The secret behind learning design? Emotion. You know the old saying:"leave the emotion out of it." I'm here to advise you to leave the emotion in, at least in regard to creating your training programs. Training at its core, is a change management effort, with any training program something needs to change. A skill needs to […]

As do most articles in the L&D space, I frequently talk about what we should do. And, it occurred to me, that I could (and should) also talk about what we shouldn’t do. So here’s my list of things to avoid. There’s no claim that this list is comprehensive, but it is grounded in a […]

In the early 80’s, I read an article calling for a cognitive engineering: designing systems that matched how our brains work. I was designing educational computer games at the time, and was struggling to find good guidance to choose between interface (and learning) alternatives. I realized that this was a field that really meshed with […]

Supporting the social nature of work is not easy. It requires new ways of thinking and new ways of working. It also means discovering new ways of creating learning content, or courses. This isn't just for instructional designers and developers either. Managers, Directors, and CLOs need to reset their expectations as well. After you launch your […]

If your course development projects are taking longer than a week or two you may need to rethink your strategy. In many cases I'd argue that your first course release should take less than a day. But I'm also practical enough to know that every situation is different. And there are many factors, outside of […]

In a recent blog post I introduced the idea of training course patterns to kickstart your LMS. The needs of every department will vary, but that's the beauty of patterns. Patterns are broad enough to give you ultimate flexibility in your final design. As I look back on my career of training development, and conversations with […]

You've been asked to create some training for your organization. Don't panic. That voice inside your head will not steer you wrong. If you have ever been taught, or learned, anything from someone else then you have all the experience you need to design instruction. What did you like about your favorite teacher? What was […]

  Recording events is easier than ever. If you have a smartphone then you have a video recording device with you right now. Audio only recording works fine too.  The important thing is that you capture the content.  You may already have a copy of your SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) slides, but what you really […]

In a recent post I made the claim that a digital media file (video, pdf, audio, etc.) and a quiz can be delivered as a "course". That rattled a few traditional ISD cages, but resonated positively with others. There is a wide gap between those who fall into training roles due to circumstance and opportunity, […]

And I won't even make you wait until the end for the big reveal. Here it is! Digital media + quiz = course Mind blown? 21st Century instructional design requires a new breed of thinkers.  And a new breed of designers. Training departments will change the makeup of their teams and strategies will include continual design/develop/deliver loops. Business […]