Why Design Matters in Training
Published on 10/16/2025
When people think about training, they often focus on content: what information employees need to know?
But research shows that how training is designed is just as important as what’s inside it.
Design isn’t decoration. Design is what makes the difference between training that sticks and training that gets abandoned halfway through.
The Evidence: Good Design Drives Completion and Efficiency
A study from the University of Alberta tested two versions of the same computer-based lesson.
Both had identical content.
But one used solid design principles—balance, unity, and focus—while the other did not.
The results?
Learners using the well-designed version completed the training 21% faster and were far more likely to finish it at all (74% completion vs. 45%)
Achievement scores were the same, meaning design didn’t necessarily make people smarter.
But it made the learning experience smoother, more motivating, and more likely to be completed.
In other words: design clears the path so learners can focus on the work.
Why Design Matters for Training Today
Most workplace learning today happens digitally. Self-paced modules, videos, simulations, or blended programs.
Without a facilitator in the room, design does the heavy lifting to guide learners through.
Confusing layouts, cluttered slides, or unintuitive flows don’t just look unprofessional; they actively discourage persistence.
Learners check out. Completion rates drop. And training time stretches far longer than it needs to.
Good design keeps people moving.
It reduces cognitive load, directs attention, and signals quality—building trust in the learning experience itself.
At FōKUS, we see this every day.
Teams come to us with outdated slide decks or disjointed eLearning that technically “covers the material,” but frustrates learners and wastes time.
When we redesign the same material with clear flow, visuals that fit the brand, and intuitive navigation, performance improves.
Not because the information changed, but because the design did.
Design Principles in Practice
The Alberta study focused on three core principles:
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Training elements should feel like they belong together, not a scattered set of slides.
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Each screen or activity should have a clear purpose and point of emphasis.
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Layouts should feel stable and intuitive, so learners aren’t distracted by clutter or awkward spacing.
At FōKUS, we extend those principles to modern corporate training:
Aligning visuals with your brand so training feels familiar and professional.
Using infographics, animations, and scenario design to keep attention where it matters.
Structuring modules so each piece of content builds naturally into the next.
Design here isn’t “making it pretty.” It’s making it work.
The Business Case for Well-Designed Training
For frontline teams, time-to-proficiency is critical.
Every extra week a new hire takes to ramp up means lost productivity and more strain on experienced staff.
If better design can cut completion time by 21% and boost persistence, that’s not just a learning benefit, it’s a business advantage.
So when you think about improving training, don’t just ask “what do we need people to know?”
Ask also: “how will we design the experience so they can actually learn it?”
Because design isn’t window dressing. It’s what makes training usable, effective, and worth completing.
Ready to improve how your team learns?
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