Forgetting Curve

What is the forgetting curve?

The forgetting curve is a psychological model that describes how we lose retention of newly learned information without consistent reinforcement. Also known as the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, the model shows that initial memory loss is steep—as much as half of new material is lost within just a few hours or days. In the long term, only a small fraction of what we learned remains without regular review. 

Example: To combat the forgetting curve, I regularly reviewed newly acquired knowledge each day leading up to the test. 

Crucial to success in the workplace, reinforced learning creates more confident, competent employees and can cultivate a continuous learning environment that helps organizations overcome the forgetting curve.

Why is the forgetting curve important?

When it comes to learning new material in school or in the workplace, the forgetting curve is a well known, but often overlooked menace. Onboarding employees take in massive amounts of training materials, sometimes within just a few days. When that information isn’t reinforced, it’s not only knowledge that is lost, but time and money the organization spent on the employee training session in the first place. 

Developing a consistent, relevant training program with memory retention in mind can insulate organizations from the negative effects of the forgetting curve. 

Best practices for combatting the forgetting curve 

To combat the forgetting curve, implement a spaced repetition approach after employees complete training. Spaced repetition learning is an instructional design technique where information is reviewed at increasing intervals to help solidify memory and long-term retention. 

For example, after employees complete a basic training program for soft skills, consider scheduling follow up microlearning sessions on focused topics one day, three days, one week, one month, and three months later. This will not only reinforce learning, but give employees the confidence they need to be successful in their role. 

Additionally, when building out training initiatives, make sure employees have access to learning material whenever and wherever they need it. This means creating mobile-responsive courses, and maintaining an updated content library that’s easily searchable.