4mat presentation model

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Why does it matter?

4MAT is one of the most widely used instructional formats in the world, with over thirty years of proven success in both corporate and learning institutions. 4MAT teaches how to identify the styles of learning using the Learning Type Measure® (LTM), and implement the best methods to reach those learning styles. Our learning style based training products and programs show you how to work most effectively with all types of learners.

Learning is the core process that drives innovation and sustainable growth. We help people and organizations learn faster and work smarter.

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What are the differences between the learning styles?

Key Question: If?

Key question: why, key question: how, key question: what, why is it important to know my learning style, but what is more important than learning styles is the guidance for teachers and instructors on how to design learning that embraces all learning styles.  for this guidance, we turn to the cycle of learning that embraces and accommodates all learning styles..

What is the Cycle of Learning?

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• Natural Learning Cycle
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The 4MAT Learning Model: A Comprehensive Overview

Learning is an integral part of our lives. From the time we are born, we are learning every day. As we grow up, we attend school and college to acquire knowledge and skills that will help us in our personal and professional lives. However, not everyone learns in the same way, and that is where the 4MAT Learning Model comes in.

The 4MAT Learning Model is a comprehensive approach to learning that takes into account different learning styles and preferences. It was developed by Bernice McCarthy in the 1970s and has since been used by educators and trainers around the world.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the 4MAT Learning Styles and how they can be used to enhance the learning experience for both students and professionals. This is a part of our comprehensive coverage of 13 Learning and Development Models . So if you are an L&D Manager or an Instructional Designer follow the various learning models which may be critical to gain insights into the learning styles of your subjects

The Four Quadrants of the 4MAT Learning Model

The 4MAT Learning Model is based on four quadrants, each of which represents a different learning style. The four quadrants are:

• Why – This quadrant focuses on the question “Why?” It appeals to learners who are motivated by understanding the reasons and rationale behind a concept or idea. Learners who prefer this quadrant are typically analytical and logical thinkers.
• What – This quadrant focuses on the question “What?” It appeals to learners who are motivated by understanding the facts and details of a concept or idea. Learners who prefer this quadrant are typically organized and detail-oriented.
• How – This quadrant focuses on the question “How?” It appeals to learners who are motivated by understanding the practical application of a concept or idea. Learners who prefer this quadrant are typically hands-on and experimental.
• If – This quadrant focuses on the question “If?” It appeals to learners who are motivated by exploring the possibilities and potential outcomes of a concept or idea. Learners who prefer this quadrant are typically imaginative and creative thinkers.

By addressing each of these quadrants, the 4MAT Learning Model ensures that all learners are engaged and motivated to learn.

The Four Phases of the 4MAT Learning Model

The 4MAT Learning Model is also divided into four phases, each of which represents a different stage of the learning process. The four phases are:

• Experiencing – This phase focuses on engaging learners in a meaningful and relevant experience that relates to the concept or idea being taught. Learners are encouraged to explore and discover the subject matter in a hands-on, experiential way.
• Conceptualizing – This phase focuses on helping learners understand the concept or idea being taught by organizing and categorizing information in a logical and meaningful way. Learners are encouraged to identify patterns, connections, and relationships between different aspects of the subject matter.
• Applying – This phase focuses on helping learners apply the concept or idea being taught to real-life situations. Learners are encouraged to experiment with the subject matter and explore different ways of applying it in practical situations.
• Refining – This phase focuses on helping learners refine their understanding of the concept or idea being taught by reflecting on their experiences and learning. Learners are encouraged to analyze and evaluate their learning, identify areas of improvement, and develop strategies for further development.

By following these four phases, the 4MAT Learning Model ensures that learners have a comprehensive and well-rounded learning experience.

Advantages of the 4MAT Learning Model

The 4MAT Learning Model has several advantages over traditional teaching methods. Some of the key advantages are:

• Personalization – The 4MAT Learning Model takes into account the different learning styles and preferences of learners, ensuring that everyone is engaged and motivated to learn.
• Relevance – The 4MAT Learning Model emphasizes the importance of making learning relevant and meaningful to learners. This ensures that learners are more likely to retain the information and apply it in real-life situations.
• Active Learning – The 4MAT Learning Model emphasizes active learning, which engages learners in the learning process and encourages them to take ownership of their learning.
• Comprehensive – The 4MAT Learning Model is a comprehensive approach to learning, covering all aspects of the learning process, from experiencing to refining.
• Flexibility – The 4MAT Learning Model is a flexible approach to learning, allowing educators and trainers to adapt it to different learning environments and situations.

How to Implement the 4MAT Learning Model

Implementing the 4MAT Learning Model involves the following steps:

• Identify the Learning Styles – The first step is to identify the learning styles of the learners. This can be done through assessments or surveys that identify the preferred learning style of each learner.
• Develop a Curriculum – The next step is to develop a curriculum that addresses each of the four quadrants of the 4MAT Learning Model. This involves developing learning experiences that appeal to each learning style and incorporate the four phases of the learning process.
• Implement the Curriculum – The curriculum is then implemented in the learning environment, with educators and trainers using a variety of teaching methods and techniques to engage learners and facilitate learning.
• Assess Learning – The final step is to assess learning, which involves evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum and the learning experiences . This can be done through assessments, feedback, and observation.

How is the 4MAT learning Model Different from other mostly known learning models?

While there are similarities between the 4MAT model and other models, there are also significant differences. The following table compares the 4MAT Learning Model to three other commonly used learning models: Bloom’s Taxonomy, Kolb’s Learning Cycle , and Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction.

While each of these learning models has its unique approach, the 4MAT Learning Model stands out for its focus on addressing different learning styles and its comprehensive approach to the learning process. The 4MAT model includes all four phases of the learning process (experiencing, processing, applying, and refining), which ensures that learners engage in active learning and retain the information better. The 4MAT Learning Model also emphasizes the importance of personalization, relevance, and flexibility in the learning process, which can be adapted to different learning environments and situations.

In contrast, Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchical model that focuses on cognitive learning objectives, ranging from basic knowledge to higher-level thinking skills. Kolb’s Learning Cycle is an experiential model that emphasizes the importance of reflecting on experiences and applying new knowledge in practical situations. Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction is a set of principles that focuses on activating prior knowledge, demonstrating skills, and integrating new skills with existing knowledge.

Overall, the 4MAT Learning Model offers a unique approach to learning that takes into account the different learning styles and preferences of learners. By addressing all four phases of the learning process and following a comprehensive approach to learning, educators and trainers can create engaging and effective learning experiences that promote lifelong learning.

Disadvantages of the 4MAT Learning Model

While the 4MAT Learning Model has several advantages, there are also some potential disadvantages. These include:

• Time-Consuming – The 4MAT Learning Model can be time-consuming to implement, as it requires educators and trainers to develop learning experiences that appeal to each learning style and incorporate all four phases of the learning process.
• Complexity – The 4MAT Learning Model can be complex, as it involves multiple elements and phases that need to be integrated into a cohesive learning experience.
• Resource-Intensive – The 4MAT Learning Model may require additional resources, such as materials and technology, to support the different learning styles and phases of the learning process.

The 4MAT Learning Model is a comprehensive approach to learning that takes into account different learning styles and preferences . By addressing each of the four quadrants of the model and following the four phases of the learning process, educators and trainers can ensure that all learners are engaged and motivated to learn. The 4MAT Learning Model has several advantages over traditional teaching methods, including personalization, relevance, active learning, comprehensiveness, and flexibility. By implementing the 4MAT Learning Model, educators and trainers can enhance the learning experience for their learners and promote lifelong learning.

The 4MAT Learning Model is a comprehensive approach to learning that takes into account the different learning styles and preferences of learners. By addressing all four phases of the learning process and following a personalized, relevant, and flexible approach to learning, educators, and trainers can create engaging and effective learning experiences that promote lifelong learning. While the 4MAT Learning Model has some potential disadvantages, its advantages far outweigh the drawbacks, making it a valuable tool for educators and trainers in various settings.

Samrat is a Delhi-based MBA from the Indian Institute of Management. He is a Strategy, AI, and Marketing Enthusiast and passionately writes about core and emerging topics in Management studies. Reach out to his LinkedIn for a discussion or follow his Quora Page

August special: Financial Reporting PPT Templates. Save with bundles 30%

Evaluate Presentation Engagement with 4MAT!

• August 14, 2016
• Design Tips for PPT Slide Design

Do You Have an Engaging Presentation?

Introducing the 4MAT presentation structure

The structure of the 4MAT diagram addresses the four questions audiences ask during each and every presentation they attend. Why, what, how , and what if ?

Why question

What question

What is your presentation about? Get their attention! Explain briefly what your message is, and then break down what your solution is for the matter at hand. Be thorough, but don’t linger once the point has been made. There is a fine line between informative and dull!

How question

Some more examples:

What if question

What is the next step for the audience? Is your call to action clear? Do you want people to share your article? Are they to write someone in protest? Do you want them to sign up for a program? If it isn’t obvious what you want someone to do at the end of your presentation – they won’t. (Want proof? Check out a few of our most recent blog posts here , here , and here . Notice the calls to action at the bottom?).

Sometimes when you are close to a subject you’ll have difficulty separating yourself to see if it truly answers these four questions. If you can’t get your presentation to fit neatly into a 4MAT, it may be beneficial to have someone else look over it. (We’re always happy to lend an eye to make presentations better. You can contact us here !)

Take-aways of using 4mat model for engaging presentation:

• Make sure you give your audience reasons to care.
• Make sure it’s clear what your presentation is about, and what your solution is.
• Explain how it works or how it will work – if the Q&A is longer than the presentation you didn’t provide enough information
• Tell your audience where to go/what to do after your presentation is over. They need direction.

Graphics resources used in the examples above:

• Presentation skills training toolbox (PPT diagrams)
• Flat style Ribbons and Banners for PowerPoint

Like this post? Be sure to read these similar articles:

• How to make SMART goals visually engaging
• Why Diagrams are Better Than Text Slides
• 7 tips preparing for a conference talk

infoDiagram Co-founder, Visual Communication Expert

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The 4mat System

The 4MAT System comes from a study of learning styles by learning expert Bernice McCarthy (US). She noticed that people learn and take in information in different ways. Some people want to know why e.g. why are we doing this? What’s in it for me? Others like the facts question e.g. what is it we’re going to do? Some are more interested in the detail and how things will happen e.g. how does this happen? How does this work? And some want to know ‘what if' – e.g. What would happen if I did this?

4mat captures attention of all types and gives everyone what they want to know. It therefore provides brilliant structure for almost any communication or presentation in the following order:

• Why – the attention grabber – many people come to the why later on, by which time the audience has switched off
• What – the overview – getting straight to the point
• How – the detail – some people start with the how; confusing themselves and everyone else
• What if – painting a vision of the future – what the end result will ‘look like’ creating interest and desire

Some examples of the format system:

Example One:

Using the 4mat system to explain the 4mat system:

Would you like to make a real impact and become a great and memorable communicator; gaining the interest and understanding of as many people as possible?

4mat is a method which will help people to learn and understand better. It provides a simple yet powerful framework for improving the impact of any presentation or communication.

You could use the 4mat system in so many ways; for presentations, written communications and reports, promotions, learning sessions and so on... Each style focuses on a different type of learner; people receive and assimilate information in diverse ways:

• Imaginative (why?)
• Analytical (what?)
• Practical (how?)
• Dynamic (what if?)

Using them in combination engages all types of learner. Conveying the ‘why’ first adds purpose, interest and excitement.

Putting ‘what if’ last reminds the recipient of the key points and reinforced desire.

The What if:

Imagine you used the 4mat system for every report, presentation and communication from now on. You would engage the recipient, provide clarity and gain the understanding and support of many people.

Example two:

Introducing It’s Never OK To Kiss The Interviewer

So many people today are dissatisfied at work, unsure where they want to be or just feeling unfulfilled – wouldn’t it be great if they could find the right path and do well in it

It’s Never OK To Kiss The Interviewer (INOTKTI) is a book by Jane Sunley that reveals many practical and useful tools and techniques for surviving, thriving and high-fiving at work.

INOTKTI explores the career superhighway from starting out and discovering purpose, desires and goals through securing the right role, starting off well and continuing along in the same positive and productive way.

The what if:

Everyone deserves to be happy and fulfilled at work and this book has the answers.  

Example three:

4mat Powerpoint

Introduction to 4MAT Communication Framework | Improve Your Learning Style

Creating and delivering value is the essential purpose of any type of organisation; and, the best way for an organisation to constantly provide that value is to focus on innovation and sustainable growth. This is particularly important in business environments, where moving forward and finding new ways to create value is the key to surviving in the market. To stand out among competitors, the company must learn faster and work smarter, meaning that learning is among the core processes behind every organisational success.

What is the 4MAT Method?

As a learning model, 4MAT provides tools for understanding the basic differences in how we, as humans, learn and communicate and implements the knowledge of those differences to create an efficient framework for learning and communication.

The 4MAT method incorporates psychology, behavioural, and learning theories and combines them with valuable insights from neurological science. This way, it can provide a holistic perspective of the learning process, ensuring that the information can be easily received and understood by different individuals.

In its essence, 4MAT is a model used for creating more engaged and efficient learning. It helps leaders, educators, and everyone else with a message to convey to deliver information in a more effective and dynamic way.

The main difference between the traditional learning methods and 4MAT is that the former is commonly only focused on the facts and the content of the information itself, while 4MAT goes beyond the mere facts and involves a wider range of questions that serve to elicit a higher level of understanding and involvement.

Why use the 4MAT System?

The 4MAT learning style model stimulates the listeners and information recipients, as well as those delivering the information, to be more involved and motivated, which in turn helps them better understand the value of learning, add their own value to the process, and connect it to personal experience.

Through different approaches to instruction, the 4MAT communication framework can help overcome differences in learning styles, engage diverse groups of listeners, and deliver the information in a way and format that suits everyone.

Mismatches of learning styles among different individuals present quite a challenge, and 4MAT methods help instructors handle these difficulties and achieve the best outcome both in terms of individual development and team performance.

Understanding different learning styles and adjusting communication to suit each of them makes the entire learning process much more enjoyable and allows the acquisition of new skills with much less effort.

Within the organisation, using the 4MAT communication framework can provide multiple benefits. It can strengthen the collaboration between different teams and among team members, which commonly results in much higher productivity. Plus, implementing the 4MAT creates an optimised and enjoyable learning and development environment, something that’s necessary for achieving better results. Perhaps the most important benefit of the 4MAT communication network is that it motivates and inspires everyone to learn and work on themselves.

4MAT Learning Styles

As mentioned above, one of the basic concepts of the 4MAT communication framework is the existence of four different learning styles.

While all learners engage in learning, they commonly lean toward one particular type of learning process, meaning that they may perceive the information in a specific way and have different levels of adopting what they learn.

Below is a brief overview of different learning styles and an explanation of what type of person favours each of them.

Imaginative Learners

The imaginative type of learners sorts out what’s relevant and important in the new information they receive mainly by relying on their gut and intuition.

In most cases, they will take time and think about their actions before taking them, carefully considering their consequences. Initially, they take the information as they see it, before generalising it.

Imaginative types approach the information based on how they feel about it and commonly put in an effort to make the sense of it.

This type of learner is mostly concerned with why something is happening and why is the new information relevant. They prefer learning through communication with other people and tend to model their behaviour to the people they respect.

This makes them dedicated listeners and information recipients, although they may sometimes struggle to go beyond what their initial instinct tells them about the new piece of information. Imaginative learners usually excel in part of the learning that requires innovation and imagination, so the best way to get them involved in the learning process is by providing them with an opportunity to listen and share ideas.

Analytic Learners

Analytic learners assess the relevance of any new information by implementing external data and relying on the previous knowledge they have on the subject. Their learning commonly kicks off with an idea and then reflecting on that idea, analysing it, putting it in a certain context, and allowing it to take new shapes.

So before trying any new approaches and implementing new ideas and concepts, they will reflect and think about things to make the sense of the new information.

In every new learning situation, analytic learners will start with the “what” question and engage with new information on an intellectual level.

They’re more interested in the basic concepts behind the new information than they are in people, but they enjoy debating them and engaging others. If any situation surprises them and introduces new concepts, they’re more than willing to re-examine the initial facts and rethink their approach.

Analytic learners do respect the expertise of other people and are keen on learning what the experts think about certain issues, which makes them a rewarding, but also challenging learning audience.

Common Sense Learners

Common sense learners are probably the most pragmatic type of individual when it comes to how they receive and learn new information.

For them, a new idea is only a starting point that allows them to experiment further and put that concept to the test to see if it’s working or not. Basically, they’re most interested in the way things work, which is why they’re most interested in the “how” behind the new information and ideas.

Pragmatic learners always look to find the usability of new concepts and test them thoroughly to learn about their potential pragmatic implementation. 

This makes them valuable members of the teams, as they enjoy solving problems and are commonly the first ones to take on new challenges. However, they may struggle with more abstract concepts because their focus is always on learning how things can work in real-life situations. For this reason, they learn best through hands-on experience.

Dynamic Learners

Dynamic learners are the most active type who likes to dive straight into new experiences without too much concern for theory. They mostly rely on their intuition and start the learning process by engaging with whatever they can see, hear, touch, or feel.

This type of learner likes nothing more than getting straight into the action and is willing to fail repeatedly and test numerous different approaches until they find the one that works.

So, they learn through trial and error, continuously asking “what if,” using this approach as a means of self-discovery until they’re satisfied with the results.

Dynamic learners are valuable to any organisation as they excel in challenging scenarios that call for a lot of flexibility, which is, of course, rather common in the business environment. They’re not afraid to take action, adapt to change, and take necessary risks. Often, they would come to the perfect conclusion in the learning process even without the step of logical justification.

What are the 4 Questions in 4MAT?

The 4MAT learning cycle revolves around four questions, each corresponding with a certain type of learning style described above.

“Why” is the favourite question of imaginative learners who are focused on the personal benefits of new information, both for themselves and others. They look for personal connection and involvement, trying to figure out why they need to know something.

For example, if they’re learning about a new product, they want to know why is it important and what is its purpose.

“What” corresponds with an analytic learning style and is the favourite question of learners who prefer to listen and think about the new information to discover the key facts and formulate new ideas.

For example, when learning about a new product, they’re most interested in what it actually is, what are its main features, and what the experts think about it.

“How” is what the common sense or pragmatic learners are most interested in. They want to learn about the usability of the new information and love to tinker around and experiment to discover how to apply a certain concept.

For example, if they’re learning about a new product, they want to know how it works and how it can serve the needs of potential users.

“What if” is the main concern of dynamic learners who like to learn by doing and feeling. They enjoy exploring new possibilities and building their own new adaptations of the initial ideas.

For example, when learning about a new product, they want to find out how it would perform in different circumstances and test it repeatedly by placing it in new and altered situations.

4MAT Communication Framework Template

The 4MAT communication template has instructions of how to use and when to use the template when preparing presentations, talks, emails and workshops .

The 4MAT communication template will help you consider all personality profiles and consequently to communicate effectively.

The 4MAT communication template is in google slide format, MS Power Point format, MIRO format.

Jerry Nicholas

Jerry continues to maintain the site to help aspiring and junior business analysts and taps into the network of experienced professionals to accelerate the professional development of all business analysts. He is a Principal Business Analyst who has over twenty years experience gained in a range of client sizes and sectors including investment banking, retail banking, retail, telecoms and public sector. Jerry has mentored and coached business analyst throughout his career. He is a member of British Computer Society (MBCS), International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), Business Agility Institute, Project Management Institute (PMI), Disciplined Agile Consortium and Business Architecture Guild. He has contributed and is acknowledged in the book: Choose Your WoW - A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Optimising Your Way of Working (WoW).

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4MAT Overview

For example, it begins with a Connect Activity to engage students in learning and to help them see the value of learning. This must draw on their own experiences to create the personal connection that is so essential to student motivation and engagement.

Want to Learn More?

Request our Free E-Book entitled 4MAT: Pure and Simple to learn more about the 4MAT Design Model.

Or download some recent articles and research  that show the positive impact of this teaching method.

4MAT impact among 8th grade students in Turkey.

Article on 4MAT impact from Cleveland Clinic.

Article on 4MAT impact from Harvard Medical School .

Article on 4MAT impact on Student attitudes toward Engineering Economy among undergraduate students at Qassim University.

Article on 4MAT impact among At-Risk Youth in North Carolina

Abstract on 4MAT impact from Yonkers Public Schools, New York.

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How To Format Training And Presentations With The 4MAT System

Have you ever wondered if there’s a good way to format a talk, presentation or training module that goes beyond the traditional advice (below)?

Tell them what you’re going to tell them Tell them Tell them what you’ve told them

This article, about the format that I use to expand on that good but rather basic advice, is adapted from a forum post I wrote today to help out a friend who is about to run his first ever training session. He’s training people who drive for a living in the ‘Drivers Certificate of Professional Competence’- hence the driving-related examples that I’ve used.

The method I use to design my courses is based on Bernice McCarthy’s ‘ 4MAT ‘ system, originally designed to appeal to all 4 ‘learning styles’. Although a recent study has pretty much debunked the concept of learning styles , this format still works on a practical level as it seems to suit the way the human mind learns.

Each ‘chunk’ of content should be delivered with this format:

• ‘Frame’ the content, identifying what it is, ideally with a ‘headline’ that will get people’s attention e.g. ‘There’s one thing that most drivers don’t know that could save your life on a long drive’. The other bit of the frame is basically the ‘tell them what you are going to tell them’. As well as giving people a conceptual framework to fit the information into, it stops them asking irrelevant and distracting (to other learners) questions about braking distances while you are doing the section on EU driving time legislation, or whatever. They will know not to because you can remind them that this bit of the course is about driving time legislation. NB the importance of headlining was first brought home to me when I attended my friend Jonathan Altfeld ‘s ‘Linguistic Wizardry’ course.
• ‘Why?’ – reasons why they should pay attention, for people who refuse to learn unless you give them a reason why.
• ‘What?’ – the actual information content. Just what people need, and no more. This appeals to people who like learning stuff for its own sake, but will bore anyone else if it goes on too long.
• ‘How?’ – the hands-on bit, appealing to practical learners. Give them an exercise to do. If necessary, demo it beforehand.
• Finally, the ‘What If?’ for speculative thinkers and people who want to know exception conditions etc. They may be asking questions all the way through – if they ask at the ‘what’ stage, for example, I generally tell them to try the exercise out first and ask again if it hasn’t answered their question.  This bit is where you take questions. If you get into the exception conditions too soon (e.g. in the content stage) it will get too complicated for people to take in.
• Review. This is the ‘tell them what you’ve just told them’ stage. It’s also worth a very quick review of what you’ve covered before each break, before lunch, and at the end of the day. Studies show that people remember material from the beginning and the end more than material from the middle (the Serial Position Effect ).

If you would like me to put together a course on ‘workshop design for non-trainers’, let me know!

For practical advice about the 4-MAT system and how to use it, I recommend the book ‘ Presenting Magically: Transforming Your Stage Presence With NLP ‘ by David Shephard and Tad James:

Image by star-one at sxc.hu

• ← How Limiting Beliefs Can Affect Your Leadership
• Why you don’t need to feel guilty when you take a break →

6 thoughts on “ How To Format Training And Presentations With The 4MAT System ”

Andy – Thanks for your insights. I think the approach is very helpful when dealing with full day seminars and attendee's limited attention span. I train in the states and people are unwilling to acknowledge the problem that the trainer is now competing against hand held devices and short attention spans. Your approach will be helpful. Good luck in your practice. Jim Lindell

Great Post! I did my NLP Trainer's Training with David Shephard and obviously the 4MAT system was a big part of it. Has proven very useful countless times since then.

Can you please tell me more about the recent study that debunked 'learning styles' that you mentioned. Where can I find it?

Thanks a lot!

Very informative article. Thanks for sharing.

Sorry to take so long to get back to you. The debunking study on learning styles is linked to in the original post – here it is to save you looking for it: http://www.psychologicalscience.org/journals/pspi/pspi_9-3_article.pdf

Best wishes, Andy Smith

Really useful tips on course management. Thanks Andy.

ps – wish I was coming to Kuala Lumpur. Well jel!

Thanks Tony. I had to look up "well jel" – I haven't lived in Essex for a long time!

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