I'M KATIE

I like learning, designing things, and helping people. Together, we can make the world a better place. ✨

Katie, smiling at the camera in a green dress in front of green foliage.

Learning can inspire growth, spark creativity, and develop empathy.

I intentionally craft learning experiences that do this by staying curious, empathizing with the learner, and making learning relevant.

Want to know the process?

Read On

DESIGNING LEARNING FOR REAL PEOPLE:
THE PROCESS

Start with the problems you're seeing (why you think you need a learning experience). Think of this like the leaves on a tree.

Then ask, "why do these problems exist"?

Eventually, you get to the core problem from which other problems stem. Think of this as the trunk of a tree.

Then ask, "why does this problem exist"?

Ask "why" a few more times. You begin to understand the root causes of the problem. Think of this as the roots of a tree.

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Once you understand the problem, you can start to design the solution.

Replace your problem statement with the solution. (You might find that it doesn't involve training!)
What will the results of that solution be? (Hint: replace "assessments" with this question.)
What root causes need to change in order to achieve your solution?

After that it's time to develop your solution. Manage cognitive load by chunking and scaffolding information, based on what the learner already knows and can do. Centering the learner makes learning relevant and effective.

A person is easily picking an apple off of a tree.

It shouldn't be too easy. That's boring.

A person is trying to pick an apple off of a tree but can't because they can't reach.

It shouldn't be too hard. That's frustrating.

A person is picking an apple off of a tree with the help of two blocks to stand on.

It should be what the learner can do with help.

That's where learning takes place.

After implementing the solution, evaluate effectiveness by asking:

How did learners feel about the training?
What did learners learn?
Can the learners do what they need to do?
What was the impact on the company, organization, or community?

Think of evaluation like checking the health of a tree. You don’t just look at the leaves—you examine the trunk, the roots, and the surrounding soil.

Identify a baseline—what do people know or do before the training? This helps you measure real growth.
Use a control group (those who don’t receive the training) to isolate the effects of your solution. Otherwise, changes in the “soil” (like new policies or systems) might be what’s driving results—not the training.
Focus on outcomes, not just completion rates or quiz scores. Did behavior change? Did performance improve? Did the solution address the root causes?