The best blended learning companies may approach each project from their own unique angle, use their own special blend of innovative tools, and arrive at solutions in their own strategic way, but there’s one thing all blended learning companies have in common. Well, seven things actually.

As you probably already know, blended learning is one of the handiest tools available to learning leaders these days. But getting blended learning right is tricky. When there are a million and one combinations of learning delivery methods, how do you know which ones to use, and when? And how do you avoid over-blending, which can easily confuse or overwhelm your learners?

Whether you’re searching for a dedicated learning partner or looking for inspiration to craft your own blended learning experience, here are seven critical capabilities to keep in mind, modeled by the best blended learning companies in the biz (like yours truly!).

The best blended learning companies do their research

Conducting learner research is the most essential piece of any blended learning puzzle. It’s the foundation on which the rest of the learning experience is built. If you don’t know your learners—who they are, what they need, and how they learn—your blended learning experience probably won’t be super effective.

So, how exactly do you conduct learner research? There are a number of ways, but one great place to start is by facilitating a Learning Environment Analysis, our proven framework for accurately diagnosing and defining learners’ problems, constraints, and needs to prescribe the right solution. We firmly believe that learning should meet people where they are, and LEAs are one of the best ways to familiarize yourself with your learners and identify what they need to succeed.

They use their research

Gathering the data is one thing; knowing what to do with it is another. After you’ve assessed where your learners are on the learner journey—and identified the problem and what’s needed to solve it—you’re ready to create a strategy. What does this look like? That’s up to you. But we recommend using an in-depth outline tool like our Learning Project Design Brief template to think through key project elements such as your audience, constraints, timelines, and more.

At Maestro, we typically build our learning experiences using the Tell, Show, Do, Review blueprint because we know that learning is a process. A one-and-done approach to learning simply doesn’t create the meaningful change you and your team are searching for. In order to employ the best possible learning tool at the best possible time, you need a research-backed strategy in place.

The best blended learning companies understand the science of learning

Learning is more than just remembering new information. As a learning professional, you know that effective learning goes far beyond the recall stage. To achieve higher levels of learning—analysis, recreation, and evaluation—the top blended learning companies often use some version of Bloom’s Taxonomy to craft their learning experiences. They are also well-versed in proven industry research like Adult Learning Theory and Spaced Repetition Strategy. In other words, they know their stuff.

They test their methods

The best blended learning companies also know the importance of feedback. Often, they’ll pilot their carefully crafted learning experience to a small group of learners before bringing it to the larger group in order to identify any tweaks that need to be made. Not only that but, they also facilitate post-program evaluations to gather feedback from their learners, which they analyze and then utilize in future learning projects.

They answer the creativity call

In today’s learning landscape, learners are often distributed among time and space, operating synchronously and asynchronously, learning both virtually and in person. This necessitates innovative and creative approaches to keep every learner engaged and help them each succeed.

When we worked with Royal Caribbean, we were tasked with creating over 300 courses for their 15,000 learners from all over the globe, which required navigating certain language and cultural barriers. Not to mention our courses had to accommodate over 20 different job positions. Needless to say, we had to get creative.

What did we do? Well, we did a lot. But for one particular part of their program, we crafted an out-of-the-box solution by gamifying certain lessons. In order to transcend the barriers set before us, our dedicated team of Interactive Designers wrote and designed a custom, beautiful, and engaging training simulation that improved performance and learner confidence, helping Royal Caribbean increase their guest-service score by 2.9%, blowing their goal of a 0.6% increase out of the water.

The best blended learning companies know the value of quality

While creativity and innovation are all but required in learning these days, so too is high-quality design. Because of the phenomenon called the aesthetic usability effect—which proves that individuals are more receptive to and likely to use well-designed material—learners have come to expect professional commercial-grade quality in their learning experiences.

If the visual presentation doesn’t meet a certain caliber, learners will likely disengage from the experience, be less likely to retain the information, and possibly discount the credibility of the material. That’s why our fourth Learning Principle states that learning works best when beautifully designed. Because, well, it does!

They edit for excellence

The best blended learning companies know the dangers of over-blending, and they understand the delicate balance of learning delivery methods needed to craft the most effective learning experience. As you might expect, achieving that balance requires some tweaking along the way. That’s where learner research, early feedback, the science of learning, and creativity band together to lift the learning experience to a level of excellence.

The top blended learning companies know there is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning, and that each learning experience will present its own unique trials and triumphs. But with the help of their extensive experience, their commitment to innovation, and their in-house capabilities, these blended learning companies are ready to succeed.

Why work with a blended learning company?

You want your learners to succeed. And while blended learning is an incredible tool, it can be daunting to take on by yourself, especially if you’re operating with limited resources. But fear not, for some of the best blended learning companies are within reach!

Whether you want just a few consulting hours to bounce your ideas off an experienced sounding board or a long-term learning partner who will do everything in their power to help you achieve your performance objectives, immeasurable value can be found in outside help. Just remember to consider these critical criteria when vetting potential learning partners. Then let the magic happen.