The Unforgettable Learning Podcast

To deliver permanent value, learning and development initiatives must move twice as the business.   In this episode of The Unforgettable Learning Podcast, Josh sits down with Charles Donnell, Global Senior Director for Learning Innovation, Experience & Strategy at The Coca-Cola Company, to explore how the brand is rewriting its training playbook for a world in flux.    From tackling change fat...

In this episode of The Unforgettable Learning Podcast, Josh sits down with Nelson James, Creator Marketing and Learning Design Lead at TikTok, to explore the three core principles for creating brilliant learning in the world of big tech: moving fast, iterating constantly, and testing with real audiences.  Nelson reveals how TikTok's learning team has adopted the same design philosophy as their pro...

In the Unforgettable Learning Podcast season one finale, Kate and Josh look back on a remarkable year and a half of conversations with visionaries from L&D and beyond to distill what truly makes learning unforgettable. Drawing on insights from thought leaders like Dr. Serena Gonsalves-Fersch, Kevin Yates, Julie Dirkson, and more, they explore how the learning industry has matured from simply c...

The experience of preparing for your driving theory test can be nerve-wracking.  Imagine how different it would have felt going into that test knowing you were part of a learning community with a 90% first-time pass rate. That feeling has been made a reality with what Lisa Daniels, Account Director at The Stationary Office (TSO), and her team have accomplished as publishers of the UK's official dr...

In this episode, Lisa Daniels from TSO (The Stationery Office) shares insights into how they tackled declining pass rates in the UK's driving theory test - the world's largest computer-based testing program. As the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s official publishing partner, Lisa reveals how TSO has revolutionised the learning experience for aspiring drivers through an innovative elearning p...

In the second part of our conversation with Stella Collins, founder and Chief Learning Officer at Stellar Labs, we dig deeper into the practical application of neuroscience in workplace learning. Stella shares invaluable insights on creating successful learning experiences and measuring their impact on individuals and organisations.  This episode addresses the realities of implementing learning pr...

In this episode of The Unforgettable Learning Podcast, Stella Collins, founder and Chief Learning Officer at Stellar Labs, delves into the fascinating intersection of neuroscience and L&D. Drawing from her bestselling book " Neuroscience for Learning and Development ," Stella unpacks how better understanding our brains can revolutionise workplace learning.  From debunking myths about rote lear...

In part two of our conversation with Serena Gonsalves-Fersch, Global Head of Talent at SoftwareOne, we explore how to keep the human at the heart of learning in an increasingly AI-focused world.   Serena, Josh, and Kate discuss the impact of AI on job roles, the importance of putting both individuals and businesses at the center of learning strategies, and the need for L&D to move beyond conte...

In this thought-provoking episode of The Unforgettable Learning Podcast, Josh and Kate sit down with Dr. Serena Gonsalves Fersch, the recent recipient of the Colin Steed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Learning. Serena shares her groundbreaking approach to L&D, drawing on her knowledge as the Global Head of Talent at Software One and a doctorate holder in the future of corporate L&D ...

In the second part of our conversation with Egle Vinauskaite, Director of Learning Innovation Consultancy at Nodes, we explore how AI might reshape our understanding of skills, job roles, and the very nature of learning in the workplace.  Egle shares her expertise on the most valuable use cases for AI in the workplace, emphasising the shift from content creation to performance support and personal...

The learning tech ecosystem is more complex than ever, leaving many L&D professionals feeling overwhelmed. In this episode of The Unforgettable Learning Podcast, Kate and Josh are joined by Egle Vinauskaite, Director of Learning Innovation Consultancy Nodes, to cut through the noise and provide practical insights on tech adoption and the future of learning technologies.  Egle shares her perspe...

In this thought-provoking episode, Peter Manniche Riber, Head of Digital Learning at Novo Nordisk, joins Josh and Kate to delve into the intricate challenges of measuring impact in learning and development. With a passion for questioning conventional practices and a commitment to data-driven decision-making, Peter shares his insights on the importance of grounding learning initiatives in business...

As organisations grapple with the accelerating pace of change, L&D leaders face a remarkable challenge: building a nimble, data-informed learning culture that can keep skills and capabilities aligned with evolving business needs. In this episode of The Unforgettable Learning Podcast, Lori Niles-Hofmann, co-founder of NilesNolen and renowned learning strategist, provides her analysis of the evo...

The Learning Technologies 2024 Special takes the pulse of the L&D world, reflecting on the massive changes of the past 20 years and looking ahead to the transformations on the horizon.  In this unique episode, Josh and Kate discuss insights recorded on the Learning Technologies exhibition floor, featuring experts such as Julie Dirksen, Tom Kuhlmann, Nigel Paine, and other leading voices across...

This episode flips the script as Josh Cardoz, Chief Creative and Learning Officer at Sponge, joins the podcast to discuss the influences L&D can take from other worlds, in a conversation informed by Kate’s experience at the SXSW tech conference. Drawing on new experiences from XR, open world games, and AI, this conversation sees Josh and Kate explore how these influences can be applied to insp...

JD Dillon brings over 20 years of experience enabling frontline workforces, from his start as a Disney cast member to roles in L&D and authoring “The Modern Learning Ecosystem”. In this wide-ranging discussion, JD shares insights on what sparked his passion for frontline training - tracing it back to the excellent onboarding he received at his first job. He discusses the pivotal role of frontl...

As co-founder and co-CEO of SparkLearn and author of books like "Shock of the New," Chad Udell brings an innovative lens to the potential of emerging technologies to transform workplace learning. Committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible, Chad shares insights from building mobile AR apps and adaptive learning platforms grounded in real business needs.  In this episode, Chad discusses...

As CEO of The Learning Guild, David Kelly offers an unmatched perspective on the current state of play in L&D. He is committed to advancing the industry, running large-scale events like Learning 2023 and DevLearn, and keeping a sharp eye on the emerging themes that will define L&D in 2024.      In this episode, David discusses the value of building community in L&D and the rapid adopti...

Struggling to get employees to actually apply skills learned in training? You’re not alone. So how can learning leaders finally start changing behaviours for good?  In this episode, learning royalty, Julie Dirksen - author, international speaker and facilitator for organisations like the Association for Talent Development and the Learning Guild -explores just this. Sharing insights from her new bo...

In a world of tight budgets and an incredible rate of change, how can L&D leaders take a long-term view of progress? With the best part of two decades of learning design experience, Beth Chudley and Tom Griffiths, Learning Experience Consultants at Sponge, are well versed in supporting global organisations to achieve their lofty learning dreams. They have worked with some of the biggest brands...

David Ward, Regulatory, Ethics and Compliance Director at Tesco, has won awards for compliance training and been a keynote speaker at compliance conferences across Europe in a bid to shift perceptions about what's possible in compliance. A true maverick, listening to David just might change the way you think about mandatory learning forever.  So often the cause of universal groans from employees,...

Known as the L&D Detective, Kevin Yates has dedicated himself to finding the facts, clues, evidence, and data to demonstrate the impact of learning in organisations. But, in this episode, he acknowledges this isn’t easy. It’s a challenge, in part because we need a mindset shift away from prioritising traditional metrics like attendance, utilisation, participation, and consumption, in favour of...

Ever sat down to use something and felt that it has been designed without any thought of the user? Enter Dr Patricia Moore; godmother of universal design, ready to ensure that products are created with the consumer in mind.  One of the most notable American industrial designers in the history of the field, Pattie’s decades long career has changed the shape of design – often in ways that the modern...

Are you setting out to solve the right problem with your learning design? For Ashley Thomas, this is the question we need to be asking ourselves when we find ourselves in the weeds and design gets messy.  On the road to her current role as L&D Programme Manager at Google, Ashley has seen every facet of the worlds of education and L&D. Through studying a Master’s in Higher Education Adminis...

If there’s one thing Ceri Jones knows, it’s what doesn’t work in training.   Throughout her career in cyber security, working alongside several psychologists, she’s discovered that telling people what to do is anything but simple. Behaviour doesn’t always follow knowledge, and nudges in the flow of work can be detrimental to productivity.    It’s a deeply thoughtful and people-first perspective, a...