client management 3 - Training design

Learning & development people unite!

We, the downtrodden and ignored learning and development professionals of the world, hereby shake off the shackles of convention and obedience and proclaim the arrival of a new order! Read more.

Is training really the answer? Ask the flowchart.

Is training really the best solution? Often, no. Here’s a flowchart that will help you find what will really work, whether it’s a job aid, a workflow improvement, training, or something else. Read more.

What to do if they just want “awareness”

“We just need everyone to be aware of the policy,” your client says. In response, you could obediently crank out a 97-slide information dump — or you could ask a few powerful questions. Read more.

Are instructional designers doormats?

It’s tempting to think we should never question clients’ processes. However, we have a valuable outsider’s perspective that can help our clients improve performance through every means, not just through a course. Read more

Checklist for strong learning design

Action-packed elearning or boring information dump? This provocative checklist will help you evaluate and discuss your elearning materials. Read more

Learning styles: Worth our time?

We’re wasting our time talking about appealing to learning styles when research has identified far more powerful techniques. This post summarizes two meta-analyses about learning styles. Read more

Why you need to set limits

What happens if you don’t set any boundaries in your relationships? You wear yourself out doing everything for everybody. Here are some ways to say “no” to unreasonable requests. Read more.

The big mistake in elearning

We’re obsessed with designing information when instead we should be designing experiences. We need to focus on what people need to do, not what they need to know. Read more

How to convert the toughest SME

You want to create an action-packed experience that revolutionizes learners’ behavior. Your subject matter expert wants you to reproduce every bullet of their 217-slide presentation. Is there any hope for your relationship? Read more.