on adaptability, efficiency, and operational effectiveness, organizations are exploring innovative training approaches. Experiential learning, while not a new methodology, has recently been gaining traction as a key strategy to upskill staff in critical areas and build a more agile, collaborative workforce.

This hands-on approach to training is grounded in the work of educational theorist David Kolb^[1], who outlined a cyclical model consisting of four stages:

• Concrete Experience – actively engaging in a task or activity.

• Reflective Observation – reflecting on the experience.

• Abstract Conceptualization – forming theories or generalizations.

• Active Experimentation – applying what was learned to new situations.

Moving through the four stages, experiential learning enables learners to build skills in practical settings, reflect critically, and apply key knowledge to real workplace challenges and situations, ultimately fostering a culture of continuous learning. This approach moves beyond theory, focusing heavily on practical application by integrating on-demand content, hands-on activities, and real-world scenarios. In turn, organizations can remain flexible and quickly adapt to evolving needs and requirements while providing relevant, immediate application-based learning opportunities that facilitate behavior change.

Experiential learning allows employees to access information and skill-building resources when they need them most. Whether they are completing a new task, responding to new requirements, or learning a new software application, staff can engage with content at their own pace, without waiting for scheduled training sessions or formal learning and development programs.

When designing and implementing experiential learning, consider the following core process steps:

Step 1: Facilitate Visioning Sessions & Conduct Environment Scan – To begin, define your organization’s overall purpose, goals, and desired outcomes for experiential learning. Conduct an assessment to determine and prioritize workforce needs, current skill gaps, and required future competencies. Review current talent development offerings to identify opportunities for integrating experiential learning into existing training programs and initiatives.

Step 2: Integrate Experiential Learning into Existing Training Programs & Initiatives – Refine existing program content to include interactive scenario-based modalities and bundle it with existing learning and development programs (e.g., mentoring and peer coaching) to include more on-the-job training and practical work experiences to apply critical knowledge and skills. This approach seamlessly integrates experiential learning into existing training curriculum while introducing innovative, agile, and outcome-focused application-based activities.

Step 3: Develop New Experiential Learning Activities – Create experiences tailored to current and future workforce needs; incorporating a variety of modalities and activities to meet learners where they are (see Figure 1 for types of experiential learning).

For example, organizations can implement short-term rotational assignments that enable staff to temporarily work in different roles or programs to learn about other parts of the organization and develop cross-cutting expertise. These assignments can be coupled with on-the-job training materials that anchor opportunities and provide essential concepts, detailed task checklists, and self-paced activities so learners are equipped with guidance throughout their hands-on experience. Another example is to form small, cross-organizational teams to work on high-priority challenges (e.g., business process re-engineering, leveraging data systems, and applying artificial intelligence), allowing employees to learn by doing while contributing to important organizational goals.

Step 4: Leverage Available Technology – Several technology applications can be woven in to enhance these experiences. For example, Viva Learning can suggest microlearning content, such as videos on plain language, and integrate with Teams for easy access during completion of work processes. Stream can host on-demand training content (e.g., webinar recordings), which can serve as quick guides for specific tasks. Additionally, Articulate Rise 360 can be used to create micro-learning content with short videos or interactive, scenario-based components integrated into a learning management system. This approach incorporates education directly into real work, turning abstract concepts into practical skills and increasing efficiency by streamlining learning. It accelerates skill adoption by allowing learners to apply new knowledge immediately and creates a space to safely test new ideas, supporting innovation and smoother adoption of change. To further enhance learning and change adoption, organizations can also leverage AI-powered tools that make knowledge more accessible and actionable in the flow of work. When paired with training platforms that recommend targeted microlearning or on-demand training, AI helps personalize development and embed it seamlessly into daily workflows. This not only boosts efficiency, but also supports faster, more confident application of new skills, making change more sustainable.

Step 5: Evaluate Results – As with any training initiative, developing a framework for assessing the effectiveness of experiential learning will help to ensure a strong return on investment and determine how well activities are meeting desired outcomes. This should include collecting feedback from leadership, supervisors, and participants to assess how well experiential learning supports individual growth and organizational performance. Capturing results on a dashboard or through interactive visualizations can enable the presentation of key information to various stakeholder groups, allowing for more tailored metrics and data-driven decision-making. For example, executive leaders can access results to glean implementation status and progress toward key return-on-investment metrics, whereas learning and development specialists could focus on knowledge acquisition and behavior change.

Experiential learning integrates application-based opportunities with workplace challenges and situations. Combining learning experiences with real work tasks encourages staff to use the information and resources at their fingertips, build skills, and adapt to new requirements. It provides a practical approach to skill-building and fosters a culture of continuous learning. Experiential learning has the power to enable individual growth and organizational performance as well as drive innovation and change.

[1] https://experientiallearninginstitute.org/what-is-experiential-learning/

Jessica McCrerey is a Managing Consultant in FMP’s Learning and Development Center of Excellence, bringing over 12 years of experience in helping organizations develop their people. With deep expertise in talent development, instructional design, and training evaluation, she collaborates with organizations to create innovative, hands-on learning experiences. Her work focuses on building essential skills that enable individuals and teams to grow with confidence, adapt to change, and succeed in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving workplace. 

Sarah Tucker joined FMP as a Human Capital Consultant in February 2022. She earned an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University. Sarah has worked with organizations to improve their effectiveness in multiple capacities for four years. She is passionate about improving work-life and making a lasting impact in the human capital environment.

Jessica Waymouth is a Managing Consultant at FMP, LLC where she helps organizations drive lasting change by aligning people, strategy, and systems. With a background in project management, human-centered design, and strategic communications, she brings a thoughtful, results-driven approach to workforce transformation. She has a particular passion for mission-driven impact, designing environments that empower individuals and organizations to grow. Outside of work, she’s a proud mom of two, curious traveler, and loves a good book.