I posted last week excited about these new clean room versions of the Adobe suite. I found it interesting that many instantly dismissed the project as vibe coded slop.

It turns out that's not quite true, yes they used REA and ghidra for the early build. But they are now fine tuning and the github activity is eye opening in regards to the speed they fix issues. Plus there are now a lot of human devs doing the work (such is the joy of open source). Using this hybrid method they have closed thousands of bugs, that alone is impressive considering the major players have bugs which are decades old ( cough articulate)

Another major factor that doesn't seem to be getting through the hype cycle is that these tools feature MCP so any AI can be brought to the party (avoiding Adobes token scalping)

In my mind this presents our industry with a significant opportunity. We know we are the unloved ginger step kid of the corporate world. Even our primary tool (articulate) has decided that we are all absolutely expendable and have ignored fix requests for up to a decade. Articulates pricing makes Adobes predatory pricing almost cute in comparison.

So I reached out to them on discord and they surprisingly responded. It turns out they are willing to discuss the idea of creating a multi platform open source elearning tool (they develop for mac windows and Linux by default). They had clearly considered the idea before my message. The bit I think it's genuinely exciting is the speed the tool could evolve. If they match the current bug patching pace of the other tools it wouldnt take long for the tool tool exceed articulate.

I would like to say that normally i don't talk to devs as most of the time they are trying to replace us for a quick cash in. This is where i feel this project may be fundamentally different. They are familiar with creative roles and the underlying vibe is they want to support creatives first. Yes they want people to use AI (ideally their option) but uniquely allows the user of any AI. This gives davinci resolve vibes, where the software is free but the hardware is where they make money.

So why this post? Well as with all development requests popularity pushes the project priority up.

If you dont hate this they have the discord and an app request section.

Has anyone from L&D tried to become a HR Business Partner? I am looking to do this. Any help will be appreciated.

Hi I have exp in ID but my org never did storyboard and now when I am trying to switch I need to submit story board samples and it is super confusing about what to add and waht not to add.

Can anyone with relevant exp connect with to help me understand the goal and the difference between content and visual story boards and what do you generally include in your storyboards....

Kindly let me know. Thank you!

I am a manager of an instructional design team. I have 3 elearning developers on the team. We are a software company and most of our training is related to how to use our products including step by step workflows and scenarios. We primarily use Captivate Classic (2019) to create software simulations. We don’t like the new Captivate at all and we are looking for new ways to create our training and use AI more.

How are you currently creating software based training using AI? Are you using specific authoring tools with AI built in or do you use something like Claude? We are struggling to modernize what we do and would love your suggestions. Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I need some advice on my resume to make it compelling to both ATS and human hiring managers.

I have 5 years of experience working as an instructional designer in corporate learning design consultancies, after which I took a 2-year career break to pursue a master's degree in the field in a different country. I recently graduated and have applied to a few jobs using different versions of my resume, tailoring it to each role, but I haven't received any positive responses yet.

I'm trying to figure out what could be wrong with my resume or what could potentially be improved.

General advice on the internet is to phrase your statements to show accomplishments instead of responsibilities. Unfortunately, in the consultancies I worked for, we never measured the impact of the programs we designed for our clients, so I don't have any program evaluation metrics to demonstrate accomplishments.

What should I do in this case? Is there anything else I can do to show the value of my work? I would appreciate any advice on what else I can do to strengthen my profile and land interviews.

I am a 1 YO ID but I've worked in the training world for 6+ years, first as a training coordinator and then as a training program manager. When I joined ID a year back, storyline was the go-to tool to create anything that Rise could not. Simulations, tool practice, case studies etc. I spent time learning it. Today, I am able to near-replicate everything that storyline does using a few prompts on an AI and then just pasting the code block on Rise. Takes me ~10-25% of time it would take to do the same on storyline. Rise code blocks are much easier to maintain as well, no local file, no figuring out the connectors a year later, just copy past the code, share your requirements and within a few prompts you pretty much get what you need 9/10 times. So yeah, my question - is storyline dead, or dying?

Please be civil with replies. Just want a constructive discussion.

I've been an instructional designer for a very long time, but only recently started getting more interested in learning about UI/UX design. To start, I've been trying to think more deliberately about colors and have been considering how important it is to use specific colors for objects that you want users to interact with.

For reference, I work primarily in Articulate Storyline, and since that tool's so popular I assume most people are familiar with it, but in the theme colors you get six "accent" colors. I mostly pull from those six colors (usually only four or five of them, though).

One of them I consider the "primary" color and one the main "accent" color (even though they're all called accent colors in Storyline). Students will see both of these colors on almost every slide. However, I also want to use the main accent color for buttons. Things like start, submit, etc.

Would that potentially introduce too much cognitive load for users? If I'm using the same accent color too much for things that users need to interact with, will it be difficult for them to quickly identify what is what and what they need to do with it? Maybe interactive objects need to stand out more with a different color?

And then in addition to that, should different buttons/interactive objects also be different colors? Like, one color for a "start" type button that takes the user down a specific branch or path but a different color for a "submit" button?

My only concern is I don't want to be using so many colors that the whole design starts looking ridiculous.

Hi everyone,

​I am looking for recommendations on the best AI tools or workflow to build learning materials from official vocational training and degree syllabi.

​Here is the exact pipeline I want to achieve:

​Analyze documents: Read and break down existing, detailed curriculum PDFs (ausbildung/degree frameworks).

​Design a curriculum: Turn those requirements into a structured, modular syllabus.

​Generate learning content & exercises: From that syllabus, automatically create:

​Explanations & summaries

​Practical tasks (e.g., fill-in-the-blanks, multiple choice, practical scenarios) Video scripts or complete explanatory videos

​Is there an all-in-one platform capable of doing this reliably, or do you recommend combining separate tools (e.g., an LLM like Claude/ChatGPT for analysis/text, plus specialized tools for exercises and video)?

​What tools or setups are you using for this kind of workflow? Thanks!

Hi all! I'm a Nursing Professional Development Specialist planning to enroll in the WGU M.Ed. in Education Technology and Instructional Design (Adult learner pathway). I'd love honest input from anyone who's finished it or is partway through:

1. How many hours a week did you realistically put in, and how long did it take you to finish?
   
2. Did you need prior instructional design experience, or did you start as a beginner?
   
3. Has anyone come in from healthcare, corporate training, or another non-teaching background? How did it go?
   
4. What was the hardest course or assessment, and how involved was the capstone?
   
5. Did the degree help with jobs or promotions in adult learning or professional development?
   
6. Anything you wish you'd known before starting?

I already build interactive learning activities at work, so I'm hoping to formalize that skill set. Thank you so much, good and bad both welcome!

I started as my company's training specialist in the last year, and pretty early on I flagged that we needed to get a Creative Asset site subscription since I was wasting so much time either Google sourcing royalty-free images or else trying to generate what I needed via an LLM. I did some research and ended up going with Envato, which has been pretty good as far as a mix of images, videos, 2d and 3d graphic assets goes.
As I'm starting to prepare my budget for next year I'd appreciate if anyone could share what asset sites they use, if any, and which they've seen the best quality from. Something I identified as a key requirement for us early on was the need for a flat-rate subscription, and not a per-asset/token-based model. Thanks in advance!

So I work with three contractors from the Philippines who have been making content and running the LMS for two years now at my company. But the reference material and e-learning courses they create are pretty poorly designed. I won't go into detail but both were a major sore point when I interviewed internal leadership from and beyond the teams I'll be supporting / working in parallel with about pain points.

I'm a month in, and I was specifically hired to revamp the LMS, enable internal/external customers, and lead the content team, among other responsibilities. So half of the job is really cleaning up the mess they've made and structuring new collateral. Working with them, it seems like they don't even have an intuitive sense of user experience and basic formatting principles like putting space between text. And the LMS has basic administration but it's pretty scattered.

The thing is, each of the contractors hold the formal title of "Content Developer and Learning Experience Strategist". I first thought this was a fluke on my company's part. They needed to hire someone cheap to do the job, give them a fitting title, and technically they do create courses. But haven spoken to them, I'm now learning that all of them have been in this field for years. One in particular said 10! I'm somewhat horrified given their lack of experience in design tools like Canva and Articulate. And tooling aside, a lot of their work just isn't professional. But evidently other companies didn't mind.

Is this a field that's typically outsourced? Or is my bar for learning experiences higher than the average corporate setting (although the complaints within my own are loud and clear).

Hello fellow Instructional Designers,

Seriously looking for some advice.

So based on Glassdoor/ChatGPT, Fishbowl: Tech and Finance domains pay IDs well. Based on job postings, knowing WalkMe, or SAP is kinda a requirement for top package ID roles.

How to get experience working on WalkMe or SAP, on a personal interest basis? (By personal interest, I mean that the day job doesn't have either WalkMe or SAP projects, so no experience to earn there)

Will be super grateful for any suggestions.

UK based. I just got a 5 month contract role in civil service in L&D for an operational reform project. This is my first learning design role so all pretty new to me! My deliverables include things like quick job aids, FAQs, facilitator packs, which need input as well as sign offs from operational staff. Since I am coming in as a contractor and will have zero internal authority on a tight deadline, I want to make sure I protect myself against delays and avoid getting blamed when things get stuck? would appreciate any advice anyone may have? for example how might you deal with bottlenecks where line managers won't protect their staffs time for reviews? and SMEs take ages to give you input/ clarifications? When you're blocked at both ends of the chain what are your best tips for setting dependencies early? and keeping project leads accountable for delays? and make sure you don't end up carrying the blame or left sitting on your hands?

And any tips of the deliverables specifically? articulate etc.

Any insights or survival tips would be massively appreciated!

Hi everyone, I am stepping into a fast paced UK L&D design contract soon for an operational reform project. My deliverables include things like quick job aids, FAQs, facilitator packs, I'll need input and sign offs from operational staff.

Since I'm coming in as an external contractor on a tight deadline, I want to make sure | protect myself against delays and avoid getting blamed if things get stuck in review chains. For other instructional or learning designers who have worked in large, bureaucratic organisations - How do you set your dependencies early and what are your best tips for getting people to review and sign off on your materials on time please?

Hi- any recommendations for platforms to use for presenting online presentations other than PowerPoint? To be clear, I mean a place where the content is located - not the streaming system.
Any thoughts about Showcase?
Thanks

So I applied for an ID role that was the exact same role I did for 6 years in my previous company before getting laid off. Meaning it was the exact same niche specialty field and everything. Like these two companies were rivals basically lol So I feel like I should have at least gotten an interview but all I got was a generic rejection email stating they were going with candidates who more closely matched the job description.

I've been scratching my head trying to figure out how that is even possible. I'm thinking it's because the position was opened for an internal hire and had to be posted externally for whatever legal requirements (this was the case when I got the ID role at my old job). OR, something about my resume just isn't reading right and the AI ATS they are using is just kicking me out before I can even get my resume seen by a human.

Obviously there's nothing I can do if it was for an internal hire. But if it was due to the resume, then I need to figure this out ASAP. Appreciate any suggestions the group has for ensuring my resume can get past the ATS and in the hands of a human. I tried Jobscan to compare my resume and the description of that job but it isn't really flagging anything meaningful. Not sure if there are better tools out there or something else? Appreciate any help I can get! TIA!

I saw a post on LinkedIn recently lamenting how difficult the portfolio requirement can be for candidates who only have proprietary work or who don't have access to expensive tools to create one. I spent some time thinking about what do to in those situations. I'm reposting what I shared on on LinkedIn in case its helpful here too. If others have advice, please share.

The job requires an instructional design portfolio. But all your best work is proprietary. Now what?

Conventional career advice for instructional designers is to build a portfolio. But a recent LinkedIn post from Heather Thomas about the challenges of portfolio requirements got me thinking about candidates who aren’t in a position to share their work.

Maybe your best work is proprietary. Maybe you’ve worked on projects where other people handled the visual design and development. Or maybe you haven’t had access to the expensive authoring tools used to create the polished examples we often see.

If you’re applying for a position that requires a portfolio, here are a few ways to approach it:

1. Recreate an example using fictional content. If your work is proprietary, consider building a new example inspired by the types of problems you’ve solved, without sharing confidential information. Be transparent that it’s a demonstration rather than an actual client project.
2. Show your process, not just the product. A needs analysis, design storyboard, learning objectives, or evaluation plan can demonstrate important instructional design capabilities. Explain the problem, your reasoning, and the decisions you made.
3. Use accessible tools. You don’t necessarily need an expensive authoring tool to demonstrate instructional design skills. A well-designed presentation, storyboard, or prototype can communicate how you approach learning problems.
4. Clarify your individual contributions. If you’ve worked on projects involving multiple contributors, explain what you were responsible for and how your decisions influenced the outcome.
5. Ask about alternatives. If an employer requires a portfolio and you can’t share your work, ask whether they’d consider a work sample, case study, or another way to demonstrate your capabilities.

Of course, not every employer will accept an alternative. But a portfolio doesn’t have to be a collection of elaborate, polished eLearning courses.

What's most important is whether you can provide meaningful evidence of your capabilities.

And for hiring managers, it’s worth asking whether your portfolio requirements are actually assessing the skills that matter most for the job.

What other advice would you give instructional designers navigating portfolio requirements?

Hi everyone!

I'm working on building a digital learning initiative focused on making learning more engaging, interactive, and meaningful.

The idea is to create learning experiences that go beyond traditional presentations and training materials, including:

• Interactive learning games and gamification
• E-learning courses using Articulate Storyline and Rise
• Training videos, animations, and motion graphics
• Instructional design and training content development
• Interactive assessments, microlearning, and scenario-based learning

I'm looking to connect with like-minded people who are interested in learning, creativity, technology, and building something from the ground up.

You could be an instructional designer, e-learning developer, animator, graphic designer, game developer, content creator, or someone passionate about exploring new ways to make learning better.

I'm especially interested in meeting people who enjoy sharing ideas, collaborating on projects, experimenting with new tools, and growing together.

This is an early-stage initiative, so I'm looking to build genuine connections with people who share the vision. If you're interested, we can discuss possible collaborations, project opportunities, and how we could contribute our skills.

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy being part of, feel free to comment or send me a message. I'd love to connect!

My boss (she’s got a degree in early childhood education, taught for 2 years, and is now the director of L&D for a fortune 1000 company) insists that I use AI for productivity.

I was written up today for “refusing to meet performance goals by integrating workflow with AI”.

I love Rise. Seriously I do. That being said, their AI course generation is pretty bad and I refuse to use it. My current project timeline is 4 weeks, but my boss is saying “use AI to trim it in half.”.

It just feels so counter intuitive to everything I’ve learned in my career. Anyone else being pressured to use AI?

Edit: since folks are still coming to this post, I’d figure it’s only right to give an update.

I’ve been at my current company for 6 years. 2 in operations management and then 4 years ago I made the jump to L&D. Before this, I had limited L&D experience outside of basic materials.

I did ~110 applications to various jobs including sales, operations management, and of course ID. One job called me back for a sales position that pays extremely well for their base salary + a commission structure that has me very excited. The base salary alone is a 20% pay bump. I’m on their second round of interviews and I’m really stoked.

My boss has no idea I’m looking for jobs, and I don’t really plan on blind siding her. I love my company, and I like what I do. I meet deadlines and perform well. The write up wasn’t because I missed a deadline. It was because I did not use AI to exceed a deadline.

I already have another project with a 2-week deadline. I’ve gotten approval from stakeholders and I’m confident I’ll get it done within the next 2-3 business days. I’ll fall inline with her wishes and use rises AI tool to build it out for me, and make adjustments from there.

I just completed a recruiter screening for tech enablement role that supports instructional designer. They wanted me because i have both experience in tech and instructional design. Problem is i have done those separately and not in a combined manner. Is there a place I can go read about Tech Enablement for GTM. Where can i learn more about enablement? I am green in sales and goto marketing stuff. Mostly i have worked in academic courses and not in corporate space

Hey all

Looking for opinions, advice or any useful discussion. Our company is moving to In-App education, moving resources directly into out platform and away from traditional LMS.

The problem I'm seeing in this is that they don't seem to want to bring in education into the app, but simply information and create a "library" of content and resources, without actually teaching anything.

The resources will mainly include a Video Library with simple How-To videos showing workflows and how to use the platform effectively but little to no context.

Was wondering what people think of this and if there is a way to turn it educational instead of just informational. I'm worried about retention of information and that users will use the library as a crutch instead of actually learning the worlflows and mastering them without the need to always go back and watch a video or read a guide.

This is only my 3rd year in the field, but I'm curious as to what some these past fads were. It can be something that you witnessed come and go in 90s, 00s, etc.

Edit: Ok some of the responses were unexpectedly triggering lol Jesus what was I thinking asking this! Friggin Prezi!

Thoughts on Vyond Turbo? I'm really starting to despair!! I mean, I'm very grateful of where I am positioned (relatively small UK Non-profit org), but I feel that Articulate and now Vyond have it in for talented IDs and other mutlimedia professionals in corporate L&D!!!!

"Check out the wide range of engaging videos you can make easily with our new agentic AI video creation platform, Vyond Turbo. In beta until fall of 2026, this powerful new interactive video creator makes it easy to create professional-quality videos, in an incredible variety of visual styles. Upload a document or URL as reference or just enter a prompt describing what you want. Then watch our AI build your video to your exact specifications."

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKaQ0APJ4b28