This post examines Problem 4—underwhelm and overwhelm—when learning offers too much, too little, or arrives too late. It shares ways to deliver the right dose at the right time for lasting impact.
Imagine you’ve just signed up for a cooking class. You’re excited to learn how to make homemade pasta—something simple, approachable, and delicious.
But when you arrive, the instructor is demonstrating how to construct a 17-layer croquembouche using molecular gastronomy techniques. You don’t even know where to look, let alone how to start.
On the other end of the spectrum, maybe you signed up for an advanced class expecting new techniques—only to spend two hours reviewing how to boil water.
That, in a nutshell, is Problem 4: the learning offers too much, too little, or it arrives too late.
This may be the sneakiest of the persistent problems because it often comes from good intentions. We want to be thorough. We want to cover every angle. We want to “add value.”
But in the process, we create learning that drowns people in information or leaves them starving for substance.
Let’s think about how this shows up in buying behavior.
Picture yourself shopping for a new mattress. You walk into a store and ask the salesperson, “What options do you recommend for side sleepers with back pain?”
In Scenario A, they hand you a 200-page binder detailing every coil, foam density, and micro-spring innovation in the last decade. You nod politely, but inside, your brain is quietly waving a white flag.
In Scenario B, they point to one mattress, declare, “This is the best,” and then stare at you in expectant silence. No explanation, no context, no chance to compare.
Both experiences fail the customer, just in opposite ways.
Learning is exactly the same. If the content is an unfiltered firehose, learners shut down. If it’s thin and generic, they feel insulted or frustrated. And if it arrives too late—after they’ve already wrestled with the real-world situation—it feels irrelevant.
I once worked with a manufacturing company to design a safety training program.
The original version was a two-hour e-learning course packed with so many acronyms, subclauses, and statistical footnotes that learners didn’t even make it to the final quiz. They clicked “exit” and went back to work, none the wiser.
After listening to field supervisors, we realized most incidents were happening within the first two weeks on the job. So we restructured the training: a short, focused onboarding module delivered on day one, followed by weekly micro-learnings addressing more complex issues.
Completion rates soared. More importantly, incidents declined.
Too much, too late had been the enemy.
How do you get it just right? It helps to think like a chef:
Here are a few practical ideas:
1. Break it up.
Instead of delivering a 3-hour monolith, create short modules that build progressively. Let learners pace themselves and revisit material.
2. Prioritize essentials.
Use pre-assessments or diagnostic tools to tailor content. What’s review for some may be brand new for others.
3. Respect readiness.
Offer “just-in-time” learning tied to real-world triggers—like a short video refresher before a key task.
4. Test the meal.
Pilot content with a small group. Ask: Was this too much? Too little? Did it arrive when you needed it?
When learning is right-sized and well-timed, people feel confident instead of overwhelmed. They see immediate relevance instead of abstract theory.
It’s the difference between being handed a sensible, nourishing plate of food—and being buried under an all-you-can-eat buffet you never asked for.
As you design your next program, ask yourself:
Is this the right portion for this learner, at this moment?
Because when you get the dose right, learning doesn’t just inform—it empowers.
When you work with Guiding Star, you ignite real transformation — in your people, your teams, and your impact. Let's spark light, warmth, and lasting excellence for your customers, donors, and stakeholders.
Reach out today. Let's build something brilliant together.
.png){kind=logo}