LEARNING. SIMPLIFIED.

I created the BOLD (Business-Oriented Learning Design) framework to solve a fundamental problem: for too long, learning design has been disconnected from the rest of the business. Traditional models focus on instructional steps, but businesses operate in product phases , not academic ones. When learning model terminology feels foreign to business leaders, L&D loses its seat at the table. The BOLD framework takes the agility of SAM and the precision of ADDIE and wraps them in a business-centric language designed to move at the speed of your organization. Why the BOLD framework is a game-changer: Strategic Synchronization: We map learning development directly to the product lifecycle. The MVP Approach: By focusing on the Minimum Viable Product for launch, we provide learning aligned with product timelines without the typical rework. Reframed Outcomes: We shift the focus from academic results to the metrics leadership actually cares about. It’s time to stop being just a content...

-Not knowing is the beginning of the adventure that leads to innovation. Learning Leader: I'm hiring! Bear’s CV: Hunter/Gatherer, Freelance, 2010-Present Ate berries, fish, sometimes garbage Developed strategy to find more things to eat Increased body fat from 20% to 40% in 6 months Slept for 6 months, decreased body fat from 40% to 20% Repeat annually Not exactly what I was looking for on paper, but I might be missing out on talent and diversity of thought if I don’t dig a little deeper. What caught my eye about this bear is its curiosity: Curious enough to look into the Colorado Convention Center to find out what is going on but cautious enough not to just bust through the glass in search of food. A good combo. In corporate training we are still doing mostly the same things in 2022 that we did in 2002, except we do more of it online. So how do we amplify innovation within our Customer Education (or any) teams? Curiosity opens the door for innovation and improvement. If you are fo...

Many people seem put off by the cliché–make something out of nothing. Typically, when you have nothing you end up with nothing. Alas, you cannot make lemonade without the lemons. So, the message is really, when you have very little, you can still find ways to turn that into something useful.  When Life Gives you Rubbish, Make a Rhino When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or, when life gives you a bunch of dirty traffic cones, make a cool rhino sculpture. I came across this elusive orange rhino in Denver’s River North (aka RiNo) neighborhood while on a weekend run through the streets of Denver. It’s clever and creative, but also unique enough that I paused my run to snap a picture. The artist captured my attention with actual rubbish. In Customer Education, we often don’t get all of the resources or funding we think we need. So, then what? Maybe build a rhino out of traffic cones, or maybe just snap a picture of that rhino and use it to make your blog post more interesting. The...

  The training is dry with no hands-on activities.  The trainer reads straight from a PowerPoint slide.  The presentation is one-way with no opportunity to share personal experiences or ask questions.  We’ve all been there, and we all would rather have been somewhere else. Anywhere else. Bad training makes that chalk on the chalkboard sound seem pleasant. It makes [insert music you don’t like] seem enjoyable. You may prefer to eat stale popcorn while in the middle seat of a plane stuck on the tarmac with no AC, to sitting through another bad training. Take note learning professionals.  In the spirit of making lemonade, there is no better way to improve your training or instructional design skills than to observe bad training.  If your fellow participants are disinterested, silent, and likely looking at their phone, it is your opportunity to figure out why and add that to your list of things not to do.  Is the training engaging, relevant, and focused o...