The 5 Moments of Need Model and how to use it effectively in your organization

The 5 Moments of Need™ methodology is a practical model for achieving higher employee performance. By responding to these “moments of need” when designing and developing learning and development in the organization, you can ensure that the uptake, retention and ability to apply knowledge is improved, which is of course the ultimate goal of every learning experience.

The model, developed by Bob Mosher and Conrad Gottfredson, explores 5 times when professionals need information and learn. The five moments of learning need are:

1. When you learn something for the first time
2. When you want to learn more
3. When you try to apply and/or remember
4. When something goes wrong
5. When things change

Within this approach, learning is linked to the performance of the employees, so that the return on learning is immediately measurable - so very interesting for organizations and companies!

In this blog, we tell you how to shape learning processes for each of the 5 Moments of Need and what to take into account.

1. When employees learn something for the first time

In this “Moment of Need”, it is important for the employee to build a solid foundation of knowledge. In this phase, they come into contact with the concept that they are going to learn for the first time. To gain basic knowledge, an e-learning (on a platform such as Pluvo) can easily be used that the employee can complete at their own time.

However, it is important that the employee always feels that he/she understands and feels why it is important to gain this knowledge.

You can do this by linking knowledge directly to daily work practice and making it very concrete. For example, take the employee step by step through a (basic) work process that they are likely to encounter regularly in their work practice.

This makes it much easier for them to translate from theory into practice later.

2. When employees want to learn more

During this “Moment of Need”, it is clear to the employee where he/she has more to learn. For example, if they have just learned the basics of a work process and they know what role they play in this process, they would like to delve deeper into what this knowledge means specifically for them in their daily work practice.

The follow-up to the “foundation” of step 1 therefore does not look the same for everyone, but depends entirely on prior knowledge and follow-up activities that are expected of the employee.

A convenient way to determine where an employee is currently standing and what the next logical step is for him/her in terms of learning is to measure knowledge by means of a survey, conversation, or other check-in time.

It is then determined what the employee is focusing on in terms of further study. If there are several employees who go through the same learning process, they can also be linked together as a group and go through a group process. ‍

3. When employees try to remember and apply knowledge

After the employee has built a solid foundation of knowledge, he/she probably needs a handy checklist, reminders, or tools that can be deployed when they are needed.

For example, if it concerns an emergency response course, it is useful to create an infographic for employees that shows exactly the steps to follow in case of resuscitation or evacuation. Or when an employee learns how a new Learning Management System works, it's helpful if they have a short checklist that lists all the steps to log in and find the information they need.

It is important here that the employee has access to this information at all times and that it is really short, concise, and easy to follow/apply.

4. When something goes wrong

When something goes wrong while learning, the employee naturally does not want to feel that he/she is alone. That's why you want to reassure the employee at all times that support is available.

At Pluvo, for example, the employee can easily use the chat function to get help. But this can also be done through Q&As, an online forum, or another form of live chat (WhatsApp support, for example).

If this option is not available, the employee is probably much more likely to give up.

5. When something changes for employees

It is possible that employees are trained in certain policies and procedures at some point and that they then change internally. Quite difficult, because this means that the employee first has to “unlearn” something before they can add new information instead.

It is important to emphasize why the policy or procedure has changed and why this change is important for the employee and his/her daily work. A convenient way to test knowledge is, for example, by means of a quiz (make sure that employees do not just go through it “quickly, quickly” and randomly click a, b or c, but must really give a targeted answer) or a questionnaire.

If there are discrepancies between the employee's knowledge and the new version of the information, you can provide the employee with more information and let them practice applying the new policy or procedure in practice.

Applying the 5 Moments of Need to your organization

‍By applying the 5 Moments of Need methodology, you can effectively respond to the different times when employees need information and support. This model ensures that learning not only takes place in the classroom or during formal training, but is integrated into daily work practice. As a result, employees are better supported in their learning process and knowledge can be applied in a more natural and effective way.

Pluvo is happy to help you apply this model in your organization. The combination of our learning platform with our didactic & technical service team ensures that the learning efficiency in your organization is much higher! Contact us for the possibilities!