🤔 What Exactly Is xAPI Anyway?
If you work in Learning & Development, chances are you’ve heard someone casually drop “xAPI” in a meeting, a webinar, or a job description. You nodded along — but secretly thought:
“I should probably know what that is… but I don’t. Is it like SCORM’s cousin or something?”
You’re not alone. This post is for you.
🧠 What Is xAPI?
xAPI stands for Experience API (you might also hear it called Tin Can API — same thing). It’s a data standard that lets us track learning experiences — not just inside an LMS, but anywhere learning happens.
It’s like SCORM, but with superpowers. SCORM tells you “Samantha completed the course.”
xAPI can tell you “Samantha watched the video, paused at 1:32, read the policy doc, answered a quiz, and joined a coaching session.”
📦 Why Should L&D People Care?
Because xAPI opens the door to tracking things we’ve never been able to track easily:
Microlearning
On-the-job coaching
Video engagement
Conversations, simulations, mobile apps
Even real-world behavior (yes, like scanning a QR code at a worksite)
If you’ve ever wished you had better data to prove impact or improve your programs, xAPI is the tool that helps make that possible.
🔧 Do I Have to Build xAPI Myself?
Not really. Most L&D professionals don’t build anything — they use tools that already support xAPI.
You may already be using xAPI without realizing it. For example:
Publishing a course from Articulate Storyline or Rise with xAPI enabled ✔️
Delivering learning in an LMS like Docebo, TalentLMS, or Moodle that sends xAPI data ✔️
Viewing reports from a system connected to an LRS (Learning Record Store) ✔️
🔍 What’s an LRS?
Think of it like an inbox that collects and stores all the xAPI data.
An LMS delivers the course.
An LRS tracks everything that happens.
Some LMS platforms have built-in LRSs. Others connect to external ones like:
Watershed
Learning Locker
Veracity
GrassBlade
You don’t need to manage it yourself — but it’s helpful to know it exists.
🧾 What Does an xAPI Statement Look Like?
Every xAPI statement follows a basic formula:
Actor – Verb – Object – (Optional fields)
For example:
"Samantha (actor) completed (verb) Cybersecurity Training Module 1 (object)."
Optional fields can include things like:
Result (pass/fail, score)
Context (device used, team info, location)
Timestamp (when it happened)
You don’t have to write these by hand. The tools do that for you. But knowing the structure helps you understand what’s being tracked and how to make the data more useful.
⚙️ So What Do I Do With It?
If you’re in L&D, here’s what you can focus on:
Know what xAPI is and isn’t
Ask if your tools support it
Get curious about what you could track beyond completions
Talk with your tech team or vendor about LRS options if you want better learning data
✨ Final Thought
You don’t need to be an engineer to understand xAPI. Just knowing what it is — and what’s possible — can help you ask smarter questions, plan better learning, and show more value to your org.
So next time someone says “xAPI,” you won’t just nod politely.
You’ll say: “Let’s talk about what we can track with it.”
Happy analyzing! ✨🖥️
