Structured shadowing: what it is and what it means

Structured shadowing is a training method in which the learning employee knows what to observe, has guiding questions, and the experienced colleague has been prepared to explain the reasons behind their choices, not just to do the work. The explicit structure is what distinguishes structured shadowing from informal osmosis: without explicit criteria, shadowing passes on behaviors without conveying the principles behind them. With explicit criteria, shadowing produces significantly faster transfer to the job than content-based learning alone.

Distinctive: the experienced colleague has been prepared to explain the reasons behind their choices
Distinctive: knows what to observe, has guiding questions
Essential: explicit criteria
Essential: significantly faster transfer to the job
Constant: experienced colleague
Constant: distinguishes structured shadowing from informal osmosis

Glossary

Structured shadowing

A training method in which a learning employee observes and practices alongside an experienced colleague, with explicit criteria, guiding questions and a colleague prepared to explain the reasons behind their choices.