Devlin Peck

I'm still amazed how often “interactive and engaging” just means “build it in Articulate Storyline.” It’s a slide tool with triggers. Accessibility takes workarounds, updates are clunky, and suddenly we’ve spent weeks producing something that’s hard to revise and easy to outgrow.

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Strong instructional design starts with clarity — not just in content, but in structure. Before authoring tools come into play, visual mockups help bring the learning journey into focus. It's possible to apply core design principles early: sequencing, cognitive load, flow, and alignment with outcomes. This step-by-step carousel shows how a simple visual plan can lead to smoother collaboration, faster approvals, and better results. A win for all involved! Clear beginnings = smoother, faster results. 👇 Curious how others approach the early stages of a course — visual planning or straight into development? #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #Elearning #Canva #CourseDesign #LXD #IDCommunity #ContentCreation

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AI isn’t replacing instructional designers—it’s expanding what we’re capable of. Over the past few months, I’ve been hosting workshops to help real IDs to bring their AI projects to life. And these aren’t surface-level demos.... We dive into real use cases, engineer effective prompts, and sometimes even write JavaScript to power the experience. I just published a new video that showcases four of the most impressive AI-powered projects to come out of these workshops. In it, you'll see: 1. A Storyline roleplay that simulates group facilitation with six unique AI-powered personas 2. A custom-coded web object that teaches people to read bearing rate graphs (built without writing code) 3. A GPT designed to help teachers reframe their experience for ID interviews 4. A de-escalation scenario with an AI character and a coaching assistant that gives personalized feedback After each demo, the creator joins me to break down their process, lessons learned, and advice for others who want to start building with AI—even if they’re not developers. If you're curious about what AI makes possible in learning design, this video will give you a glimpse into the future—and the people already building it. You can check out the video with the link in the comments. And let me know which project stands out to you. 😄 #LinkedInWithDevlin #InstructionalDesign #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment #eLearning

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🎯 New Intellum Evolve Tutorial – Timed Interactions That Reflect Real Life Timers often get a bad name in eLearning — and fair enough, when they’re used poorly. But in the right context, a timer can help replicate how decisions are made in real life. In Arck Learning's latest tutorial, I show you how to build a stylised countdown timer in Evolve, ideal for simulating high-pressure decisions in areas like emergency response, finance, and customer service. The timer is: ✅ Fully responsive ✅ Logic-based ✅ Can be set up with an optional opt-out using simple logic 📽️ Sneak peek below. To watch the full tutorial, head to the latest blog post on our website or find it on the Arck Learning YouTube channel. 💬 Want a copy of the working course file with all the logic and theming in place? Drop me a DM and I’ll send it over. #elearning #learningdesign #instructionaldesign #digitallearning #leadershipdevelopment

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I just wrapped up an instructional design and eLearning workshop for a wonderful team with the State of Nebraska...and let me tell you: Instructional design is not dead. But you wouldn’t know that from LinkedIn. Scroll your feed for 30 seconds and you’ll start to wonder: Is it all AI now? Do we all work in the metaverse? Have we been replaced by prompt engineers with cool job titles like Human-Machine Learning Strategist? And one I hear a lot: “Is it even still possible to get into instructional design anymore?” That question perfectly sums up the problem between what we see and hear online and what’s actually happening in the industry. Because out here in the real world: - Most learners aren’t sitting behind a computer all day. - Many orgs are turning back to in-person instructor-led training. - And some teams still need formal approval to even mention AI. This week, I facilitated my workshop with zero WiFi...but that didn't stop us. We built real, practical solutions for real people doing real work. (No chatbots. No digital assistants.) And here’s what frustrates me: A lot of the loudest voices shaping the narrative about L&D have never actually worked in L&D. They’ve never had to build a solution with a skeptical SME, a tiny budget, and a learner audience that doesn’t sit behind a computer all day. And yet they’re the ones telling you what’s next for the industry. The truth? Most L&D teams aren’t building futuristic AI learning ecosystems. They’re solving business problems. They’re delivering solid training. They’re doing the same critical work they’ve been doing for years...and will keep doing for years to come. Instructional design isn’t going anywhere. It just doesn’t always trend on LinkedIn. Have a great rest of your week, ya'll! -Tim #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment

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Here’s how I estimate time for an eLearning development project. I wrote recently that a typical instructional design and development eLearning project in a tool like Storyline is usually 10 to 12 weeks for us. https://lnkd.in/erT_92mt That’s my starting calendar for a project plan, but the actual time needed (and therefore the weeks) can vary wildly. Some projects we’re doing in mere days. Some we’re working on for multiple months. So, this is a little deeper dive into how I approach that estimating. The four main factors I consider when quoting a project are: 1️⃣ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. Has the front-end analysis work been done? Does the content already exist? How complete and stable is it? Does it provide actionable steps for the learner? 2️⃣ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐲 is driven by the learning objective and relates to what the end product might be. Has it already been designed and we are simply production or are we performing the whole project? What level is needed and how much effort will it take to build? 3️⃣ 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 relates to how my team will need to work the project in order to meet the request. Is it a typical timeline or a rush? Is there an available SME to answer questions and how responsive will this person be? 4️⃣ 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 comes from our PM tool. As I scope, I try to find similarities with previous work. Then, I run reports on those past projects and see how much time we spent. My team and I will take those numbers and debate it, such as this project went well because we had a great SME or that one went off the rails because the content kept changing. All of this helps us hone in on what the new project might be like. Try to build in some contingency. I’ll also sometimes take our own historical time spent and cross-reference it with data from the L&D industry. My three favorites to reference are: Bryan Chapman, How Long Does it Take to Create Learning? Despite this PowerPoint being 15 years old, the time estimates are still really strong. https://lnkd.in/eTbC-KgU Robyn A. D., How Long Does It Take to Develop Training? New Question, New Answers. I don’t agree with the numbers in this 2020 ATD survey quite as much, and they used a variety of course lengths, but still good info. https://lnkd.in/ef8gVSeQ Christy Tucker, Time Estimates for eLearning Development. This 2019 post walks through Christy's thought process for estimating hours on a big project. https://lnkd.in/ex6_ykQ7 I hope this info is helpful to you. My biggest advice is to track your time spent and build formulas based on that and industry resources like the links I’ve included. What other steps do you take when estimating an eLearning project?

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Did you know you can Vibe Code for Articulate Storyline as well? Create custom games and interactions with AI that work perfectly inside of your eLearning course? I have talked a lot about getting something you #VibeCoded into the #Rise code block but had someone ask about how to use the code inside of #Storyline so wanted to create a video walking you through how to take something from Claude #AI and use it as a fully functional page inside of Storyline. There are a couple of extra steps to do but I do hope that Storyline implements something like the Rise code block in the future where you can just copy and paste in the code or just import a zip. This however opens up a lot of possibilities still within Storyline, being able to create customizable interactions without complex triggers or logic. I took the game I vibe coded last week and got it fully functioning inside of Storyline. Full video here: https://lnkd.in/gQJt-hEX

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Twine is my favorite tool for creating branching scenarios. It's the fastest way for me to plan the branching structure and write the content without the tool getting in the way. While I've been using Twine for basic prototypes for years, I've also been working on ways to improve the visual design. One easy approach to a more polished design is using an image background. In Twine, you can add that background in two ways: with macros or CSS. My blog post includes code to copy and paste into your own Twine projects to make it simple for you. https://lnkd.in/e-PMRB_w

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Why would a non-blind, non-technical instructional designer or course creator be interested in learning how to use a screen reader? Aren't those just for visually impaired people and accessibility auditing teams? not quite. Think of a screen reader as a secret weapon in your ID toolkit. or, if you're a nerd like me, in your superhero toolbelt. Understanding how to use a screen reader helps you design your content in a way that is more thoughtful, more inclusive, and more compliant. - You can test your own content designs to make sure they work for everyone. - You gain empathy and insight into how people use their screen readers, meaning you can adjust your designs so they actually make sense. - you'll be able to create more compliant courses from the start, meaning you'll be able to proactively design accessible content that is also beautiful, rather than spending hours making beautiful content that you later have to remediate. - you'll have a skill that most other IDs don't have. At a time when the ADA Title 2, European Accessibility Act, Section 508, and similar laws are starting to really come into force, your ability to test with a screen reader and build compliant courses will be competitive advantages for you personally. Batman's toolbelt is filled with everything he could possibly need for any situation. it's what makes him one of the most formidable superheroes, even though he doesn't technically have any superpowers. If you want to be a formidable instructional designer, then you'll want to add practical, hands-on screen reader experience to your toolbelt. That's where Dr. Nicole L'Etoile, CPACC and I come in. We're teaming up to teach you how to use NVDA, a popular free screen reader, so you can improve your skill as an ID or course creator, increase your competitive advantage, and save the day*. Our upcoming, three-day workshop is open for registration. Visit the link in the comments to sign up. Oh, and be sure to check the registration page for how to receive a 10% discount. #A11y #NVDA #InstructionalDesign * Actual results may vary. Day saving isn't guaranteed.

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Hey Learning Designers! A week ago, I had the opportunity to share what I’ve been learning about instructional storytelling with the Learning Jam Club. 👽 We talked about how good storytelling is powerful for both ILT and eLearning. The approach is the same—but the execution looks a little different. 👉 In this 360° Coffee Shop sample, you’ll see a setup for a story in action. Can you spot it? To help you apply storytelling to ILT and eLearning, I put together a Free 1-pager Storytelling Handout with: - My favorite simple definition of a good story - The 4 essentials of instructional storytelling - 4 AI tools you can use to build stories faster 📩 Comment → “Storytelling” below and I’ll send it over! When it comes to building a standout ID portfolio, Storytelling is one feature. Others include: 1️⃣ Niche skillset (Immersive learning + AI, or your unique edge) 2️⃣ Design thinking (show your process with wireframes, storyboards, mockups, prototypes) 3️⃣ Personality (topics you care about + your authentic voice) ✨ If you’d like to explore how to bring all these features together in The 12-Hour Shortcut, you can book a call here to learn more → https://lnkd.in/ejjCiTAU

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🎓 Design smarter, not harder. Whether you're creating onboarding materials, instructional modules, or corporate eLearning, Mayer’s 12 Principles for Multimedia Learning are essential for crafting experiences that stick. 📚 I created this infographic as a quick visual reference to guide instructional designers, L&D professionals, and educators in making design decisions that actually enhance learning. ✅ From multimedia and modality to personalization and segmenting, these principles are backed by cognitive research and help ensure content is accessible, engaging, and effective. 🧠 My favorite principle? Segmenting — breaking content into digestible chunks that let learners control the pace. It’s a small shift that can make a huge impact. 💬 Which principle do you use the most in your own design work? 👇 Check out the full infographic below and feel free to share it with your teams or save it for your next learning project. #InstructionalDesign #Elearning #MayerPrinciples #LearningAndDevelopment #LXD #TrainingDesign #AdultLearning #Infographic #LearningScience #EdTech

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