Instructional Design

Adult learning is often treated as something serious, but adults still need curiosity, play, practice, and safe opportunities to make mistakes. In this blog, I explore how the inner child can make workshops and eLearning more engaging and memorable.

Giving feedback is one of the most important leadership skills, yet many supervisors struggle with difficult conversations. Discover how the CEDAR Feedback Model provides a practical framework for delivering clear, respectful, and actionable feedback that supports employee growth and performance.

Assessment questions do more than test memory—they reveal whether learning objectives have been achieved. Discover how well-designed questions improve learning outcomes, identify knowledge gaps, and create more effective training programs.

Training in operational environments requires more than delivering information. Effective training programs must prepare employees to perform safely, efficiently, and confidently in real-world situations. Discover key principles for designing learning that supports operational performance and business results.

Creating training is more than organizing content and building slides. It requires creativity, empathy, and a deep understanding of how people learn. Explore why effective training design is both an art and a science, and how thoughtful learning experiences can inspire meaningful change.

Great leaders are not born—they are developed. Leadership training equips managers and emerging leaders with the skills needed to communicate effectively, build trust, navigate challenges, and inspire high-performing teams. Investing in leadership development benefits both employees and organizations alike.

When working with Subject Matter Experts, saying “I don’t understand” is not a weakness—it’s a strategy. By asking questions and challenging assumptions, instructional designers uncover hidden knowledge, clarify complex concepts, and create learning experiences that truly resonate with learners.

Organizations often rely on Subject Matter Experts to train employees because of their deep knowledge and experience. However, expertise and teaching are two different skill sets. Discover why effective trainers need facilitation, communication, and instructional skills—not just technical expertise.

Coaching is one of the most valuable skills a supervisor can develop. In this real-world case study, explore how a coaching skills program helped supervisors build stronger relationships, improve employee performance, and create a more supportive workplace culture.

Engaged learners are not necessarily learning learners. While engagement plays an important role in training, it should never become the ultimate objective. Learn why effective training focuses on behavior change, performance improvement, and meaningful learning outcomes—not just participation and entertainment.

📌12 Months of Learning — 2025 This year, I wanted to reflect on learning beyond courses, roles, or job titles. So I built a small creative project in Storyline 360: an interactive calendar where each month flips to reveal a lesson — from work, well-being, connection, and reflection. Some lessons came from certifications and projects. Others came from movement, service, travel, and quiet months with no milestones at all. 🔍 This project reminded me that learning is not linea

Who said Articulate Rise has to be boring?🤔 Recently, I was inspired by Emma Berry to bring my Illustrator skills into a Rise course—and it turned into such a fun creative challenge! I loved experimenting with character design and sharpening techniques like masking, adding effects, gradients, and text on a path. For the visuals, I started with characters from storyset.com and customized them in Illustrator to fit the course design. Big thanks to Bring Your Own Laptop

One of the quiet superpowers in training project management? Knowing how to say “no”... without ever actually saying the word. Because in reality, it’s rarely just “no”— It’s: 🔁 Constant change requests ⏳ Deadlines that were due yesterday 📈 And priorities that shift faster than you can update your project plan. As training project managers, we walk the line between being flexible and protecting the project’s timeline, scope, and sanity. Here are a few of my favorite ways

🚨 Let’s talk about something that’s hurting companies more than they realize: the undervaluing of the training department. Too often, training teams are treated as a cost center instead of a strategic partner. We’re brought in after decisions are made, expected to "fix" performance issues with a quick course, and rarely invited to the table where real change happens. But here’s the truth: 📉 A disengaged workforce? 📉 Inefficient processes? 📉 High turnover? 📉 Poor lead

🧠 How does an instructional designer step into a brand-new industry and create effective training? This is a question I often hear—and one I’ve had to answer myself more than once. As instructional designers, we’re not always subject matter experts (SMEs), but we do need to speak the language of the learners and understand the context they're working in. When I first started designing training for aviation professionals, I wasn’t sure where to begin. I didn’t have a backgrou

Training program managers often face a crucial decision: Should we follow the structured ADDIE model or embrace the flexible SAM approach? The answer isn't always clear-cut, but the VUCA framework can help guide the choice. VUCA — which stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity — is a framework designed to help leaders and teams navigate challenging environments. By applying VUCA thinking to instructional design, we can align our methods with the nature of

Closing a Training Project vs. Landing a Training Project: The Real Impact Starts After the Finish Line. In training projects, we often focus on closing—finalizing content, delivering sessions, and collecting feedback. But what about landing the project? Landing a training project is the step after closure that ensures learning creates lasting impact. It means: ✅ Supporting learners in applying new skills beyond the training ✅ Equipping managers to reinforce learning in dai

In today’s fast-evolving workplace, designing and developing effective technical training programs re quires more than just subject matter expertise. It demands a unique blend of deep knowledge and broad skills—the hallmark of a T-shaped professional. 🔹 The vertical stroke (|) of the "T" represents deep expertise in a specific domain—whether it's instructional design, software development, or aviation mechanics. This depth ensures that training materials are accurate, releva

As instructional designers, our ultimate goal is to create learning experiences that resonate with individuals and drive meaningful change. While we often focus on tools, frameworks, and content, there’s a key ingredient that’s sometimes overlooked: emotional intelligence (EI). Incorporating EI into learning design means going beyond the "what" and "how" of training and considering the "why" behind learner behaviors. Here are a few ways EI can transform instructional design: