🎆July 2026 Newsletter
Hello, Designing with Love listeners and readers! 🩷
Welcome back to our monthly roundup! This past month has been an exciting one, filled with deep dives into the evolving world of AI in instructional design, strategies for impactful presentations, and the art of crafting engaging writing. We’ve explored practical plans for becoming AI-ready, learned how to make our talks truly move people, and discussed how to measure the real impact of AI on our L&D teams. Plus, we’ve touched on the crucial aspects of writing instruction and the ethical considerations of AI in content creation. Get ready for a recap of all the valuable insights and conversations we’ve shared!
🎙️Episodes
Your 90-Day AI-Ready Plan: Skills, Systems, and Proof
In this pivotal episode, we wrap up our AI-Ready Designer Series with a clear, actionable 90-day plan designed to transform your AI experimentation into a repeatable and defensible practice. Jackie guides listeners through a mindset shift, emphasizing that true AI readiness is about integrating these tools into every facet of instructional design, from problem analysis to impact measurement. The episode highlights common traps such as random skill-building and tool adoption, offering a structured approach with three core components: Skills, Systems, and Proof. This roadmap is perfect for anyone feeling scattered about their AI learning and seeking a more intentional path forward. You can find more details and resources via the episode page.
Magnetic Talks That Move People With Dr. Danny Brassell
Prepare to elevate your presentation skills with this insightful conversation with Dr. Danny Brassell. This episode focuses on crafting talks that don’t just earn applause but inspire action. Dr. Brassell introduces his “Five Cs” framework—Clarity, Connect, Content, Call to Action, and Close—providing a structured approach to designing every moment of your presentation with intention. You’ll learn how to build trust quickly, understand the power of a single, clear ask, and leverage visual elements to make your message memorable. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to make their words translate into real-world outcomes. Explore more on the episode page.
Measuring AI’s Impact on the L&D Team
This episode tackles a critical question for many L&D professionals: how do we truly measure the impact of AI in our work? Jackie moves beyond superficial metrics to discuss how to prove AI’s value credibly. The conversation highlights common pitfalls in AI measurement, such as vanity metrics and overclaiming time savings, and introduces a straightforward AI impact snapshot across five practical areas: time, quality, rework, consistency, and team confidence. If you’re looking for practical AI governance, better QA, and clearer proof of value for your L&D team, this episode offers actionable insights. Dive deeper at the episode page.
Writing That Sticks: Using ARCS With Ruth Douthitt
Join us as we explore the ARCS model—Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction—with award-winning author and curriculum developer Ruth A. Douthit. This episode is dedicated to designing writing assignments that keep students engaged and produce higher-quality work, whether in live or online courses. Ruth shares practical strategies for hooking learners, making content relevant, building confidence, and ensuring satisfaction. You’ll learn why “busy work” can be counterproductive and how to design assignments that feel purposeful from start to finish. For a full rundown and resources, visit the episode page.
📄Posts
Creating with AI: Balancing Technology and Human Creativity in Writing With Michael Leggs
In this insightful blog post, we delve into the crucial balance between leveraging AI and nurturing human creativity in writing, featuring insights from Michael Leggs. Michael introduces his tool, Smartleby, which acts as a revision tutor rather than a content generator, encouraging students to engage critically with their work. The post emphasizes the importance of maintaining a student’s unique voice and developing critical thinking skills in an era of advanced AI. It also touches upon how the changing digital landscape necessitates a strong foundation in information literacy for today’s students. Read the full post at this link.
How to Move Beyond Content in Learning Design: Insights from Nicole Weber
This post explores how to create learning experiences that resonate deeply by moving beyond just content, featuring the valuable perspectives of Nicole Weber. Nicole highlights the significance of inclusion, cultural responsiveness, and trauma-informed practices in learning design. The article discusses the power of empathy mapping to understand learner contexts and emphasizes that meaningful learning is fostered through relationships, curiosity, and productive struggle. It’s a compelling read for anyone seeking to design more connected and relevant learning solutions. Discover more in the full article.
The Evolution of AI and Its Ethical Implications in Content Creation With Dr. Dwayne Wood
Dr. Dwayne Wood shares his expertise on the rapid evolution of AI in content creation and the ethical considerations that come with it. This post discusses how AI has transformed academic material generation, moving from basic chatbots to sophisticated multimodal tools. It underscores the importance of accuracy, privacy, intellectual property, and accountability when using AI. Dr. Wood also touches on the potential for bias in AI outputs, urging educators to be vigilant. You can read the complete analysis at this link.
Embracing AI in Instructional Design: A Guide to Innovative Learning Strategies With Dr. Dwayne Wood
In this informative blog post, Dr. Dwayne Wood provides a guide to embracing AI in instructional design for innovative learning strategies. He emphasizes that AI is a powerful complement to human expertise, streamlining processes like brainstorming and content development. The post highlights AI’s ability to facilitate rapid prototyping, allowing designers to explore multiple options efficiently and enhance creativity. It also discusses AI’s value in the analysis phase, helping to identify patterns in data for more tailored instruction. Learn more about integrating AI effectively at this link.
😊Reviews
We’re always thrilled to hear from you, our Designing with Love community! While we didn’t receive any new reviews this past month, we want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for every listener and reader who takes the time to share their thoughts. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us shape the content and improve the show. If you’ve enjoyed any of our recent episodes or blog posts, please consider leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. It truly makes a difference in helping others discover Designing with Love.
Thank you for tuning in to Designing with Love this past month. We hope you found these episodes and blog posts insightful and actionable. We encourage you to revisit any episodes you may have missed and dive into our latest blog content for more in-depth discussions on instructional design, e-learning, and AI. Your engagement fuels our passion, and we can’t wait to share what we have in store for you next month! 🩷