Over the years, I’ve sat through more than my fair share of corporate training sessions. You know the kind—slide after slide of jargon, overly formal narration, and endless bullet points that feel more like a compliance checklist than a true learning experience. It doesn’t take long for your eyes to glaze over. You click through, absorb a few surface-level facts, and then promptly forget most of it by the next day.
This is not how adults learn best. And it’s definitely not how they grow.
As someone who has worked in program management, digital transformation, and instructional design for over a decade, I’ve learned something fundamental: if we’re not putting people at the center of our learning strategies, we’re missing the point. Human-centered learning isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore—it’s essential.
Learning Should Feel Like Support, Not Surveillance
One of the biggest mistakes I see in corporate learning is treating training as a way to control outcomes instead of empowering people. I’ve seen it time and again—programs built around processes, not people. Assessments used as checkboxes rather than tools for understanding. And when learners struggle, it’s often blamed on motivation or capability, rather than asking, “Did we design this in a way that actually supports them?”
Human-centered learning flips that question. It starts by asking: What does this person need in order to feel confident, capable, and included? What obstacles are they facing, and how can learning reduce—not add to—their stress?
In my work with new hire onboarding, for example, I always try to think about what it feels like to be brand new in a role, overwhelmed with tools, acronyms, and expectations. The first few weeks on the job can feel like information overload. That’s why my goal is to create learning experiences that offer clarity, pacing, and small wins. Things like curated learning paths, real-world examples, peer-to-peer stories, and moments to pause and reflect. These may seem like small things, but they make a big difference in how someone experiences their own growth.
We’re Not Just Training Workers—We’re Supporting Humans
One of my core beliefs is that learning and development is not just about improving performance. It’s about helping people adapt, build resilience, and feel seen. I’ve had the privilege of working across many teams—Sales, Marketing, Project Management, and Production—and no matter the function, one thing remains true: people want to feel a sense of purpose in their work.
When you design learning that acknowledges people’s lived experiences, their emotions, and their need for connection, you’re creating more than just training. You’re creating trust.
I remember leading a change initiative that required teams to adopt a completely new workflow. Naturally, there was hesitation. It wasn’t that people were resistant to change—they just didn’t feel involved in it. So, we made a shift. We included real user voices in the training content. We created discussion spaces, listened to feedback, and made adjustments in real time. We invited people to co-create. That made all the difference. Participation went up. Morale improved. People didn’t just complete the training—they engaged with it.
Adult Learners Deserve Better
One of the reasons I pursued formal training in adult learning theory and instructional design was because I wanted to move beyond generic “one-size-fits-all” content. Adults bring so much experience, knowledge, and context to every learning interaction. Our job isn’t to “teach them everything.” It’s to create the conditions for them to build on what they already know, connect new ideas to their own goals, and leave with tools they can actually use.
This means respecting their time. It means offering flexibility. It means designing for real-life scenarios instead of idealized ones. And yes, it means ditching the 50-slide PowerPoint presentations in favor of smaller, modular content that supports how people actually learn on the job.
I’ve found that when we take this approach—when we treat learners like partners, not problems—adoption and retention go way up. It’s not magic. It’s respect.
Volunteering Reinforced This for Me
My volunteer work has been a powerful reminder of why human-centered learning matters. At Vita Education Services, I help incarcerated individuals write resumes as part of their job readiness programs. I never meet them face to face. Instead, I ask questions and receive responses through an intermediary. Even without direct contact, I work hard to understand their stories—where they’re coming from, what they’ve been through, and what they hope to achieve.
That process has taught me how much people crave learning that acknowledges their humanity. No one wants to be reduced to a bullet point on a form. They want to be seen. They want to be heard. They want to know they matter.
That’s what human-centered learning is all about.
As I continue my work as an independent instructional designer, I’m more committed than ever to pushing for learning that’s people-first. Not just because it’s effective—but because it’s the right thing to do.
In every project I take on, I try to ask: Is this something I would want to experience if I were in the learner’s shoes? Does this offer support, clarity, and care? If the answer is no, I go back to the drawing board. Because for me, learning is about building bridges—not delivering mandates.
The future of learning is human. And I’m here for it.