There are many learning platforms. Yet content often takes centre stage, whilst the transfer of learning into practice is neglected. Columnist Axel Koch has done some research – and discovered a platform that systematically applies the principles of successful learning transfer.
This article was originally published on Kolumne Lerntransfer: Lern-Workflow-Plattform für Verhaltensänderungen on 25.02.2026 [1]. Axel Koch has described our Learning Workflow Platform so well that we obtained his permission to publish the article in English.
“It was a very winding path with many twists and turns,” Paul Matthews, an international L&D expert and author of three books (including Learning Transfer at Work: How to ensure training >> performance [2]), tells me. He explains how, many years ago, he developed his very own People Alchemy Learning Workflow Platform. The underlying methodology aims to encourage people to transfer learning and change their behaviour. “The idea came from an acquaintance who had developed a management training programme. It was very practice-oriented, task-based and designed to encourage participants to take action over six months through weekly sessions, without conveying too much content. She was now looking for someone who could help her implement this concept digitally.”
That was more than ten years ago. Since then, his learning platform has been constantly evolving – driven by customer requests and his passion for making learning effective. After all, the ultimate goal of training is for participants to apply what they’ve learnt to achieve better business results.
The navigation system for behavioural change
At the heart of the platform is a clearly structured learning workflow. Paul Matthews compares this to a car’s sat-nav, which reliably guides you from A to B. He demonstrates exactly how this works using the example of a leadership training course.
After logging in, you see the user’s name and a picture in the top left-hand corner of the learning platform. Immediately to the right of this are two graphics. One shows the percentage of the course the learner has already completed. The other indicates the percentage of the knowledge, skills and behaviours that the course is designed to teach which have already been acquired. It also displays when the course started and when it is due to end.
Otherwise, the learning platform looks much like many others at first glance. On the left-hand side, a vertical overview of the learning pathway is displayed. In the case of leadership training, for example, the following can be seen: ‘1. First steps’, ‘2. Preparation for the workshop’, ‘3. Workshop’. On the right-hand side of the screen, the individual learning module that has been selected is then displayed in detail. Here you will find, for example, texts, images, videos or a forum for social learning.
However, unlike other leaning platforms, the focus is not on the content, but on the activities that the learner must complete in order to achieve the desired learning outcome at the end of the programme. The promotion of learning transfer is thus understood as a well-orchestrated sequence of actions over weeks or months. Because that is precisely what is needed if behaviour is to change. Matthews observes that L&D mistakenly provides far too much content. But more is not necessarily better, he says. Participants quickly forget most of it [3].
Built-in learning transfer framework
L&D professionals can tailor the learning platform to suit specific training topics. Paul Matthews and his colleagues provide advice on ideas and concepts for learning transfer. This results in a learning workflow that integrates a schedule featuring all key deadlines and learning transfer activities, and is scalable for a large number of users. As participants go through this process, the system tracks their progress in completing the schedule and the required activities. It visualises progress in the graph mentioned at the start, identifies deviations and then sends notifications to the participants and their line managers.
Research into learning transfer has clearly shown the important role that the line manager plays in successful learning transfer. That is why the manager is actively involved in the learning process as a mentor. They can see progress, receive alerts in the event of delays and provide feedback on completed tasks. Learning thus becomes visible – and relevant to day-to-day work. The manager therefore always keeps an eye on their employee’s development and can check whether the employee perceives their learning progress in the same way as they do.
The learning workflow can be deliberately designed so that a participant applies what they have learnt in their day-to-day work and receives feedback on this. Paul Matthews reports on a training course for nurses in which they learn to take blood samples. The workflow then defines, amongst other things, how the nurses should carry out blood sampling in their daily work under supervision and, at the end, receive confirmation from a qualified person that they have mastered the procedure safely and competently. Through this external assessment, which may come from one or more people, it becomes clear that the desired behavioural objectives have indeed been achieved.
Demonstrating added value
In this context, I find another very specific feature particularly interesting, one that is likely to appeal to training controllers and data-driven management teams. It highlights the monetary or non-monetary benefits of a training course. Learners note in an input window what they will do differently as a result of the training to create added value, and how this translates into financial or time savings. This information is forwarded to the manager, who then assesses whether they agree with it. This fosters a dialogue about the expected benefits of a training course and the return on investment.
Conclusion
It would go beyond the scope of this article to go into all the details of the platform here. But I am impressed by the systematic approach Paul Matthews has developed over the years to help learners progress and make the effects of learning visible. Anyone wishing to find out more or get in touch with Paul Matthews is welcome to do so here.
Prof. Dr. Axel Koch is a PhD-qualified psychologist (holding a Diploma in Psychology) and works as a professor of Training and Coaching at the University of Applied Management in Ismaning (near Munich). In his research, Koch focuses on the topic of learning transfer and sustainable change. He has more than 30 years of experience as a human resources development specialist, trainer, and coach. He is the person behind the pseudonym “Richard Gris,” under whose name the book “Die Weiterbildungslüge” [4] was published in 2008, and he developed the award-winning “Transfer Strength Method.”
