How To Posts

Step-by-step, actionable posts designed to help you apply a skill or solve a specific problem quickly.
Measure What Matters, Then Make It Human with David Sanchez
March 29, 2026

Measure What Matters, Then Make It Human with David Sanchez

In episode 102 of the Designing with Love podcast, Jackie sits down with David Sanchez, a former ER nurse turned entrepreneur. David shares his unique journey from the emergency room to founding Digitalis Medical and Miracle Recovery, blending clini…
From Haiti to Edge AI: Building Privacy-First Learning Tools with Sebastien Fenelon
Feb. 8, 2026

From Haiti to Edge AI: Building Privacy-First Learning Tools with Sebastien Fenelon

Education changes when resilience meets practical technology, and that is the thread running through this conversation with founder and technologist Sebastien Fenelon. He grew up in Haiti, where electricity and internet access were scarce, yet carve…
Beyond The Basics: A Practical Blueprint for Microlearning
Feb. 4, 2026

Beyond The Basics: A Practical Blueprint for Microlearning

Microlearning works best when it is small on purpose and built for a single job moment, not a shrunken course. The heart of the approach is clarity: define one moment where a performer needs help, name one move they should make next, and choose one …
Alpha Minds, Real Tools with Queen Michele
Feb. 1, 2026

Alpha Minds, Real Tools with Queen Michele

The conversation with Queen Michele begins with a simple truth many educators feel but rarely name: survival can quietly replace purpose. She describes retiring after 27 years in classrooms and admin, then facing a pension that covered rent but not …
Gamification Strategies to Improve Learner Engagement
Jan. 28, 2026

Gamification Strategies to Improve Learner Engagement

Many teams rush to add points and badges to their training, only to discover that nothing important changes. The reason is simple: mechanics cannot save muddled outcomes. To design gamified learning that actually works, start with a sharp performanc…
People First, Tools Second with James Gilchrist
Jan. 25, 2026

People First, Tools Second with James Gilchrist

Compassionate, human-centered learning design sounds soft until you see what it does to performance. When projects stall, it is rarely because the storyboard was weak or the platform missed a feature; it is because the learning was dropped into an e…
Mobile Learning Design: How to Create Courses for Any Device
Jan. 21, 2026

Mobile Learning Design: How to Create Courses for Any Device

Mobile learning succeeds when content meets the realities of time, attention, and context. The core shift is designing for mobile moments rather than shrinking desktop modules. These are the brief windows in a day—on a bus, in a hallway, betwe…
Rediscovering Creativity: A Conversation with Patrick Williams
Jan. 18, 2026

Rediscovering Creativity: A Conversation with Patrick Williams

In a world increasingly dominated by technology and rigid systems, many of us feel disconnected from our innate creative abilities. The latest episode of the Designing with Love podcast features creativity expert Patrick Williams, who shares profoun…
Stay Ahead: The Learning Designer’s Playbook
Jan. 14, 2026

Stay Ahead: The Learning Designer’s Playbook

Staying current in learning and development without burning out is a real challenge. The pace of tools, frameworks, and workplace change is relentless, yet the demand for measurable results only grows. This episode focuses on a practical playbook th…
The Unstoppable Leader: Victoria Pelletier's Journey Through Corporate Transformation
Jan. 11, 2026

The Unstoppable Leader: Victoria Pelletier's Journey Through Corporate Transformation

The intersection of leadership, technology, and personal growth has never been more critical than in today's rapidly evolving corporate landscape. Victoria Pelletier, a C-suite executive, board director, bestselling author, and professional speaker,…
Top Emerging Technologies Shaping Instructional Design
Jan. 7, 2026

Top Emerging Technologies Shaping Instructional Design

Emerging technology promises a faster, safer path to real skill, but only when we pair it with clear outcomes, tiny pilots, and simple metrics. In this episode, we explored five areas shaping modern learning design: spatial computing, generative AI …
Rewiring Dyslexic Brains: The Writing-First Approach with Russell Van Brocklen
Jan. 4, 2026

Rewiring Dyslexic Brains: The Writing-First Approach with Russell Van Brocklen

In a fascinating continuation of the Designing with Love podcast series on dyslexia, host Jackie Pelegrin welcomed back Russell Van Brocklen, a New York State Senate-funded dyslexia researcher, to delve deeper into practical strategies for helping y…
How to Use Data to Improve Instructional Design
Dec. 31, 2025

How to Use Data to Improve Instructional Design

Data-driven design gets thrown around a lot, yet many teams still chase vanity metrics or implement sweeping redesigns that create risk without results. The heart of effective instructional design is clarity: define what success looks like in learne…
Reflecting on Growth: Highlights from the Designing with Love Podcast and What’s Next for 2026
Dec. 28, 2025

Reflecting on Growth: Highlights from the Designing with Love Podcast and What’s Next for 2026

As we close out another year, it’s essential to reflect on our achievements and set our sights on the future. In this special bonus episode of the Designing with Love podcast, host Jackie Pelegrin takes us through an insightful overview of 202…
Embracing AI as Your Creative Partner with T. Renee Smith
Dec. 28, 2025

Embracing AI as Your Creative Partner with T. Renee Smith

In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, many professionals find themselves at a crossroads—embrace this new technology or resist it out of fear or ethical concerns. In episode 76 of the Designing with Love podcast, host Jack…
Feedback Without Fear
Dec. 24, 2025

Feedback Without Fear

Great learning products rarely come from a lone genius; they come from steady loops of clear, respectful feedback that aim at outcomes. When we treat reviews as collaboration instead of confrontation, teams move faster and learners benefit sooner. T…
Scope Creep Survival Guide
Dec. 17, 2025

Scope Creep Survival Guide

Projects rarely fail all at once; they slip one small “yes” at a time. That pattern is the heart of scope creep—expanded requirements that outgrow the original plan and drain time, budget, and focus. For instructional designers, it…
Performance Beyond Training with Dr. Norina Columbaro
Dec. 14, 2025

Performance Beyond Training with Dr. Norina Columbaro

The recent episode of the Designing with Love podcast featuring Dr. Norina Columbaro offers a compelling exploration of modern instructional design practices that focus on performance rather than just creating training materials. As an instructional…
The SME Connection: Your Roadmap to Success
Dec. 10, 2025

The SME Connection: Your Roadmap to Success

Strong learning starts with strong partnerships, and the most important partnership in corporate training is the one between instructional designers and subject matter experts. When that relationship is grounded in clarity, respect, and a shared des…
The Art of AI-Powered Video Storytelling with Jeremy Toeman
Dec. 7, 2025

The Art of AI-Powered Video Storytelling with Jeremy Toeman

In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital content creation, AI-powered video tools are revolutionizing how we tell stories, market products, and educate audiences. I recently had the privilege of speaking with Jeremy Toeman, founder and CEO of Au…
The Secret Sauce of Learning Experience Design
Dec. 3, 2025

The Secret Sauce of Learning Experience Design

Learning experience design often gets framed as a matter of software choices, templates, and timelines, but the work that truly moves learners' lives at a deeper level. The through-line of effective design is not a tool—it’s a point of v…
Guerrilla Scholarship: Breaking Academic Boundaries with Dr. Sheldon Greaves
Nov. 30, 2025

Guerrilla Scholarship: Breaking Academic Boundaries with Dr. Sheldon Greaves

In a captivating episode of the Designing with Love podcast, host Jackie Pelegrin welcomed Dr. Sheldon Greaves, an author and educator with a fascinating background. What unfolded was an illuminating conversation about unconventional approaches to l…
Click, Swipe, Learn: Crafting Interactive Content That Works
Nov. 26, 2025

Click, Swipe, Learn: Crafting Interactive Content That Works

Great learning design starts with intent, not with widgets. Before adding a single hotspot or video, define what learners should be able to do. Clear, measurable objectives anchor every interactive element to a purpose that matters on the job. Use a…
Tech That Works For You, Not Against You with Michael Toguchi
Nov. 23, 2025

Tech That Works For You, Not Against You with Michael Toguchi

In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, technology plays a pivotal role in determining institutional success. The recent episode of the Designing with Love podcast featuring Michael Toguchi, Chief Strategy Officer at Orchestrate, del…