Today Editor Jo Cook is at the Evidence Informed Practice Conference, created and hosted by Tom McDowall, focusing on all things instructional design. Follow this post for nuggets throughout the day. Tom asks us to look out for what confirms what we do, but also challenges us and that triggers us to think "I need to know more about that". Tom is also keen on us thinking about reflection, with posters and post it notes at the venue, as well as space in our magazine, with lots of key points shared. Tom highlights that if we don't change what we do, and striving to move forwards, there's no point in our day. TJ is right behind you Tom! #EIPC2026
A lot of the conversation today has been about citing resources, which can help with curiosity, as well as being able to refute or debunk as appropriate. I'm very grateful that a lot of the articles I get at TJ have references to quality material. But not all of it does. Sometimes that means I'm looking things up, at it's just quicker, but other times it's going back to authors and asking them to justify their position. So what? Every presentation, article, training or social conversation should have an element of "where's your evidence?", and actually have a hyperlink to something that's useful. #eipc2026
Matthew has talked about self determination theory at #eipc2026, which Clark Quinn also wrote about for TJ: https://www.trainingjournal.com/2024/content-type/features/from-hook-to-landing-mastering-learning-experience-design-for-lasting-impact/
Matthew shares the Sweller et al 2010, 2019) definition of learning as "a durable change in long term memory". But adds that we still need to be able to recall and retrieve that information to be able to do something. An interesting conversation at #eipc2026 already has been how few people in L&D are interested in how people learn, along with wanting to understand all of this in more detail and wanting to keep up to date with research and changes. In other words, geeking out about learning!
There are some instances where deliberate practice works well, and where it doesn't. Mechanisms include: * trainer-led workshops, including peer and/or exist feedback * self-directed, such as video prompts and AI tools for practice and feedback * in the flow of work, could be with managers, mentors, communities of practice, check lists #eipc2026
A great conversation I've had with a few people at #eipc2026 is about how we can 'horizon scan', take varied and disparate information, and bring it back to bring meaningful and relevant to our work in organisations, and to ourselves too. I wrote about synthesis for the CLO100 Limited Lens digital magazine. I have found that in my Editor role, being 'forced' to attend, report on, read/watch/listen, analyse, edit and write things that I wouldn't naturally... It broadens my knowledge, experience and what I can bring together to problem solve. Is this something all people need, or all L&D people need, or only for senior people? https://media.clo100.co.uk/clo-lens-august24/full-view.html?p=30
The last #eipc2026 session of the day is a panel discussing the realities of evidence informed practice. Margot Sprenkels highlights her experience that clients just jump in and don't know what they don't know". Elena Marie Ivanushkina backs up this point, saying that clients often have a sense of urgency, that people are shouting at them so it just has to be done. Lastly Paula Hughes shares the pain a lot of us have about some academic institutions are still teaching outmoded models and therefore there's a lack of evidence in practice.
The importance of performance consulting in our L&D practice shouldn't be undermined. Sukhvinder Pabial shared at #eipc2026 that this it's an evidence informed practice. Clarifying the need and diagnosing the cause need evidence and data. Understanding and focusing on those two steps then means we can co-create solutions that are tailored to the context. And that doesn't always mean training, but L&D can, and should, still be involved.
In terms of instructional design, Kurt Ewald Lindley highlights that some interventions are made for tourists to pass through casually, whilst expert design is for explorers: those that study, act, adjust and reflect. #epic2026
Matthew Richter is exploring evidence informed practice with us, highlighting that people's intrinsic motivation is their own, but as managers, in L&D, HR etc, we often control the side, v system or context. Therefore we can kill the motivation. #eipc2026
Deliberate practice is the topic from Laura Watkin. I love this phrase being shared, that "practice makes permanent', rather than the more often said "practice makes perfect". We can learn and repeat something that is in no way perfect, but becomes our everyday actions. Laura goes on to reference Ericsson, saying that we don't want just repetition, but "purposeful feedback driven repetition". #Eipc2026