Bloom’s taxonomy is a six-level framework for classifying learning objectives by cognitive complexity, starting with basic recall and ending with the ability to create something new. Educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom introduced it in 1956, and a revised version published in 2001 updated the level names and order. L&D professionals use it to write learning objectives, design assessments, and sequence training so learners build on what they know rather than stopping at memorization.
The six levels are:
- Remembering
- Understanding
- Applying
- Analyzing
- Evaluating
- Creating
Each level assumes the one before it. A learner cannot analyze a customer interaction without first understanding what good service looks like. That sequencing is what makes the framework useful for design, not just categorization. Think of it as a ladder: each rung only holds if the one below it is solid. The verbs you use in learning objectives tell you where on the ladder a course objective sits. “List,” “describe,” and “identify” signal the bottom. “Design,” “develop,” and “construct” signal the top.
What does remembering mean in Bloom’s taxonomy?
Remembering is the foundation. At this level, learners recall facts, terms, or procedures without needing to interpret or use them yet. In a corporate context, that could mean recalling safety procedures, product specifications, or compliance rules. Useful action verbs here include “list,” “name,” “describe,” and “identify.”
Using the example of a customer service training program: at the remembering level, a learner should be able to list common customer inquiry types and recall the company’s refund policy.
What does understanding mean in Bloom’s taxonomy?
Understanding means a learner can explain an idea in their own words, not just repeat it. They can summarize, paraphrase, classify, or compare. Reaching this level matters because it is the first sign that knowledge has moved from short-term memory into something a learner can actually use.
In the customer service example: at the understanding level, a learner can compare two service approaches and explain why one is more likely to resolve a complaint.
What does applying mean in Bloom’s taxonomy?
Applying is where training becomes practical. Learners take what they understand and use it in a new situation: running a software tool they haven’t used before, working through a conflict resolution scenario, or following a process on the job without a step-by-step prompt.
In the customer service example: at the applying level, a learner simulates a difficult customer call using the company’s de-escalation guidelines.
What does analyzing mean in Bloom’s taxonomy?
Analysis means breaking something into parts to understand how they relate. Learners at this level can spot patterns, identify causes, or separate relevant information from noise. In a workplace setting, this might mean reviewing a failed project to find the root cause, or reading customer feedback to identify recurring complaints.
In the customer service example: at the analyzing level, a learner reviews recorded interactions to identify where communication broke down and why.
What does evaluating mean in Bloom’s taxonomy?
Evaluating means making a reasoned judgment. Learners at this level can assess quality, weigh trade-offs, or defend a decision based on criteria. This is the thinking behind good problem-solving, performance feedback, and any situation where someone has to choose between options that are not obviously right or wrong.
In the customer service example: at the evaluating level, a learner assesses two communication styles and argues which is more likely to improve satisfaction scores in a given customer segment.
What does creating mean in Bloom’s taxonomy, and why does it matter for training design?
Creating is the top level. A learner at this stage can produce something original by combining what they know in a new way: writing a policy, designing a process, building a training module, or drafting a business proposal. It is not just the hardest level to reach; it is also the most valuable for organizations, because this is where learning turns into output.
In the customer service example: at the creating level, a learner develops a new service protocol that addresses gaps they identified in the analyzing stage, drawing on everything they learned in the levels below.
Most corporate training never gets here. Courses stop at remembering or understanding because they were designed around content delivery rather than performance outcomes. Bloom’s framework gives you a way to spot that gap early, when you’re still writing objectives, rather than after you’ve built the course.
Bloom’s taxonomy is useful because it forces a concrete question at every stage of design: what do I actually want learners to be able to do? “Understand our values” is not a learning objective. “Compare two approaches to a customer complaint and explain which aligns with our service principles” is. The difference is a level on the taxonomy, and it changes everything about how you build the assessment.
