Keith Anderson

Can I say the quiet part out loud? Here’s it goes: When you only teach or learn the textbook definition of instructional design and the “proper” instructional design process, you’re setting yourself (and others) up for failure. Allow me explain. A few months ago, a new ID scheduled a coaching call with me. After the usual introductions, this person suddenly broke down into a literal ugly cry and confessed how disappointed they were with themselves for having “become an order taker.” After helping them catch their breath, I started asking questions. Pretty quickly, it became clear they were working on…a pretty average L&D team, with pretty average projects. But that’s not how they saw it. They felt like a failure because not every project started with a needs analysis. They felt like a failure because not every project had perfectly crafted learning objectives. They felt like a failure because their eLearning was full of bullet points and legal jargon. They felt like a failure because the only evaluation was a Level 1 survey at the end. I chuckled…not at them, but at the impossible standards we sometimes create for ourselves in this industry. I explained: You haven’t failed. You’re just experiencing the reality of most L&D teams…messy, imperfect, and political. This was news to them. Here’s the thing: Being a good instructional designer (and keeping your sanity) isn’t about strict, dogmatic allegiance to adult learning theories or the five steps of ADDIE. It’s about knowing when to flex between strategic order taker mode and badass instructional designer mode. We don’t talk enough about how corporate politics affects our ability to do the job the “textbook” way. Whether you can push back on a request often depends on who’s asking and how much political leverage they have. And frankly, it’s not the job of individual contributor instructional designers to fix order taking within their L&D team…the buck stops with the leadership team and the culture they’re creating and allowing to exist. In my experience, the most unhappy and frustrated (and often unsuccessful) instructional designers are the ones who cling to process purity at their own expense—ignoring the fact that some strategic order taking can be a necessary evil to build trust, earn influence, and eventually shape better solutions. So yeah…being a good instructional designer means knowing when to be a good order taker, and how to play the game of corporate politics. What do you think? Share your thoughts below (keep it productive and don’t use my post to spam your sh!t 😉). Have a great weekend! 👋 —Tim #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment

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AI isn’t replacing instructional designers—it’s expanding what we’re capable of. Over the past few months, I’ve been hosting workshops to help real IDs to bring their AI projects to life. And these aren’t surface-level demos.... We dive into real use cases, engineer effective prompts, and sometimes even write JavaScript to power the experience. I just published a new video that showcases four of the most impressive AI-powered projects to come out of these workshops. In it, you'll see: 1. A Storyline roleplay that simulates group facilitation with six unique AI-powered personas 2. A custom-coded web object that teaches people to read bearing rate graphs (built without writing code) 3. A GPT designed to help teachers reframe their experience for ID interviews 4. A de-escalation scenario with an AI character and a coaching assistant that gives personalized feedback After each demo, the creator joins me to break down their process, lessons learned, and advice for others who want to start building with AI—even if they’re not developers. If you're curious about what AI makes possible in learning design, this video will give you a glimpse into the future—and the people already building it. You can check out the video with the link in the comments. And let me know which project stands out to you. 😄 #LinkedInWithDevlin #InstructionalDesign #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment #eLearning

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Hey Learning Designers! A week ago, I had the opportunity to share what I’ve been learning about instructional storytelling with the Learning Jam Club. 👽 We talked about how good storytelling is powerful for both ILT and eLearning. The approach is the same—but the execution looks a little different. 👉 In this 360° Coffee Shop sample, you’ll see a setup for a story in action. Can you spot it? To help you apply storytelling to ILT and eLearning, I put together a Free 1-pager Storytelling Handout with: - My favorite simple definition of a good story - The 4 essentials of instructional storytelling - 4 AI tools you can use to build stories faster 📩 Comment → “Storytelling” below and I’ll send it over! When it comes to building a standout ID portfolio, Storytelling is one feature. Others include: 1️⃣ Niche skillset (Immersive learning + AI, or your unique edge) 2️⃣ Design thinking (show your process with wireframes, storyboards, mockups, prototypes) 3️⃣ Personality (topics you care about + your authentic voice) ✨ If you’d like to explore how to bring all these features together in The 12-Hour Shortcut, you can book a call here to learn more → https://lnkd.in/ejjCiTAU

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When you're not sure where to place things on a slide or page, consider using the rule of thirds. This rule refers to dividing an image or layout into a grid of nine equal parts built from two evenly spaced horizontal lines and two evenly spaced vertical lines. This creates a grid of four intersecting lines, which are known as "power points." These are the areas considered to have the most visual impact. Place the most important elements of your design along these lines or at the power points to create an aesthetically appealing composition. This creates a dyanmic asymmetrical composition. Does research support the rule of thirds? Some eye-tracking studies found that subjects tend to avoid looking at compositions with a central focal point unless there's a compelling reason to do so. However, the rule of thirds is only one way to create an appealing design. Other factors that influence appeal are hierarchy, contrast, and balance. Symmetrical layouts can also be pleasing! More about using grids here > https://lnkd.in/eAvWjjRP [30 days of visual design for learning design]

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How I avoid costly rebuilds in elearning projects. After a $7K misstep nearly blew the deadline. I once spent 60+ hours building a course… …only to tear it apart 2 days before launch. Not because of bad design. But because I *assumed* I knew what the client wanted. I didn’t. And I’ve learned this the hard way (more than once): Assumptions are the #1 silent killer of great eLearning. You know the drill: -> Stakeholders say “interactive” but don’t define it. -> SMEs send you a wall of text and say “just make it engaging.” ->You “think” you know what they meant in the kickoff… but never confirm. So you move forward, hoping it’s clear. Until it’s not. And you’re left redoing half the course with tight timelines and frayed nerves. Here’s what finally clicked for me: -> Creativity *needs* clarity. -> Clarity comes from questions. -> And assumptions destroy both. These days, I ask 10x more questions than I used to. Even if they seem obvious. Because “just making it work” isn’t enough anymore. I’d rather risk over-communicating than overhauling. If you’re tired of project U-turns, last-minute feedback, and that sinking “why didn’t I check?” moment… Don’t assume. Ask.

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🚀 From Text to Interaction in Articulate Storyline In a recent project, I was challenged to turn plain text into something more engaging — an interactive graph that shows how stressors impact Animals growth. 💡 The solution? A creative use of two built-in Articulate Storyline features: the Dial and Slider. When combined, they helped transform static content into a dynamic, learner-driven experience. Love finding ways to make learning more visual and interactive! #InstructionalDesign #ArticulateStoryline #Elearning #UXDesign #elearning #LearningExperience #GrowthMindset #elearningBrewery

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Did you know about #6? Go ahead. Raise your hand. Most instructional designers didn’t come from a writing background… but suddenly you’re scripting modules, rewriting SME notes, and trying to make content sound less like a manual and more like a conversation. From slide copy to scenario scripts, clear writing is what makes your learning stick. And lucky for us, there are tried-and-true writing skills from the world of content and media that make a huge difference. So here are 7 writing skills from journalism and copywriting that every instructional designer should keep in their toolkit. 👇 Got one writing tip that always works? Drop it below. #InstructionalDesign #CopywritingTips #CareerChange #IDOLAcademy #LearningAndDevelopment #ContentDesign

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🎯 New Intellum Evolve Tutorial – Timed Interactions That Reflect Real Life Timers often get a bad name in eLearning — and fair enough, when they’re used poorly. But in the right context, a timer can help replicate how decisions are made in real life. In Arck Learning's latest tutorial, I show you how to build a stylised countdown timer in Evolve, ideal for simulating high-pressure decisions in areas like emergency response, finance, and customer service. The timer is: ✅ Fully responsive ✅ Logic-based ✅ Can be set up with an optional opt-out using simple logic 📽️ Sneak peek below. To watch the full tutorial, head to the latest blog post on our website or find it on the Arck Learning YouTube channel. 💬 Want a copy of the working course file with all the logic and theming in place? Drop me a DM and I’ll send it over. #elearning #learningdesign #instructionaldesign #digitallearning #leadershipdevelopment

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