Hands-on training applies learning by doing to the workplace: employees build skills by performing real tasks instead of listening to a presentation. For business software such as an ERP, CRM or HRIS, it means practicing actual transactions first on a simulation of the application, then in the live tool with in-app guidance, with time set aside to reflect on what was learned.
Key takeaways
- Hands-on training is learning by doing applied to work: employees learn by completing concrete tasks rather than by following a lecture.
- For business software, it combines practice on a simulation of the application before go-live with in-app guidance in the live tool afterward.
- Practice works better when followed by reflection: a Harvard Business School study found that trainees who reflected on their day outperformed those who simply kept working.
- Managers make or break the approach by allowing mistakes, freeing up time to practice and recognizing the skills employees acquire.
The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly accelerated the digital transformation of businesses. The situation has fostered the development of new trends in the training sector, such as e-Learning. Since then, remote and digital formats have become a lasting part of corporate training programs. Practical, accessible, and geared towards operational objectives, Learning by doing is one of these fundamental trends that enable businesses across all sectors to embrace their digital transition. How can businesses seize the opportunities offered by Learning by Doing?
Learning by doing: a new active learning approach to adopt
History of learning by doing
It was in the 20th century that "learning by doing" was formally conceptualized as a pedagogy. John Dewey, an American philosopher and educator, largely contributed to popularizing this approach. According to Dewey, education should be designed to engage students in practical and reflective activities. This idea was the cornerstone of progressive pedagogy and continues to influence modern teaching methods, including in the field of digital learning.
New pedagogical principles serving the learner
Learning by doing therefore focuses on the learner's practical experience. This method emphasizes active participation, enabling learners to acquire skills and knowledge by engaging in practical activities. Research from Harvard Business School adds a nuance: action works best when followed by reflection. Trainees who spent 15 minutes a day reflecting on what they had learned outperformed peers who simply kept working. Specifically, this pedagogical approach can be implemented by providing participants with interactive exercises, case studies, and practical projects. These activities allow for the rapid application of learned theoretical concepts, which promotes better knowledge assimilation. Learning by doing offers an engaging and active learning experience that encourages autonomy and enhances the ability to solve real-world problems.
Related use case: custom software adoption
The benefits of Learning by doing
Learning by doing offers several benefits. Firstly, this approach promotes the development of soft skills—non-technical yet essential competencies that have been particularly valued in recent years. By engaging in practical activities, learners have the opportunity to improve their problem-solving abilities, as well as their creativity and communication skills. All of these are essential transversal skills. Furthermore, Learning by doing also fits well with today's digital transformation projects. By encouraging learners to use digital tools and technologies, this approach prepares them to adapt to a constantly evolving environment. It also facilitates a smooth transition to a digital work environment (or "Digital Workplace").
The challenges of Learning by doing
Implementing Learning by doing can present certain logistical and organizational challenges. This approach notably requires creating and offering practical activities to learners. Thus, appropriate infrastructure, specific equipment, and technological tools may be necessary to ensure a high-quality immersive learning experience. Furthermore, organizing practical activities within the framework of Learning by doing may require meticulous planning and good coordination. It is therefore important to clearly define learning objectives, design relevant and adapted activities, and provide adequate supervision to learners throughout the process.
How to learn by doing?
DAP (Digital Adoption Platform): The Essential Tool
A Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) is an essential tool for facilitating this active learning approach. This integrated software platform acts as an overlay to other applications, offering users interactive and contextual support to guide them in using digital tools. DAPs offer a variety of features to support users in learning by doing. This can include interactive step-by-step guides, contextual notifications, push messages, explanatory videos, practical exercises, quizzes, and many other interactive resources. This interactive content is designed to help users understand and utilize the specific functionalities of these digital tools, by providing them with relevant information at the opportune moment. The strength of DAPs lies in their ability to personalize learning according to each user's needs. Based on each user's role, profile and the application in use, these platforms can deliver content tailored to each user group. DAPs also provide features for tracking and measuring user progress, allowing learners and learning managers to monitor achievements and identify areas where improvements are needed. This data can be used to adjust learning programs, offer additional support, and evaluate the effectiveness of the Learning by Doing approach.
The Role of Management in Integrating Learning by Doing
Management plays a key role in promoting, supporting, and successfully integrating the Learning by Doing approach. The initiative must be actively supported by creating a culture of active learning within the organization, encouraging experimentation, risk-taking, and continuous learning. This involves fostering a relationship of trust and transparency with teams. Furthermore, management has a crucial role in providing the necessary resources, from investments to the implementation of mechanisms for evaluating and recognizing skills acquired through this approach.
How do you apply hands-on training to business software?
On an ERP, a CRM or an HRIS, learning by doing does not mean letting each employee figure things out in the production system. Three formats work together:
| Format | When to use it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Simulation of the application | Before go-live, to practice real cases without touching live data | Updating scenarios when the software changes |
| Training environment (copy of the system) | Open exercises and instructor-led workshops | Maintenance cost and realistic test data |
| In-app guidance in the live application | After go-live, at the moment the task has to be done | Targeting the steps where users actually make mistakes |
Practice alone is not always enough. A study reported by Harvard Business School Working Knowledge followed new call-center employees in training: those who spent the last 15 minutes of each day reflecting on what they had learned scored 22.8% higher on the final training test than a control group that worked 15 minutes longer instead. Alternating action and reflection (debriefs, lessons learned, self-assessment) makes hands-on training more effective.
The in-app layer is what a digital adoption platform provides: guidance that appears inside the application while the employee works.
Implementing Learning by Doing in Your Company
The Different Steps for Integrating This Active Learning Methodology
Successful integration of Learning by Doing within a company involves several key steps. First, it is essential to identify the learning objectives and relevant application areas for this approach. This can be done by conducting a training needs analysis and identifying the specific skills to be developed. Next, it is important to engage or train trainers and learning managers in the Learning by Doing methodology. This will enable them to design and facilitate practical and interactive activities, guide learners, and provide adequate support throughout the process. Finally, it is crucial to align the implementation of Learning by Doing with the company's strategic and operational objectives to ensure the consistency of this integration and its support by management and top management.
Creating Tailored Training to Maximize the Effectiveness of Learning by Doing
Creating tailored training plays an essential role in maximizing the effectiveness of the Learning by Doing approach. By developing training programs specific to the needs of learners and the company, it is possible to make the most of this learning method. The adaptation of tailored training begins with a thorough analysis of needs and required skills to identify existing gaps and specific learning objectives to be addressed. Based on this analysis, training can be designed to provide targeted practical experiences.
The K-NOW platform provides personalized support to teams in adopting their business applications, accelerating their skill development while optimizing their engagement and productivity.
What does a hands-on training path for new software look like?
- Map real tasks for each user group (entering an order, approving an expense report, creating a customer record) rather than the software's menus.
- Practice in a simulation on those tasks, with dummy data and immediate feedback on errors.
- Debrief: what caused problems, and which rules should everyone remember?
- Move to the live tool with guidance for the first real transactions, then for rarely performed tasks.
- Measure and adjust: the steps where users drop out or make errors show where more practice is needed.
The goal: on go-live day, every employee has already completed each of their core tasks at least once in a simulation and knows where to find help for the rest.
This path reflects the 70-20-10 model popularized by the Center for Creative Leadership, which attributes most development to challenging on-the-job experiences rather than to formal coursework. To track whether it works, use the methods described in our guide on how to measure digital adoption.
Frequently asked questions
What is hands-on training?
Hands-on training is a learning method in which employees build skills by doing the tasks they need to master, rather than by listening to a lecture or reading a manual. In software training, it means practicing real transactions on a simulation or in the live application, with feedback on mistakes. It is the workplace application of learning by doing.
What are the disadvantages of hands-on training?
Hands-on training takes more preparation than a presentation: you need realistic scenarios, test data or a simulation, and someone to give feedback. It can also be slower at first, and practice without reflection may reinforce bad habits. These limits are manageable when exercises are built on real tasks, followed by a debrief, and supported by guidance in the live application.
What is the difference between learning by doing and learning in the flow of work?
Learning by doing is a teaching approach: people learn by acting, whether in a training session, a simulation or on the job. Learning in the flow of work is a delivery model: learning happens during work, at the moment information is needed, for example through guidance built into an application. The second is a way to practice the first every day.
How do you get managers to free up time for hands-on practice?
Show the cost of skipping practice: data entry errors, rework, support tickets and delayed go-lives. Offer short practice formats that fit into team schedules, then measure their effect on those same indicators. Managers support hands-on training more readily when they see their teams become autonomous, and a structured change management methodology helps them play that role.
