Designing with Love

Want a smarter way to stay current without spinning your wheels? In this episode, Jackie walks through a practical playbook that helps instructional designers and learning leaders filter hype, design for real performance, and ship small wins that scale. It’s a clear path from “interesting idea” to measurable impact, built around five practice trends, a lean trend filter, and a two-week micropilot...

Victoria Pelletier never planned to become a C-suite executive. With childhood dreams of practicing law, her path took an unexpected turn when a temporary banking job led to rapid promotions and a cross-country relocation. That detour became a 30-year journey through corporate leadership, culminating in her current role at the intersection of business transformation and technology at Kindrel. What...

Five new tools are reshaping how we design for real skill: spatial computing, generative AI co‑pilots, learning analytics with xAPI, adaptive learning, and immersive simulations. In this episode, Jackie walks through practical use cases, tiny starter activities, and simple design rules so you can test what works without overbuilding or overspending. The goal is clarity over flash—short experiences...

What if everything we've been taught about teaching dyslexic students to read and write is backward? In this eye-opening second installment of my conversation with Russell, we discover how the dyslexic brain's unique wiring demands a completely different approach to literacy. Russell reveals the science behind his revolutionary method, showing us brain scans where dyslexic students have...

Good design starts with a clear goal and ends with a real-world result. We walk you through a practical, human-centered approach to data-driven instructional design that turns scattered metrics into confident, ethical decisions. From writing a sharp creative brief and instrumenting your learning ecosystem to analyzing patterns and testing targeted fixes, you’ll get a repeatable playbook built to r...

In this bonus episode of the Designing with Love podcast, host Jackie Pelegrin reflects on the accomplishments of Season Three, including the release of 56 episodes, and shares insights on her experiences with PodMatch. She also discusses her plans for Season Four, highlighting her proactive approach to content creation and the importance of time management and project planning in achieving succes...

The fear of AI taking over jobs has dominated headlines, but what if we're missing the opportunity to harness this technology as a powerful ally? In this enlightening conversation, T. Renee Smith reveals how artificial intelligence became her unexpected partner in navigating the challenges of raising a neurodiverse child and eventually led to her book, "She Leads with AI." Whether y...

What if reviews felt collaborative instead of confrontational? In this episode, I walk through a practical, five-pour framework to collect and use feedback from peers, stakeholders, SMEs, QA and accessibility reviewers, and—most importantly—learners, so your projects move faster and land stronger. You’ll get short scripts, simple prompts, and a clear structure to keep conversations focused on outc...

Karen Nix's journey from journalism to instructional design showcases how diverse backgrounds can create exceptional instructional designers. After stumbling into professional development as an administrative assistant, Karen discovered her passion for transforming complex information into engaging educational experiences. Now, working as a Design Strategist and Communications Lead at Orbis E...

Scope creep doesn’t arrive with a siren; it shows up as “just one more” request and quietly doubles your workload. In this episode, I break down a practical, humane way to protect your timeline and still make room for good ideas—so you ship value now and again soon, without burnout. We start by drawing clean edges around the work: a one‑page scope brief, an explicit out‑of‑scope list, and a shared...

Dr. Norina Columbaro brings nearly three decades of instructional design wisdom to this thought-provoking conversation about performance-focused learning. Drawing from her extensive experience across 60+ organizations worldwide, she reveals how the most successful learning initiatives prioritize measurable performance outcomes rather than just creating training materials. Whether you're new t...

Ever wish SME reviews didn’t drag on forever? We map a simple route for turning expert knowledge into learner performance—without meetings that sprawl or feedback that never lands. We’re talking clear roles, crisp outcomes, and a steady cadence that keeps momentum high and stress low. Grab the one-page route card at the end: destination, three must-do tasks, two artifacts, a short cadence, and an...

What happens when a tech industry veteran gets frustrated with complicated video editing software? They build something better. In this captivating conversation, Jeremy shares his journey from early-2000s startups like Sling Media to leadership roles at media giants before launching his AI-powered video editing platform. Whether you're an instructional designer looking to enhance learning mat...

What makes a learning experience stick long after the course ends? We pull back the curtain on the “secret sauce” of Learning Experience Design , also known as LXD, and break it into five essential ingredients—empathy, storytelling, interactivity, accessibility, and feedback—that you can apply right away to elevate any course, workshop, or training program. In this episode, you’ll get practical re...

What happens when passionate curiosity meets unconventional research methods? Dr. Sheldon Greaves reveals the power of "guerrilla scholarship," which is a creative approach to intellectual work that flourishes outside traditional academic walls. For instructional designers, educators, or anyone seeking to pursue intellectual work without institutional backing, this episode provides both...

Most training looks polished yet forgettable; this one shows how to make learning unforgettable by design. This episode breaks down five practical strategies that turn passive content into active skill-building: set laser-clear objectives, transform quizzes into decision practice with rich feedback, build shallow but meaningful branching scenarios, introduce lightweight simulations that let learne...

What if technology could actually give you back 20% of your workday instead of creating more busywork? In this illuminating conversation with Michael Toguchi, we explore how strategic technology solutions are transforming higher education institutions and nonprofits. Whether you're an educator, administrator, or technology professional interested in higher education, this episode provides pra...

Designing truly inclusive learning experiences requires more than good intentions—it demands practical knowledge of accessibility principles that benefit every learner. Whether you're creating content for higher education, corporate training, or digital platforms, accessibility transforms from a technical requirement into a powerful tool for equity when approached with intention and care. We...

What happens when the structures designed to support creativity start to suffocate it instead? Peter Swimm, project management consultant at Toilville, brings a refreshingly honest perspective to this tension that every designer faces. Ready to rethink how structure and creativity can work together in your design practice? Listen now, and then share your thoughts on how you're balancing these...

Ever felt stuck translating learning theories into actual instructional design practice? You're not alone. Learning theories like Behaviorism and Constructivism often remain abstract concepts rather than practical tools—until now. This episode bridges that crucial gap between theory and application, transforming five major learning theories into actionable design strategies you can implement...

Whether you're brand new to the field or just looking for a refresher, today's episode will help you understand what constructivism is, how it's applied in instructional design, and how you can begin to incorporate it into your own practice.  Constructivist Learning Theory transforms how we understand the learning process, positioning learners as active builders of knowledge rather...

Ever feel like your instructional design is missing that special something that makes learning truly stick? The answer might lie in the way you're structuring your content. In this episode, we explore Elaboration Theory—a powerful approach developed by Charles Reigeluth that transforms how we sequence learning experiences. Whether you're designing for a classroom, workplace training, or...

What happens when you're thrown into a college classroom with zero preparation and told, "You start tomorrow"? Dr. Albert Bramante faced exactly this scenario when he unexpectedly became a psychology professor overnight. His remarkable journey from panicked novice to confident educator reveals powerful lessons about authenticity, intuition, and finding your teaching voice. For educa...

Tracy King's journey from accidental instructional designer to learning strategist reveals the transformative power of well-designed training experiences. As founder and CEO of InspirEd, they have built their career on making learning accessible and impactful for everyone—especially those whose needs are often overlooked. One in five learners is neurodivergent, yet traditional training method...

Ever wondered what separates truly effective learning experiences from those that fade from memory as soon as the lesson ends? The answer might lie in applying Merrill's First Principles of Instruction – a powerful framework that transcends delivery methods to focus on how people actually learn. This episode dives deep into Dr. M. David Merrill's five core principles that transform ordin...