Eureka! How Just-in-Time Learning Boosted Employee Efficiency at Target Stores

Overview

Starting back in 1998, Target Corporation partnered with us to enhance employee job performance across more than 1,500 retail stores. Through in-depth user research and analysis, combined with our team’s creative design approach and technical savvy, we designed and developed a groundbreaking product called Eureka. Initially designed as a just-in-time learning and performance support solution for one group of managers, it eventually expanded to include a suite of online tools for several key employee roles at Target stores–searchable information-reference sites, coaching and technical training, anda specialized authoring tool. The authoring tool enabled Target’s L&D team to update content, information references and training scenarios internally, which had not been possible at the time.

Challenge

Target Corporation’s front-end store managers struggled to quickly access and locate crucial information due to lengthy, printed manuals that were often seen as outdated. This delayed decision-making, hindered timely actions, and reduced on-the-job effectiveness, ultimately impacting overall store performance.

Project Details

Client

Target Corporation

About the Client

Target Corporation is one of the largest general merchandise retailers in the United States, operating more than 1,900 stores and 60 supply chain facilities, and employing over 400,000 team members. Serving millions of guests weekly through its nationwide stores and digital platforms, Target is known for combining quality and affordability, its inclusive culture, and commitment to exceptional customer experience. Guided by its mission—“to help all families discover the joy of everyday life”—Target constantly invests in its team, operations, and communities. This commitment makes Target a forward-thinking partner in employee learning, growth, and organizational development.

Timeline

8 months of design and development. 12 years of impact.

Our Solutions

Eureka:

An internal information-reference and just-in-time learning site, Eureka served as a go-to resource that housed job procedures, manuals, instructional videos, booklets, and job aids. Equipped with a query system, it allowed employees to search for specific questions or topics and receive accurate, just-in-time answers—improving both speed and confidence on the job. Initially designed as a just-in-time learning and performance support solution for front-end store managers, Eureka's proven effectiveness led to its adaptation and expansion to support other key employee roles such as sales floor, logistics, and food operations.

Coaching Training:

To address the “soft skills” essential for store managers, we also created training scenarios using our “Watch, Rate, and Compare” model. This interactive format lets managers watch real-world coaching scenarios, evaluate performance against key criteria, compare their ratings with those of experts, and then view an ideal version of the behavior to reinforce best practices. The scenarios were then made available as part of an online Coaching course or, individually when needed, via the Eureka search.

Technical Training:

For more hands-on, procedural skills, we created interactive, learn-by-doing simulations. One example included training on Radio Frequency (RF) Units—handheld devices used for inventory and other daily business operations—allowing employees to build confidence and accuracy through realistic and practical task-based experiences.

The Encompass E-Learning Toolkit:

To give Target the power to sustain and scale its learning ecosystem, we also developed the Encompass E-Learning Toolkit—a specialized authoring and content management tool. In addition to enabling real-time updates and the creation of new content, this tool also included analytical features that tracked user actions in the product suite for corporate reporting and performance analysis by headquarters.

Our Approach

Our team navigated this challenge through our design and development process, which focuses on the audience and goals and supports creative uses of technology:

1

Audience and Content Analysis

Our team read and studied existing content, including several training manuals. We spoke with front-end store managers, the initial target audience, other Target employees (both those managed by and managing the managers), and headquarters teams in Learning & Development and Store Operations. Based on these insights, we clearly defined the product’s goals, audience, and technical requirements, ensuring the product was created with the end-users’ needs fully in mind, while aligning with Target’s technology requirements

2

Design Concepting and Prototyping

We then created an overall design concept for the Eureka product and sketched sample screens to establish its look and feel. A prototype version of the system was then created while we simultaneously progressed with technology development, content creation, and search keyword organization.

3

Prototype Review and Testing

The prototype underwent multiple reviews by Target stakeholders, including end users, following internal assessments by our design and quality assurance teams. Subsequent work focused on refining content and technology, resulting in alpha and beta versions. The beta was subjected to Target’s internal usability testing.

4

Launch and Impact

After rollout, the first Eureka product was internally marketed by Target and quickly became the most popular site on their intranet.

“Working with Kaleidoscope was a creative, collaborative, and enjoyable experience that delivered cutting-edge, useful, and practical learning solutions. I enjoyed the open discussions, the constructive explanations, their willingness to really learn about our business/employee development needs, and the many helpful Kaleidoscope partners. Each of the tools developed by Kaleidoscope revolutionized the learning approaches in the business. These solutions advanced Target’s capability to train and provide resources to team members across the organization in new and unique ways.”

Sarah Seiling

Former Distribution Training Manager & Stores Training Manager
Target

Our Impact

Kaleidoscope Learning’s tailored solutions for Target Corporation resulted in significant operational and performance gains, including:

Faster Access to Critical Information

  • With clear, centralized digital resources, employees could find exactly what they needed—when they needed it—leading to faster, more confident task execution.
  • Real-time access to credible, updated resources helped teams respond to operational issues more quickly and confidently on the floor.
  • On average, the system receives 70,000 hits per month.
Man using a tablet in a digital workspace, representing quick access to centralized resources

Improved Job Performance and Efficiency

  • Having the right information at their fingertips helped team members complete tasks more effectively—reducing mistakes and improving daily performance.
  • Interactive simulations and just-in-time learning supported employees in mastering tasks through hands-on experience, improving accuracy and enhancing the overall customer experience.
Retail employee using a tablet, illustrating improved job performance through just-in-time learning

A Sustainable, Scalable Learning Ecosystem

  • The authoring tool enabled Target to independently update, expand, and manage content, which reduces reliance on external vendors.
  • Built-in data tracking provided insights into user engagement and training effectiveness, informing continuous improvement at scale.
Stacked red blocks on a blue background, symbolizing a scalable and self-managed learning system

Operational Streamlining and Cost Savings

  • Faster workflows and reduced support demands translated into measurable cost savings across thousands of stores.
  • Transitioning to digital tools eliminated printing, distribution delays, and outdated materials, saving up time and budget.
  • Each job role saw a minimum improvement of 5 minutes in efficiency per 8-hour shift, leading to annual savings exceeding $15 million.
Notebook showing arrows for quality, speed, and cost, representing operational efficiency and savings

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