#IDIODC Instructional Designers In Offices Drinking Coffee

In the age of AI when content is a commodity, how do Learning and Development organizations actually make an impact? How can they build a learning function that is both efficient and effective, especially when scaling across an enterprise? Many L&D teams are caught between the demand for speed and the need for quality, often sacrificing one for the other. The secret isn't doing more, but designing smarter from the start. Dr. Karl Kapp, a leading voice in learning and technology, joins IDIODC to share a new operational mindset where "smooth is fast". We'll discuss how to embed quality and thoughtful design into your processes from the start, ensuring that your L&D initiatives are not only scalable but also accessible, performance-driven, and action-focused. Discover how strategic AI integration and an action-oriented approach can transform your team from a content factory into a critical driver of business success. _________ Dr. Karl Kapp is a pioneering voice in learning innovation. His book Action-First Learning is reshaping how organizations design training for real-world impact. As co-founder of Enterprise Game Stack and founder of the L&D Mentor Academy, he bridges academic rigor with practical business results. His work on gamification, engagement, and instructional design has influenced thousands of L&D professionals worldwide. Karl is a professor of instructional technology at Commonwealth University. He brings over two decades of research-backed expertise to enterprise learning challenges. From scaling operations to integrating AI, he helps organizations turn training into a strategic driver of business success. His books, courses, and thought leadership tackle the pressing challenges facing today's L&D leaders. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

Your team is probably using AI to write learning content. But does it actually make it better? AI hallucinations and weird text patterns can be spotted by anyone paying attention. Connie Malamed joins IDIODC to share what she's learned from experimenting with AI writing tools. We discuss the fingerprints AI leaves in your content. Overused sentence structures. Paragraphs that sound impressive but say nothing. You'll learn about specialized AI research tools that beat ChatGPT for finding credible sources, and using NotebookLM to prepare for SMEs interviews. Connie shares when to use AI and when to fight through your own messy first draft. Because sometimes the struggle is what keeps your writing sharp and your content authentic. _____ Connie Malamed is a learning experience design consultant, author, and the creator of The eLearning Coach. She helps learning teams design evidence-informed, visually clear learning experiences that people actually understand and remember. She has written two influential books on visual design for learning and runs Mastering Instructional Design, a community for learning professionals who want to deepen their craft and stay current in a changing L&D landscape. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

Christy Tucker joins IDIODC to share her journey into AI image generation for learning. With over 1,500 images created and extensive tool experimentation, she reveals why she moved beyond stock photos. We'll discuss what works, what doesn't, and how to navigate the learning curve of prompting AI tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT, and Gemini (Nano Banana).Discover practical workflows for creating consistent character images for scenarios. Christy explains how to reduce bias through diverse representation and make abstract concepts tangible with custom icons. This conversation previews strategic approaches you'll want to explore before her upcoming hands-on webinar. Get ready to elevate your learning visuals from generic to genuinely tailored._______Christy Tucker is an instructional designer and consultant specializing in scenario-based learning and AI-generated visuals. She's created thousands AI images while developing practical workflows for learning professionals. Her blog, Experiencing Elearning, features 70+ posts on storytelling and scenarios. She earned the eLearning Learning MVP Award in the Engaging Learners category.Christy speaks regularly at conferences including DevLearn and Training Magazine events. She's known for making complex techniques accessible through hands-on workshops and detailed guides. When she's not generating AI images or designing branching scenarios, she's probably experimenting with yet another image tool. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

Does your organization’s AI adoption feel scattered? All too often, teams are treating a strategic transformation like just another software rollout. Megan Torrance joins IDIODC with a better framework — one grounded in systems thinking. She maps the three zones where AI impacts learning organizations and the nature of training work itself, and the 14 conversations that organizations need to be having as we further our implementations of new tools and processes.Drawing from her forthcoming book, Megan shares the planning dimensions most learning teams overlook. From workforce impact to governance to change management, she reveals why cross-functional collaboration matters just as much as technical prowess. This conversation previews strategic concepts your team should explore now. Her upcoming webinar dives deep into the AI Implementation Canvas framework with actionable strategies._______Megan Torrance is the CEO and Founder of TorranceLearning, where she partners with organizations to create transformational learning experiences. A recognized thought leader in learning innovation, she created the LLAMA® methodology for instructional design and pioneered xAPI and learning analytics for L&D.Her upcoming book, The AI Implementation Guide for L&D (June 2026), introduces the AI Implementation Canvas, a strategic framework for AI adoption. Megan developed the W.I.S.E. A.T. A.I. framework for responsible AI use and founded the LIT community. As a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, she brings systems thinking to help L&D professionals design for change. She co-hosts the Tangents with TorranceLearning podcast and offers the AI Driver's Permit course. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

Managing learning at scale requires mastering both psychology and process. Guieswende Rouamba joins IDIODC to reveal why projects succeed or fail — rarely because of content, but because of broken human dynamics. Using Transactional Analysis, he'll explain how to move stakeholders from resistance to genuine collaboration, transforming "order taker" teams into strategic partners.But psychology needs operational discipline to scale. Guieswende will unpack how rigorous scoping prevents "dead projects" (built but never launched), protects teams from burnout, and keeps budgets intact against scope creep. As AI accelerates production timelines, this operational spine becomes even more critical. Learn how to build repeatable processes that scale from one course to fifty — and prepare your team for an AI-enabled future where instructional designers manage portfolios, not individual courses._____Dr. Guieswende Rouamba is an instructional designer, author, and advocate for bringing project management discipline to the learning design profession. With a PhD in Instructional Design and Technology and over a decade of experience managing large-scale course development, he has seen firsthand how poor scoping and misaligned stakeholders derail even the best-designed content.His book, The Instructional Designer's Guide to Project Management, bridges the gap between learning theory and operational reality, emphasizing the "human side" of project success through frameworks like Transactional Analysis and the SCARF model. Currently at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois, Guieswende leads teams developing high-enrollment courses (500-1000 students) while championing the idea that instructional designers need to master both psychology and process to thrive in today's fast-paced L&D environments. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

Dr. Alaina Szlachta, founder of By Design Development Solutions, specializes in helping L&D teams demonstrate business impact through innovative measurement strategies. She shares insights on shifting focus from basic learning metrics to real business outcomes, using her domino metaphor to illustrate critical measurement components. Alaina emphasizes aligning training with organizational goals, the importance of assessing both capabilities and performance, and optimizing measurement even on a tight budget, all while transforming L&D from a reactive role to a strategic partner.

Training that doesn't transfer is training that wastes budget. Katrina Kennedy joins IDIODC with a solution that addresses every L&D leader's biggest challenge: proving learning works. Her systematic reflection methodology turns ineffective training into measurable business impact through strategic design choices.Kennedy's "Learning That Lasts" framework provides the quality assurance system L&D operations need. We'll discuss how reflection activities strengthen memory consolidation and skill application across virtual and in-person environments. Discover practical tools for building reflection into content production workflows while tracking the performance outcomes that matter to executives._____________Katrina Kennedy is known as the "trainer's trainer" with over 27 years of experience helping organizations create learning that actually works. She's empowered more than 46,000 learners across state agencies, universities, healthcare systems, and Fortune 500 companies through evidence-based training methods that drive real results. Kennedy holds a Master's in Human Resource Management and Development from Chapman University and specializes in training design, virtual engagement, and reflection strategies that ensure learning transfers to job performance.Kennedy is the author of "Learning That Lasts: Reflection Activities for Trainers and Designers," featuring over 45 research-backed activities organized around eight strategic outcomes. She's a regular ATD Conference speaker and contributor to TD Mag, sharing practical insights that help L&D professionals design engaging experiences that create lasting behavioral change. Kennedy also founded the Let's Learn Together L&D Community and shares resources at katrinakennedy.com. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

The gap between skills aspirations and reality is costing enterprises millions in learning inefficiency. Koreen Pagano, renowned skills transformation expert and Chief Product Officer at Build Capable, joins IDIODC to discuss how L&D leaders can bridge this divide through strategic data architecture and operational excellence.From content tagging methodologies that actually work to building cross-functional governance structures, Koreen will share actionable insights for scaling skills initiatives. Discover why traditional competency approaches fail, how to establish trust in skills data, and the practical steps to transform learning operations into a strategic business asset.___________________Koreen Pagano is a product executive and skills transformation expert with 25+ years driving organizational change at companies ranging from startups to global enterprises. As Chief Product Officer at Build Capable and co-founder of Rising Tide Cooperative, she specializes in AI integration, skills strategy, and enterprise learning transformation. Her career includes product leadership roles at LinkedIn Learning, Degreed, Wiley, and D2L, where she pioneered innovative approaches to corporate learning and skills development.Koreen is the author of "Building the Skills-Based Organization: A Blueprint for Transformation" (September 2025) and "Immersive Learning". She holds a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State University and is a frequent speaker and advisor on skills-based organizational change. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

Traditional assessments are often rigid, resource-heavy, and fail to fully capture on-the-job impact. In this session, Garima Gupta, founder of Artha Learning and creator of AIReady, shares a practical blueprint for modernizing assessments without losing scientific rigor.Drawing from her experience designing AI-enabled assessment systems for enterprise clients, Garima demonstrates how to keep the bedrock principles of validity, reliability, and fairness at the forefront, while using AI to scale assessment quality across thousands of learners.She breaks down:- Defining "Good": How L&D leaders can design assessments that measure and support learners. - Augmenting the Expert: Practical ways to use Generative AI as a drafting and refinement partner while keeping human oversight central.- The Future of Feedback: How adaptive AI-powered assessments can provide personalized, real-time feedback that accelerates skill development at scale.Garima’s message is clear: science comes first, and AI is the multiplier. This session will equip learning leaders with both the strategic lens and tactical playbook to transform assessments into a reliable driver of workforce capability and business impact.__________Garima Gupta is the Founder and CEO of Artha Learning Inc., an award-winning learning design firm based in Toronto, and creator of AIReady, an AI-powered platform that transforms traditional assessments into personalized evaluation systems. With over 20 years of experience in L&D, software engineering, and education, she holds an MEd in Adult Education and is a Certified Training and Development Professional (CTDP).Garima is a sought-after keynote speaker at major conferences including ATD and DevLearn, sharing insights on AI integration in enterprise L&D and innovative assessment strategies. Her company has earned numerous international awards including Brandon Hall Awards and the Stevie Award for Canadian Small Business of the Year 2022. Beyond her business achievements, she serves on educational advisory committees and supports education initiatives, including sponsoring ten primary schools in rural India. Brought to you by the dominKnow | ONE Platform - develop, manage, and distribute impactful L&D content – efficiently, at scale.

Robyn A. Defelice, a learning and development strategist and co-author of 'Microlearning: Short and Sweet', dives into the complexities of microlearning. She debunks the myth that microlearning is simply fast and easy, emphasizing its strategic implementation. Robyn outlines critical readiness elements for organizations, discusses cognitive load in design, and shares a success story from sales onboarding. Listeners will gain valuable insights on aligning learning initiatives with organizational goals and the essential dos and don'ts for effective microlearning.