- 14 September 2026
What If the Problem Isn’t the Assessment Format?
Whether we’re choosing assessment formats before understanding what learners actually need to retrieve for performance. The core question is: What does the performance require the learner to do?
As a learning experience designer...
What if the problem isn’t the assessment format…
…but what we’re asking learners to retrieve?
A few thoughts I picked up while studying Clark Quinn Learning Science — and one comment from Clark himself that made me rethink how I look at multiple-choice questions.
Performance requirement → Context → Retrieval demand → Tailored format.
Maybe it’s time we stop asking,
“What assessment format should I use?”
…and start asking,
“What does performance actually require?”
Let’s go. 🧠
In case you missed the Quinn Seed articles 👇
Quinn Seed #1- CLICK ME
Quinn Seed #2- CLICK ME
Quinn Seed #3- CLICK ME
Quinn Seed #4- CLICK ME
Quinn Seed #5- CLICK ME
Where this comes from
- Check out "Learning Science" by Clark Quinn — If you design learning, teach, or train people, you need to understand what is actually happening when someone learns. Learning happens at the neural level, but we design for it at the cognitive level. There’s a lot more in Clark Quinn’s book that I can’t share because of **intellectual property**. Get the book and experience the learning yourself. 📚You Would Love It!
- Check out "40 L&D Stakeholder Challenges: Of L&D Leaders, Practitioners, Clients, and Learners" by Guy W. Wallace — This book shares the answers I got from my EPPI-PACT Guidance Bot. The free EPPI-PACT Guidance Bot is a digital, interactive knowledge-transfer resource designed to help Learning and Development (L&D) practitioners, performance consultants, and business leaders master and apply Guy W. Wallace’s Performance Improvement and Performance Based L&D methodologies.
- To Learn More Join the "Learning Development Accelerator" — Click the link to join the Amazing Learning Development Accelerator Group Where practice meets evidence
Questions & Answers
