TL:DR – Before you build your training, build the plan. This installment of “What IDs Can Learn” almost seems too obvious and easy. Before the cornerstone is laid, the architect creates a plan. A blueprint, if you will. They don’t guess. They don’t wing it. They design with purpose, balancing…

TL:DR – Multitasking is a lie. Gary Keller’s bestselling book The ONE Thing addresses a simple yet countercultural idea: “Multitasking is a lie.” (page 44) We think we can do it all. While we think our superpower is to jump between projects, pivot mid-task, and juggle priorities, research (and reality)…

TL:DR – Throwing random content on a plate doesn’t create a meal. And throwing random assets into a module doesn’t create learning. A video is not a course. A slide deck is not a meal. We love to romanticize great chefs, and for good reason. They don’t just throw ingredients…

TL:DR – High-impact training doesn’t need to be lengthy, expensive, or overly complex. TikTok is no longer just a Gen Z dance app. It’s one of the most sophisticated learning and engagement platforms on the planet. 📱 Short-form content. ⚡ Rapid value delivery. 📊 Algorithm-powered personalization. ⏱️ Just-in-time learning. The…

TL:DR – Mastery comes from practice and rhythm. Musicians don’t become skilled by reading about chords. They play. They rehearse. They refine. And even then, they’re never “done” learning; they’re always evolving. That’s a beautiful parallel to how learners develop real expertise. Reading a module, watching a video, or completing…

TL:DR – Set the rules (your training objectives) and follow the rules (fulfill your training objectives). Fantasy movies can take us anywhere: distant planets, ancient kingdoms, magical realms where dragons fly and swords glow. But no matter how wild the setting, the best fantasy stories always follow one unspoken rule:…

TL:DR – Train like TED Talks and let limitations become your superpower. In the mid-2000s and early 2010s, TED Talks were a cultural phenomenon. Before the algorithms diluted the magic and the format became formulaic, the original TED Talk era gave us something rare: big ideas told well. It wasn’t…

TL:DR – ID should be motivational, clear, and personal. Love them or hate them, political slogans are some of the most carefully crafted pieces of communication on the planet. They’re short. They’re sticky. And when done well, they move people to action. As Instructional Designers, we can take a cue…