What is a Mobisode? and Why They Are Useful

A Mobisode is short video for mobile learning developed by Infopro Learning.

Why We Made Mobisodes

Infopro Learning created the mobisode to solve the biggest challenges faced by our customers and create a simple solution for mobile learning (mlearning, m-learning). Some of the challenges we hear from our customers when developing mLearning is:

• • Mobile Technology is too complex

• • There are too many types of devices

• • It’s difficult to distribute mobile content

• • Learners behave differently when on Mobile devices

• • We don’t have the budget for mobile learning

Trying to design a solution to overcome these challenges was not a simple task. We invested over four months of research and development before we refined what we now call a mobisode.

We aren’t the first to use the term mobisode, in 2004 Fox broadcasting company introduced the blended word of “mobile” and “episode” for the show 24. Fox created 24 one-minute videos to be watched on viewers mobile phones before the television episodes as a teaser. Our mobisodes are similar to television mobisodes, but differ to increase learning outcomes.

Key Characteristics of Mobisodes

Mobisodes from Infopro Learning are short videos for mobile learning. To design these videos to excel at m-learning there are several key characteristics:

#1: MP4 Format Videos

The first key characteristic of a mobisode is that they’re videos. And not just any video, but MP4 videos. This is important for two reasons: first, it allows you to publish the content on any device. Whether your learners want to take this content on their laptop, their iPhone X, or an android tablet, all the content will be viewed in the exact same format with an MP4 video (Maybe minus the “notch”). Second, most Learning Management Systems (LMS) on the market today allow you to upload MP4 videos, such as our own LMS, GnosisConnect, which makes it insanely easy to upload and distribute mobisodes to mobile learners.

#2: 3-5 Minutes in Duration

Another key feature of our mobisodes, is that they are only 3-5 minutes in duration. A lot of research and testing went into this number. What we found is that when we delivered content that lasted longer than 5 minutes, learners would abandon the course. Mobile learners are often on the go, and a 10-minute video is too much of a time commitment. Conversely, we found that for sessions that lasted under 3 minutes, learners were unable to grasp most of the concepts we were trying to teach. At 3 to 5 minutes duration we can communicate a key piece of learning while also maintaining brevity and engagement.

#3: Function Within a Series

The third key characteristic of a Mobisode is that they are organized into a series of mobisodes instead of one larger video. The reason for this is we have shrunk the duration of the videos down to that 3-5 minute time frame, which only allows you to cover so much. This requires you to create a series of learning videos to cover a larger learning topic.

Creating a series of Mobisodes to cover a topic instead of a larger video has many advantages. First, file sizes are kept at a minimal for each video so learners do not need to wait to load a large video file. Second, the short chunks of information encourage learners to watch one or two when free and increase consumption. Third, breaking the topic into individual videos allows learners to quickly search for content when they need it and watch the most important sessions, creating their own learning journeys. Finally, the development of individual videos segmented by topic allows you to reuse video sections from one course to another, and makes the process of modernizing the content faster and less costly.

#4: Leverage Existing Content

The last attribute of a mobisode is that they are created by utilizing existing content. An example would be a 3-minute video for the sales team containing the elevator pitch and key benefits of a product that was introduced in their last training.

Repurposing existing content reduces the time and cost of creating mobisodes, and allows mobisodes to function within a blended learning campaign, providing on-demand learning, microlearning, and a review of other learning content.

Mobile Learning Made Easy

We created mobisodes to overcome the common challenges our customers face developing mobile learning. Being MP4 videos, mobisodes are simple to produce so you don’t have to worry about mobile technology hurdles, they are compatible on any device, and they can easily be delivered to your audience with or without an LMS. In addition, creating a series of focused videos engages mobile learners and provides them with a powerful tool to increase their performance. Finally, by leveraging existing content the cost to create mobile learning is dramatically reduced.

If you’re interested in learning more about Mobisodes and Mobile learning strategy, please reach out to us! And if you would like to see first-hand a mobisode, click here to schedule a demo and we can show you some of our work and walk you through the process.

For more on the potential of mobile learning see our article mLearning-in-the-Moment: Learning Right when It’s needed.