Choosing the right delivery method is the most important step in any learning rollout. While some content is perfect for a self-paced video, and some high-stakes leadership coaching requires a senior facilitator, Makeshapes is designed for the "Strategic Middle"—where you need human dialogue at scale.
Use this guide to determine if your current project is a perfect fit for an On-Demand Group Learning (ODGL) approach.
1. The quick qualifier
If you answer "Yes" to these three questions, you are almost certainly looking at a Makeshapes project:
Is this a group experience (rather than an individual task)?
Do you need to reach more than 50 people consistently?
Does success depend on people discussing and reflecting together?
2. The diagnostic checklist
Evaluate your project against these five criteria. The more "Yes" boxes you tick, the more value the Makeshapes platform will provide.
A. The scale & speed lever
Does this need to reach the entire organization (or a large cohort) quickly?
Would it take months to roll this out using traditional facilitators?
Are you struggling to find enough internal experts or trainers to deliver it?
B. The dialogue & social lever
Is the goal to change behavior or culture (rather than just sharing facts)?
Does the "magic" of the learning happen when people share their own experiences?
Is peer-to-peer accountability a key part of the success of this program?
C. The consistency lever
Is it critical that every participant receives the exact same high-quality message?
Do you want to avoid the message dilution and inconsistent delivery common in large-scale rollouts?
Does the content involve sensitive topics that require a safe, structured environment?
D. The hybrid equity lever
Is your audience dispersed across different locations or time zones?
Do you have teams where some people are in the office and others are remote?
Do you want to ensure remote participants have an equal "voice" in the discussion?
E. The data & insights lever
Do you need automated, real-time tracking of attendance and completion?
Is "Strategic Listening" a goal—do you need to capture qualitative insights at scale?
Are there regulatory or compliance requirements that demand a verifiable audit trail?
Do you need live visibility into the rollout status to identify areas of low engagement?
3. The "trade-off" check
Sometimes it’s easier to identify what you don't want. Makeshapes is the right fit if you are trying to avoid the limitations of these common approaches:
If you use... | The Problem you're facing is... | Makeshapes is the solution if... |
Traditional E-Learning | It’s scalable, but it’s boring and passive. | You want scale with the heart and soul of a conversation. |
Facilitated Workshops | It’s impactful, but too expensive and slow to scale. | You want workshop impact delivered to everyone, simultaneously. |
Webinars | It’s scalable, but participation is low and passive. | You want a broadcast reach with active group contribution. |
Train-the-Trainer | Large variation creates inconsistent delivery. | You need 100% consistency without the training bottleneck. |
Playbooks or Guides | High prep for managers and zero data visibility. | You want "zero-prep" hosting and real-time engagement data. |
4. The verdict: Making your decision
Reflect on your responses above. If you found yourself ticking "Yes" across multiple levers—particularly around the need for scale, consistency, and active dialogue—then your project is likely a high-impact fit for Makeshapes and On-Demand Group Learning.
However, we know that every organizational challenge is unique. If you are still weighing your options or aren't sure if Makeshapes is the right tool for this specific mission, we are here to help you scope it out.
Still unsure? Let's talk. Reach out to the Makeshapes Help Team or book a 15-minute consultation below to review your project design and goals with us.