Discuss new modes of content consumption that foster learner engagement
Dana Nehme is a Senior Learning Experience Designer at Kashida, with experience in analyzing educational needs and creating effective curriculum. She has a solid background in instructional design principles that allows her to create engaging learning experiences tailored to diverse audiences. Today, she talks about designing custom L&D that enables organizations to upskill and reskill their teams through human-centered, engaging, and impactful content.
What is one of the most important challenges facing organizations today when it comes to upskilling and reskilling in a Gen Z world?
One of the biggest challenges facing organizations today is matching the speed of learning to the rapidly evolving expectations and attention spans of Gen Z learners. It’s not just about keeping up with the latest technical information. It’s about designing experiences that fit their digital habits and emotional drivers. Research shows that Gen Z learners expect digital experiences that reflect the fluidity of social media: short, visual, and participatory. Gen Z expects learning to be on-demand, personalized, and meaningful, not a one-size-fits-all solution.
They want purpose, interactivity, and community, and organizations that fail to tap into these motivations risk disengagement. We see this happening frequently. Many young professionals are avoiding long, static courses and instead turning to YouTube and TikTok for instant, visual, and peer-driven learning. This clearly shows that learners want a learning experience that fits the pace and rhythm of their lives. In other words, the challenge is not just “rapid technology updates.” It’s about keeping learning human, relevant, and continuous in a world where information moves faster than structured training cycles. Forward-thinking companies are responding to this need for immediacy by delivering learning in shorter cycles, sometimes through gamified microbursts and interactive challenges.
Kashida’s approach focuses on new and innovative modes of content consumption. What role do microlearning, gamification, and mobile-first experiences play in keeping learners engaged?
At Kashida, we always start with people, not platforms. Our human-centered approach means designing learning experiences based on learners’ real needs, not trends. Before choosing a format like microlearning, gamification, or mobile-first design, first understand how learners think, feel, and engage with your content. Once you do it, use the one that really gives you results. We talked about this in detail in our blog about designing engaging eLearning programs, but here we’ll briefly explain some of the techniques we use and why they work.
Microlearning provides short bursts of knowledge that fit naturally into busy lives. Gamification adds an emotional layer. It transforms learning from a passive process to a challenge-based journey. Use badges, progress indicators, leaderboards, and story-driven missions to give learners a sense of growth and accomplishment.
And, with a mobile-first experience, you can meet learners who are always connected and looking for instant, meaningful engagement exactly where they are. Our design is responsive, accessible, intuitive, and bite-sized to help learning flow naturally into your daily life. These approaches make engagement sustainable rather than situational.
Can you share any real-life insights you’ve gained from Kashida’s in-house programs, including your internship and onboarding experiences?
Our internal programs reflect our learning philosophy in practice.
Our internship program bridges theory and practice at an early stage. Interns often say they love the hands-on learning that moves from conceptual understanding to real-world application. Each day I am given small tasks that build towards a bigger goal, and I am grateful for the constant challenge and feedback loop.
As for the onboarding experience, we gamified the process to make it welcoming and rewarding. New employees gradually increase their “kashidah level” through modules. You start with 0% Kasidah and the program ends with 100%. They explore the employee handbook through scavenger hunt activities, turning often static content into a discovery experience.
We also encourage new team members to schedule a short meeting with their colleagues to discuss each module. This turns learning into a social experience. This structure not only drives engagement, but also strengthens team connection and culture from day one.
Are there any recent development projects, product launches, or other initiatives our readers should know about?
We are currently developing a gamified learning experience for the Salem Bin Mahfouz Foundation that focuses on future skills for youth, and this is one of our most exciting projects to date. This experience is beyond par for the course. A complete platform with programs that combine edutainment and challenge-based learning.
Learners progress through mini-games, missions, and leaderboards, and track their progress in comparison to other students. What sets this apart is that it mirrors Gen Z’s natural social media behavior, allowing learners to apply their knowledge to real life by uploading short videos, comics, or visual collages to share their discoveries and insights.
The world of the story is built around social media itself, making it approachable, playful, and deeply relevant to the way today’s youth consume and express information.
What youth-focused programs has Mr. Kashida worked on to help young learners develop financial literacy, cybersecurity, anti-corruption, and future skills?
Mr. Kashida has developed several programs for youth that combine learning with interactivity and storytelling.
For example, we collaborated with UNDP and the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD) to create a gamified interactive game for Egyptian teens that teaches integrity and anti-corruption through scenario-based storytelling. Learners choose an avatar and navigate dilemmas inspired by real life, making choices that shape their journey and perceptions of corruption concepts and mechanisms to reduce risks and find solutions.
In the area of financial literacy, the Lyari Foundation moved its Ajal program from in-person delivery to a fully online, inquiry-based design to help engage learners aged 12 to 16 with a variety of devices. The experience offered short interactive modules, peer video reflection, and mobile-friendly delivery.
For the Safe Space project, which aims to protect children by promoting a culture of cyber safety and security in Qatar and the Arab world, we helped young people, caregivers, and educators engage with over 450 microlearning assets through story-driven and visual formats. This experience reflects the way users already consume content: fast, visual, and story-driven.
What is consistent across all these programs is learning that feels vivid, relevant, and self-directed. It’s not didactic, it’s inspirational.
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Thank you to Dana Nehme for sharing her experience and insight with us. You can also check out Kashida’s website to learn more about our award-winning solutions, trusted by businesses around the world.
Last but not least, we would like to congratulate Mr. Kashida on being named to our list of Top Content Providers to Power Your Employee Engagement Strategy.
