Demystifying L&D Buzzwords, part 4
- Irina Ketkin
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
You’ve made it to part 4 of our L&D buzzword breakdown—and we’re so glad you’re still here!
So far, we’ve unpacked everything from instructional design frameworks to learning transfer strategies. (If you’ve missed the earlier posts, you might want to check out part 1, part 2, and part 3—they’re packed with practical tips and examples.)
In this final part of the series (at least for now) we’re exploring five more terms that tend to pop up a lot in L&D circles. Whether you’re sitting in on your first L&D team meeting, preparing for an interview, or building your own toolkit, these buzzwords are definitely worth knowing:
Microlearning
What is it?
Microlearning is exactly what it sounds like—bite-sized learning that focuses on one small concept, task, or skill at a time. It’s quick to consume (usually under 10 minutes), highly targeted, and easy to access whenever you need it.
It could be a short video, a quick quiz, a flashcard, a one-pager, or even a 3-slide explainer deck. The key? One topic. One objective. No fluff.
Why it matters?
People are busy (and if you’re not, please tell us your secret!). Attention spans are shorter than ever. And most learners don’t want to sit through an hour-long session just to find the one thing they actually needed.
Microlearning meets learners in the flow of work. It’s fast, focused, and super practical—perfect for performance support, just-in-time learning, or reinforcing key messages over time.
It’s also easier (and quicker!) to update, which makes it ideal for fast-paced environments where information changes frequently.
Example
Let’s say your team is rolling out a new internal tool, and managers need to approve timesheets in it.
Instead of a full training session, you create:
A 3-minute screen recording that shows exactly how to approve a timesheet
A step-by-step PDF guide that they can save or print
A short reminder quiz one week later to reinforce the process
Each piece of microlearning focuses on a single task, can be completed in just a few minutes, and is available on-demand. Quick, relevant, and effective – that’s microlearning done right.
Needs Analysis (or LNA)
What is it?
Needs Analysis (also called a Learning Needs Analysis, or LNA) is the process of figuring out whether learning is actually needed — and if so, what kind. It helps you dig into what’s really going on before jumping into solutions.
It often includes things like interviews, surveys, focus groups, data reviews, or observations to understand performance gaps, challenges, and business goals.
In simple terms: before you build anything, you pause and ask why.
Curious about the difference between Training Needs Analysis (TNA) and Learning Needs Analysis (LNA)? Check out our article on the topic.
Why it matters?
This is one of the most important steps in the L&D process—and one of the most skipped, unfortunately.
Without an LNA, you risk creating learning that’s irrelevant, too generic, or completely off the mark. Maybe the problem isn’t a skills gap — it’s a process issue. Or a lack of clarity. Or a tool that’s not working.
A good LNA ensures that you’re solving the right problem, not just the one that’s easiest to build a slide deck for. It also helps you define clear objectives, choose the right methods, and manage stakeholder expectations early on.
Example
Let’s say a department head asks you to “run a communication training for their team.” Instead of saying “Yes!” right away, you do a quick needs analysis. You:
Interview team members and find out the real issue isn’t general communication — it’s that remote meetings are chaotic and lack structure.
Review performance data and notice deadlines are being missed because updates aren’t being shared clearly.
Observe a few team calls and confirm that no one’s setting clear action points or recaps.
Now, instead of a generic “communication skills” workshop, you design a focused session on how to run structured remote meetings, with practical tools and templates. Way more useful. Way more targeted. Way more likely to solve the real problem.
Skills Gap
What is it?
A skills gap is the difference between the skills employees currently have and the skills they actually need to do their jobs effectively. It’s like standing on one side of a river (current skills) and needing to get to the other side (required skills). Your job as L&D is to help build the bridge.
Skills gaps can show up at the individual, team, or even organizational level. And they’re not always about technical know-how — they can include soft skills, leadership capabilities, digital literacy, and more.
Why it matters?
You can’t design effective learning unless you know what’s missing. Identifying skills gaps helps L&D professionals prioritize training efforts, tailor programs, and link learning directly to business needs. It also gives you something concrete to measure progress against.
Plus, when you know where the gaps are, you can avoid the classic “one-size-fits-all” approach, offering the same generic training to everyone and hoping it works.
Example
Let’s say your company just launched a new strategic goal to become more data-driven. But when you dig in, you discover:
Most frontline managers aren’t confident reading reports
Some don’t know how to use key analytics tools
Others avoid data altogether because they don’t understand how it connects to their role
That’s a skills gap.
Instead of creating a one-size-fits-all analytics course, you develop a tailored program:
One stream for basic data literacy
One for interpreting reports
Another for using data in decision-making
Now your learning isn’t just content — it’s a targeted solution to a real capability gap. Doesn’t that sound way better?
Social Learning
What is it?
If you’ve ever learned to do something by watching others (like brushing your teeth after seeing your parents do it), you’ve engaged in social learning. At the surface level, social learning is exactly what it sounds like – learning by interacting with others. If you dig a little deeper, you realise it’s about observing, asking questions, sharing experiences, and talking things through with people around you (be that friends and family or colleagues and clients). It’s based on the idea that people don’t just learn from content—they learn from each other.
It can happen formally (like group discussions, peer learning groups, or mentoring) or informally (like Slack chats, sharing tips after a session, or watching how someone handles a situation).
Why it matters?
Because humans are wired to learn socially. We absorb more, remember better, and apply faster when we hear real stories, see examples in action, or talk things through with others.
For L&D, social learning is a powerful (and often underused) tool. It can boost engagement, build confidence in learners, and make learning truly stick – not just because of the content, but because of the connections it creates.
You also don’t need fancy tech to make it work. A good prompt and the space to talk are often enough, be that on- or offline.
Example
Let’s say you’re running a training session on feedback for new managers.
Instead of only giving them a model and some theory, you:
Pair them up for short feedback practice rounds
Encourage them to share stories about what’s worked (and bombed!) in past feedback conversations
Create a Teams channel where they can post “Tried this today!” wins or ask questions
Host a follow-up peer learning circle two weeks later to debrief and share lessons learned
That’s what social learning looks like in action. Real people, real conversations, real learning that sticks.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Learning
What is it?
These two terms describe when learning happens:
Synchronous learning means learning that happens in real time – everyone is present at the same time, whether it’s in a classroom, a Zoom session, or a live webinar.
Asynchronous learning means learners go through the material on their own time – like watching a recorded video, reading an article, or completing an eLearning module.
Both can be powerful. It’s all about using them purposefully.
Why it matters?
Not everyone can (or should) learn the same way at the same time. Knowing the difference helps you design more flexible and effective learning experiences.
Synchronous is great for connection, discussion, and practice. Asynchronous is ideal for reflection, self-paced learning, and anytime access – especially in global or remote teams.
As L&D practitioners, we need to balance both, based on the topic, audience, and learning goals. Sometimes it’s a mix (hello, is that you, Blended Learning?), and that’s often the sweet spot.
Example
Let’s say you’re creating a course on inclusive leadership.
You might structure it like this:
Asynchronous: Learners watch two short videos, complete a reflection activity, and read a case study.
Synchronous: They join a live 90-minute session to discuss the case, share personal experiences, and role-play inclusive scenarios.
The pre-work gets everyone on the same page, while the live session brings it to life through interaction and shared insights.
That’s the beauty of using both: learners get the flexibility they need, and you get the engagement you want.
Wrap up
And that’s a wrap on part 4 – and the final post in this buzzword series (for now, at least!).
We’ve covered everything from microlearning to social learning, from spotting skills gaps to navigating synchronous and asynchronous formats. If you’ve been nodding along, learning new things, or even just confirming what you thought you understood – mission accomplished!
L&D is full of terminology that can sound overwhelming at first, but once you break it down, it becomes a powerful language you can use to ask better questions, build stronger learning, and show real impact.
Have a buzzword we didn’t cover? Something you’ve seen in job ads or stakeholder meetings and thought, “Wait, what does that mean exactly?” Let us know!
You can reach out on our LinkedIn Page or drop a note inside our private LinkedIn community – we’d love to keep demystifying the world of L&D with you.
