How to promote informal learning in the workplace? The need for incremental design methods

TL;DR

This paper explores how enterprise social media can effectively promote informal learning at work by emphasizing the importance of incremental design methods and addressing social factors like content quality and moderation.

Contribution

It introduces the need for incremental design approaches to enhance the effectiveness of enterprise social media in supporting informal workplace learning.

Findings

ESM effectively promotes ILW in real contexts

Social aspects influence the success of ESM in ILW

Content quality and moderation are critical for ESM effectiveness

Abstract

Informal Learning in the Workplace (ILW) is ensured by the everyday work activities in which workers are engaged. It accounts for over 75 per cent of learning in the workplace. Enterprise Social Media (ESM) are increasingly used as informal learning environments. According to the results of an implementation we have conducted in real context, we show that ESM are appropriate to promote ILW. Nevertheless, social aspects must be reconsidered to address users' needs regarding content and access, quality information indicators, moderation and control.