Over the years, I’ve worn many hats—program manager, instructional designer, volunteer, artist, mom. But through it all, one thing has stayed consistent: my fascination with how people learn. Especially adults. The more I work in learning and development, the more I realize that adult learning isn’t about checking a box or completing a module. It’s about relevance, confidence, and real-world impact.
I didn’t come to this field through a traditional education background. My degree is in biology, and I’ve spent much of my career helping teams adapt to change—whether that meant implementing new technology, rethinking workflows, or building onboarding programs from scratch. But the heart of what I do has always come back to this: how do we help people learn in a way that feels meaningful, not overwhelming?
Adults Learn Differently—And That’s a Good Thing
One of the first things you realize when you dive into adult learning theory is that adults don’t learn the same way children do. And they shouldn’t. Adults bring lived experience, existing knowledge, and very real responsibilities to the table. They want to know why something matters before they give it their time. They’re juggling jobs, families, and sometimes self-doubt. The last thing they need is a generic, one-size-fits-all training.
In fact, one of the biggest mistakes I see in workplace learning is content that treats adults like passive recipients instead of active participants. It’s the dreaded “click-next” module—content that’s technically complete but doesn’t connect. Adults want training that respects their time and intelligence. They want something that helps them do their job better, faster, or with less stress. And most of all, they want to understand the purpose behind what they’re learning.
Relevance Is Everything
If I had to boil good instructional design down to one word, it would be relevance. I’ve learned this the hard way—designing enablement programs for cross-functional teams, building onboarding kits, and crafting SOPs for roles I had to study deeply just to understand. When people don’t see the connection between what they’re being asked to learn and their daily work, they disengage. Quickly.
That’s why I always start by asking: What does this learner actually need to do? Not what do we think they should know, or what sounds impressive in a PowerPoint. But what’s the task? What’s the outcome? And where are the real blockers?
Sometimes, it’s not about delivering a 45-minute course. Sometimes, it’s about a two-page quick guide, a five-minute video, or a Slack-ready checklist that helps them in the moment. The goal isn’t to flood people with information. It’s to support them in doing what they need to do—confidently and independently.
Listening Is Part of the Design
Before I create any training, I listen. I talk to the people doing the work. I ask about what frustrates them, what confuses them, and what would actually make a difference in their day-to-day. This is where the magic happens—not in the software, not in the design tools, but in the human insight.
It’s also where you find the disconnects. Sometimes leadership wants one thing, but the learners need another. Sometimes a process looks clear on paper, but in real life, there are edge cases, workarounds, or legacy habits that completely change the flow. If we don’t listen carefully, we risk designing solutions to problems that don’t exist—or worse, ignoring the ones that do.
Confidence Is the Real Outcome
I’ve come to believe that the best training isn’t just about knowledge transfer—it’s about confidence building. When someone finishes a course or guide and feels like, “Yes, I can do this,” that’s the win. That’s what changes behavior. That’s what drives adoption. And in some cases, that’s what helps someone believe in themselves again.
This came into sharp focus for me when I started volunteering with incarcerated individuals through Vita Education Services. I help them write resumes, but more importantly, I help them see what they bring to the table—skills, experiences, strengths. It’s not so different from the work I do in a corporate setting. People need to feel like they have something valuable to offer. And when we design learning that reflects that belief, it can be transformative.
Less Is Often More
Another hard lesson I’ve learned: more content doesn’t mean more learning. In fact, it often leads to less. Adults are busy. They scan. They search. They skip. And that’s okay—if we design with that reality in mind. I try to cut the fluff, get to the point, and organize information in a way that makes it easy to find later. Because let’s be honest, most people don’t retain training in one go. They come back to it when they need it.
That’s why I’m such a big believer in modular, just-in-time learning. Let people learn in context, when the stakes feel real. Help them succeed in small moments, and those wins will build on themselves.
Moving Forward with Purpose
As I continue my journey in instructional design—now as an independent contractor—I find myself more committed than ever to creating learning experiences that are human, practical, and rooted in empathy. Adult learners don’t need more noise. They need clarity. They need tools. And most of all, they need to feel seen.
That’s the kind of work I want to keep doing. Designing not just for completion, but for real life.