When it’s time to teach something or share information, most people default to building a presentation. It’s familiar, it’s comfortable, and it works often enough that the habit sticks.

But comfortable isn’t the same as effective. Presentations have their place, and they show up on this list. The problem is when a presentation becomes the only tool in the drawer. Different goals, audiences, and constraints call for different delivery formats, and defaulting to what’s familiar can mean missing the one that actually fits the situation.

Think Modality First, Strategy Second

Before jumping into how you’ll teach something, it helps to step back and ask what kind of experience fits the situation. That’s what modality is: the broad delivery vehicle you’ll use to get your content to your audience. Teaching strategies like scaffolding, deliberate practice, and formative assessment are important, but they come into play within a modality. You pick the vehicle first, then decide how to drive it.

It can also help to simply see what’s possible. Most people are working with a mental list of two or three options. When you lay out a fuller menu, it opens up choices you might not have considered.

A few things worth keeping in mind as you look through this list:

These are broad categories, not rigid templates. A “workshop” can look wildly different depending on your audience, timeline, and goals. A “mentoring relationship” might be formal and structured or completely organic. Each modality has a wide range of variations within it, and the best version is the one that fits your specific context.

Most strong programs use multiple modalities together. A field demonstration alone teaches differently than one preceded by an online module and followed up with a reference guide. Don’t think of these as either/or choices. Think about how they might work in combination.

Context determines everything. Who is your audience? What do they need to be able to do after this experience? What constraints are you working with (time, budget, geography, technology)? The answers to those questions should drive your modality choice, not habit or convenience.

A Survey of Delivery Modalities

1. In-Person Workshop or Multi-Day Institute

The hands-on, intensive format most of us already know. Participants gather in the same space for focused, interactive learning over the course of hours or days.

Consider this when: The content requires real-time feedback, physical demonstration, or collaborative problem-solving. Skill-building that benefits from immediate practice and correction fits well here. Multi-day institutes work particularly well for deeper learning that needs time to develop, where participants can build on each day’s work.

Keep in mind: Travel and scheduling are real barriers, especially for geographically spread-out audiences. The investment in time and logistics is significant, so make sure the format justifies it. A workshop that could have been an email (or a job aid) is a workshop that shouldn’t have been a workshop.

2. Webinar (Live, Synchronous)

A live online session, typically featuring a presenter with slides, screen sharing, and some form of Q&A or chat interaction. Participants join from wherever they are.

Consider this when: You need to reach a geographically dispersed audience with content that benefits from live delivery, like announcements, demonstrations, or guided walkthroughs. Webinars also work well for panel discussions or expert Q&A sessions.

Keep in mind: Engagement drops fast if the design isn’t intentional. A webinar that’s just a lecture with a webcam is fighting an uphill battle against every other tab on the participant’s screen. If you go this route, build in interaction early and often. And be honest with yourself about whether this actually needs to be live or if an asynchronous option would serve people better.

3. Online Self-Paced Module

Pre-recorded video, readings, activities, and assessments that learners complete on their own timeline. The content is designed once and delivered repeatedly without requiring a live facilitator.

Consider this when: Participants have unpredictable schedules, the content is foundational and doesn’t require live interaction, or you need to scale training across a large audience. Self-paced modules are also useful for prerequisite content before a live session.

Keep in mind: “Self-paced” can easily become “never finished.” Completion rates for self-paced content are notoriously low without some external structure or accountability. Design matters enormously here. A module that’s just a recording of a presentation with a quiz at the end isn’t really a self-paced learning experience. It’s a recording of a presentation with a quiz at the end.

4. Hybrid or Blended Program

Combines online and in-person components across a timeline. Each format is used for what it does best: online for knowledge building and flexibility, in-person for application, feedback, and relationship building.

Consider this when: The learning goals are complex enough to warrant multiple touchpoints over time. Blended programs let you use each format strategically rather than trying to cram everything into a single event. They work especially well for professional development that needs to connect to on-the-job practice.

Keep in mind: Blended doesn’t mean “workshop plus some stuff online.” The components need to be designed as an integrated whole, where each piece connects to and builds on the others. This takes more planning up front, but the result is usually more effective than any single format alone.

5. Field Demonstration or On-Site Visit

Learning happens at the actual site where the work gets done. Whether that’s a classroom, a farm, a lab, a factory floor, or a community center, participants see concepts in action within a real context.

Consider this when: The content is deeply tied to a physical environment or process. Seeing something in context carries a kind of understanding that no slide deck or video can fully replicate. This is especially powerful in technical fields, trades, agriculture, and any area where “seeing is believing” applies.

Keep in mind: Logistics can be complex, and group sizes are often limited by the space. Weather, safety, and access are all real considerations. It helps to pair field experiences with some form of pre-work or follow-up so participants can process and apply what they observed.

6. Mentoring or Coaching Relationship

One-on-one or small group guidance sustained over time. This isn’t a training event in the traditional sense, but it’s a legitimate delivery modality. A mentor or coach provides ongoing, responsive support tailored to the individual’s needs and context.

Consider this when: You’re trying to build judgment, decision-making ability, or context-specific skills that can’t be taught through content alone. Mentoring works well for onboarding, leadership development, or supporting someone through a significant role transition.

Keep in mind: Effective mentoring doesn’t just happen. It benefits from some structure: clear expectations, regular check-ins, and at least a loose framework for what the relationship is working toward. Without that, it can drift into casual conversation that feels nice but doesn’t move anyone forward.

7. Community of Practice or Peer Learning Network

An ongoing group of practitioners who meet regularly to share challenges, solutions, and resources. Less structured than a course, more sustained than a workshop. The group itself becomes the learning environment.

Consider this when: The learning is ongoing and evolving, and participants can learn as much from each other as from any expert. Communities of practice are powerful for building collective capacity over time. They also create a support network that outlasts any single training event.

Keep in mind: These need facilitation, especially early on. A community of practice without some intentional structure tends to fizzle out after a few meetings. Someone needs to be tending to the health of the group, even if the facilitation role rotates.

8. Reference Documents, Job Aids, and One-Pagers

Quick-reference materials designed for use in the moment, not for deep study. Think checklists, decision trees, laminated cards, pocket guides, or infographics. These support performance rather than teach new concepts from scratch.

Consider this when: People need to remember a process, follow a sequence, or make a decision at the point of need. Job aids are massively underused as a delivery modality. Often the best training intervention isn’t training at all. It’s putting the right information in people’s hands at the right time.

Keep in mind: A job aid that tries to do too much becomes a manual, and nobody reads manuals in the moment. Keep them focused on a single task or decision. Design them for the actual conditions where they’ll be used (lamination, font size, screen size, etc.).

9. Microlearning Modules

Short, focused learning segments (typically 3 to 10 minutes) targeting a single concept or skill. Can be video, interactive, text-based, or audio. Designed to be consumed quickly and applied immediately.

Consider this when: The content can be meaningfully broken into small, independent pieces. Microlearning works well for reinforcement, refreshers, and just-in-time learning. It’s also a good fit for audiences who have limited time or whose schedules make longer learning blocks impractical.

Keep in mind: Microlearning isn’t a magic solution for everything. Some topics genuinely need more depth and sustained attention. Chopping a complex concept into five-minute pieces doesn’t make it simpler. It just makes it fragmented. Use this modality for content that’s genuinely suited to it.

10. Conference Presentation or Breakout Session

A single session within a larger event. You’ve usually got somewhere between 45 and 90 minutes with an audience that chose your session from a menu of options.

Consider this when: Your goal is awareness-building, introducing a concept, or sharing results and lessons learned. Conference sessions are great for sparking interest and giving people a starting point for further exploration.

Keep in mind: You’re working with limited time and an audience you probably don’t know well. This is almost never the right format for deep skill development. Think of it as planting seeds rather than harvesting crops. The best conference sessions send people away with something specific they can act on, not just inspiration.

11. Poster or Visual Display

A static, visual communication piece used at events, in offices, or at community locations. Posters are underused as a deliberate educational tool, but they can be effective for communicating key findings, processes, or program impacts.

Consider this when: You want to share information in a format that doesn’t require someone’s dedicated time and attention. Posters and visual displays work well in high-traffic areas where people can engage with the content naturally. They’re also valuable at conferences and events where they invite conversation.

Keep in mind: A good poster communicates its main point quickly and clearly. If someone has to stand there reading paragraphs of text, it’s not really functioning as a visual display. Design for quick comprehension with a clear visual hierarchy.

12. Video Series or Podcast

Episodic content delivered over time. Lower production barrier than a full course, and audiences can consume it during commutes, field work, or downtime.

Consider this when: Your content lends itself to storytelling, interviews, or case studies. Serialized content builds an ongoing relationship with your audience. Audio-only formats (podcasts) are particularly versatile since they work in situations where screens don’t, like driving, walking, or working with your hands.

Keep in mind: Consistency matters more than production quality. A series that publishes reliably builds an audience. One that launches with high production values and then goes silent doesn’t. Start with something sustainable and improve from there.

13. Simulation, Role-Play, or Scenario-Based Exercise

Participants practice skills in a controlled, low-stakes environment before applying them in real settings. Can be embedded within a workshop, designed as a standalone experience, or delivered digitally.

Consider this when: The skill involves interpersonal interaction, decision-making under pressure, or any situation where practice and failure are valuable learning tools. Think difficult conversations, emergency response, customer interactions, or classroom management scenarios.

Keep in mind: The debrief is where the real learning happens. A simulation without structured reflection is just an activity. Build in time for participants to process what happened, what they noticed, and what they’d do differently.

14. Technical Assistance or Consultation

Individualized, responsive support where the facilitator works directly on the participant’s real project or challenge. There’s no pre-planned curriculum. The content adapts entirely to what the person needs in the moment.

Consider this when: People are past the “learning about” stage and into the “trying to do it” stage. Technical assistance fills the gap between knowing what to do in theory and being able to do it in their specific context. It’s especially valuable when every participant’s situation is different enough that a standardized approach wouldn’t be helpful.

Keep in mind: This is resource-intensive because it doesn’t scale the way a course does. One facilitator can only support so many people at this level of customization. But when it’s the right fit, nothing else comes close in terms of immediate, practical impact.

15. Toolkit or Resource Kit

A curated package of materials (guides, templates, sample documents, checklists) that someone can use independently. It functions as a self-service support system rather than a taught experience.

Consider this when: People need to implement something and would benefit from having the building blocks ready to go rather than creating everything from scratch. Toolkits are great for rolling out new processes, programs, or practices at scale.

Keep in mind: Curation is the key word. A toolkit that’s just a folder of 47 documents isn’t helpful. It’s overwhelming. Be selective, organize the materials logically, and include some guidance on what to use when and why.

16. Asynchronous Discussion or Forum

A structured online space where participants respond to prompts, share perspectives, and engage with each other’s thinking over a set period of time. Unlike live discussion, everyone contributes on their own schedule.

Consider this when: You want participants to reflect and respond thoughtfully rather than react in real time. Asynchronous discussion gives everyone a voice, including people who tend to be quieter in live settings. It works well for processing readings, sharing experiences, or working through case studies.

Keep in mind: Quality prompts drive quality discussion. “What did you think of the reading?” will get you surface-level responses. Prompts that ask participants to connect content to their own experience or take a position tend to generate more meaningful exchange. Facilitation still matters here. Someone needs to be present in the space, responding and guiding the conversation.

17. Book Study or Reading Group

A group works through a shared text together over several weeks, meeting periodically to discuss and apply the ideas. Can be in-person, virtual, or asynchronous.

Consider this when: You want sustained engagement with a set of ideas and the time to actually process them. Book studies create a shared language and reference point that a team or group can draw on long after the study ends.

Keep in mind: Pick the right book. It sounds obvious, but the text needs to be accessible to your group and directly relevant to their work. A 400-page academic text will lose most groups by chapter three. Also, structure the discussion around application, not just comprehension. “What does this mean for how we do our work?” is a better anchor than “What did the author say?”

18. Action Research or Inquiry Project

Participants investigate a question from their own practice, collect data, try something, and reflect on the results. The learning emerges from the process of doing and studying their own work.

Consider this when: You want people to develop as reflective practitioners, not just learn a set of skills. Action research connects professional learning directly to real work and produces evidence that’s meaningful to the person doing it.

Keep in mind: This modality requires time, support, and tolerance for messiness. Participants need guidance on research methods (even informal ones), and they need regular check-ins to stay on track. The payoff is significant, but so is the commitment.

19. Apprenticeship or Job Shadowing

Learning through observation of and participation in authentic work alongside someone experienced. The apprentice gradually takes on more responsibility as their competence grows.

Consider this when: The skill set is complex, context-dependent, and hard to teach outside the actual work environment. Apprenticeship is one of the oldest forms of training for a reason. It works for skills that are easier to show than explain and where judgment develops through guided experience.

Keep in mind: The person being shadowed needs to be willing and able to make their thinking visible. Just watching someone work without understanding their decision-making process has limited value. Build in time for the experienced person to narrate their thinking and for the apprentice to ask questions.

20. Gamified or Game-Based Learning Experience

Uses game mechanics (points, levels, challenges, competition, narrative) to drive engagement with learning content. This can range from a simple competitive quiz to a fully designed educational game.

Consider this when: Motivation or engagement is a barrier, the content involves practice and repetition, or you’re working with an audience that responds well to competition and achievement. Game-based approaches can also make abstract concepts more concrete by letting participants experience systems and consequences.

Keep in mind: There’s a meaningful difference between gamification (adding game elements on top of existing content) and game-based learning (designing the learning experience around game mechanics from the start). Slapping a leaderboard on a boring module doesn’t make it fun. It makes it a boring module with a leaderboard. The game mechanics need to be intrinsically connected to the learning goals to be effective.

Choosing Your Modality

There’s no formula for picking the right delivery vehicle, but a few questions can help narrow things down:

What do participants need to be able to do afterward? If the answer is “perform a hands-on skill,” that points you toward workshops, simulations, or apprenticeships. If it’s “access information when they need it,” you’re probably looking at job aids or toolkits.

What are your constraints? Budget, time, geography, technology access, and audience size all shape what’s realistic. A multi-day institute might be ideal for your content, but if your audience is spread across three time zones and can’t travel, it’s not going to work.

How complex is the content? Simple, straightforward information might work as a microlearning module or job aid. Complex skills and concepts usually need more sustained, interactive formats.

What’s already happening? Don’t build something new if an existing community of practice, mentoring relationship, or resource library could be adapted to address the need. Sometimes the best intervention is strengthening what’s already there.

The goal isn’t to use every modality on this list. It’s to make deliberate choices instead of defaulting to what’s familiar. Sometimes a presentation really is the right call. But now you’ve got a fuller menu to choose from.

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Have questions about which modality fits your situation? I’m always happy to think through it with you. Reach out at licht.education@gmail.com or connect with me at bradylicht.com.