Informal learning represents the unstructured, self-directed, and often subconscious acquisition of expertise that occurs outside the confines of a formalised syllabus. In the design studio, this is frequently referred to as Social Learning or Implicit Knowledge Acquisition. It is the process by which technical competence is absorbed through peer-to-peer exchange, trial and error, or the casual observation of project outcomes rather than through a scheduled seminar or textbook.
Explanation & Behavioural Insight #
While manufacturers often fixate on the formal CPD (Continuing Professional Development) as the primary vehicle for influence, the asymmetric payoff actually lies in the informal. Architects are professionally conditioned to be wary of curated narratives; they prefer to “discover” truths. Informal learning is the mechanism of that discovery.
When an architect asks a colleague, “What did we use for the basement tanking on the Leeds project?”, they are engaging in social learning. This carries a higher trust-weight than a brochure because it is filtered through a trusted peer. The cognitive load is lower because the information is contextual and requested “just-in-time” rather than “just-in-case.”
The absurdity of the current landscape is that many manufacturers make implicit knowledge acquisition nearly impossible by hiding their best insights behind login walls or inside cumbersome files. To align with the future of specification, a manufacturer must ensure their technical value is modular and “findable.” If your detail can be understood in the time it takes to boil a kettle, you have successfully entered the informal learning stream.
Real-World Application: The Digital “Water Cooler” Effect #
Imagine a manufacturer of high-performance glazing. Instead of merely offering a sixty-minute formal lecture, they release a series of thirty-second “Problem/Solution” animations on a platform frequented by designers.
A junior architect, scrolling during a break, sees a specific solution for a complex mullion connection. Three weeks later, when a similar design challenge arises, they recall the visual. This is implicit knowledge acquisition in action. They haven’t been “trained” in the traditional sense, but the information has been successfully cached for future use. The manufacturer has moved from being a “teacher” (high friction) to a “resource” (low friction), effectively navigating the incentive landscape of a busy practice.
FRAKT Insight: If you make your expertise easy to steal, architects will reward you by specifying it. Your goal is to be the smartest person in the room without ever raising your voice.
