Assignments: Best Practice Guide

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🔧 1. Choose the Right Type of Assignment

Continu offers two types of Assignments: Automated and Direct.

• Use Automated Assignments to trigger learning based on actions, such as completing a course, joining a group, or reaching a milestone.

• Use Direct Assignments when you want to manually assign content to individuals or teams for one-off needs or time-sensitive tasks.

Examples of when to use Direct Assignments:

• Following up on a missed compliance deadline

• Assigning training to a specific person or small team

• Rolling out new material that hasn’t yet been added to an automated flow

Tip: Use Direct Assignments for reactive or ad hoc needs. For anything recurring or role-based, automation is usually more efficient.

 

🧠 2. Keep It Focused and Actionable

Avoid overloading learners. Assignments are most effective when:

• They’re tied to specific goals (e.g., “Complete Security Module 2 by Friday”).

• They’re scoped realistically—one or two training items per assignment is usually enough.

• You include clear instructions in the Assignment Description to explain why it matters.

✍️ 3. Use Descriptive Names

Make it easy for both learners and admins to understand what each Assignment is for:

• Use names like Sales Onboarding – CRM Basics instead of just CRM Assignment.

• Include dates or versions if content changes over time.

🪄 4. Automate Where It Makes Sense

In the Automated Assignments builder, you can trigger assignments based on:

• Learner joining a group or completing a course

• Specific start dates or schedules

• Admin actions

Best practices:

• Stack triggers thoughtfully—avoid assigning the same content multiple times.

• Use filters to target specific roles, departments, or regions.

• Always preview the automation logic to catch misfires before they launch.

👀 5. Monitor and Manage with the Instance Viewer

For Direct Assignments, use the Instances tab to:

• Track who has completed the assignment

• Reassign or remove assignments as needed

• Follow up with learners who are falling behind

You can also filter by group, completion status, or due date.

Pro tip: Set realistic due dates—and follow up with a message to reinforce accountability.

✅ 6. Use Assignments to Reinforce Key Learning Moments

Assignments are great for reinforcing:

• Policy acknowledgements

• Role-specific training

• Post-course check-ins

• Manager sign-offs or observations

Tie them to meaningful moments in the learner journey so they feel timely, not random.

🧩 7. Combine Assignments with Other Continu Features

Pair Assignments with:

• Journeys: Assign content at key stages in a learner’s journey to reinforce progression.
• Groups: Use groups to manage visibility, targeting, and assignment rules across teams or roles
• Workshops: Follow-up workshops with assignments to reinforce key takeaways or track attendance-based action items.
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🧼 8. Clean Up Old Assignments

Keep your Assignments—and automations—organized and up to date:

• Deactivate automated assignments that are no longer relevant to avoid unnecessary notifications or duplicate work.

• Archive outdated or unused direct assignments to reduce clutter.

• Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., [Team] – [Topic] – [Date]) so you can easily search and audit over time.

• Review your assignment performance regularly to ensure the content remains useful and aligned with your goals.

🔄 9. Iterate Based on Learner Feedback

Use completion data, feedback, and engagement trends to improve your approach:

• Are learners completing on time?

• Are they struggling with certain topics?

• Do you need to add more clarity to your instructions?

Assignments are flexible—use them iteratively, not just once.

Related Articles

Assignments: FAQ

What Are Named Assignments and Why Do They Matter?

Creating a Direct Assignment

Creating an Automated Assignment

Understanding Assignment Instances in Continu

Questions?

If you’re not sure which type of Assignment to use or how to set up automation triggers, reach out to your Customer Success Manager for tailored guidance.