Prerequisites in training: what they are and why they matter

What is a prerequisite in training?

A prerequisite is a module or skill that must be completed before another one makes sense, such as learning how the pricing model works before learning to negotiate discounts.

Course prerequisites are what turn a list of modules into a path.

Why prerequisites matter

Missing them is one of the most common reasons learners abandon a path: the material assumes knowledge they do not have, so it feels impossible rather than challenging. Well-set prerequisites also stop people being pushed through basics they could prove they already know.

Prerequisite vs corequisite

A prerequisite must be finished first. A corequisite is taken at the same time because the two reinforce each other, such as a product module alongside the support tooling module. Most company learning paths only need prerequisites.

Setting learning path prerequisites

• Mark prerequisite modules only where the later module truly depends on them.
• Let a passed assessment count in place of the prerequisite module.
• Keep chains short; five modules in a strict line is a sign the path is too rigid.

In practice

Personalized Learning Platform for Corporations respects prerequisites when it orders a learner’s modules, so the path can change with assessment results without skipping the foundations a module depends on.