A slight misnomer

I confess that whenever I see someone has cited their job title as “Learning Experience Designer” my first reaction is skepticism.

As the joke goes, a data scientist is a statistician who lives in San Francisco. So too at times, it seems a learning experience designer is an instructional designer who lives in Sydney.

Aggrandising one’s title is hardly new, so I’ve been pondering why this title bothers me so much. And I think I’ve cracked it.

According to yours truly, a true learning experience designer applies User Experience (UX) design methodology to their role. Sure, instructional design and solution development remain critical skills, but arguably more important is ensuring the solution meets the needs of the learner in the first place. This is where user-centered approaches such as design thinking come into play.

Thus the term “Learning Experience Designer” is a slight misnomer. Yes, such a person designs learning experiences; but the point is that by looking through the lens of UX, they position the learner as the user.

Hence I propose the term “Learner Experience Designer” as a pedantic yet meaningful adjustment that better represents the nature of the role.

How to become an eLearning Professional

That’s the title of a free e-book to which I was flattered to be invited to contribute a chapter.

The book is introduced by the editor, Christopher Pappas, as such:

This is not your average looking, cliché reproducing, metaphysical, theory-loving free eLearning eBook. Do not expect to read any speculations, rhetorical questions, and abstractions related to eLearning. This is merely a powerful weapon in the hands of those who are truly interested in becoming the field’s Top eLearning Professionals. Make no mistake however. It’s addressed only to those with a passion for eLearning, eagerness to evolve, desperate to reach their potential, hungry for uniqueness, and ambitious enough people that want to make a difference in someone else’s life.

The free “How to Become an eLearning Professional” eBook is filled with the knowledge, wisdom, experience and inspiration of carefully selected eLearning professionals, with long-standing, successful eLearning careers, innovative projects up their sleeves, impressive eLearning portfolios and even more impressive CVs. All of them create a highly influential eLearning team of experts, but each one has his or her own distinctive path, skills and know-how, leading to the creation of a multidimensional, and highly helpful for those who want to advance their eLearning careers, professional mosaic.

This can only mean one thing. What you are about to read is not some generic eLearning advice you could easily find in any “eLearning for Dummies” manual. This free eLearning eBook contains hot eLearning tips, secret concepts, specific steps and insider information that will help you become a top-notch eLearning professional.

No pressure then!

But in all seriousness, I stand by the advice that I offer in the book, and I appreciate the insights shared by my eminent peers.

I recommend How to become an eLearning Professional for newbies and veterans alike.

What exactly does an E-Learning Manager do?

I read somewhere once that the best employees don’t take any notice of their job descriptions. In other words, they work out what needs to be done and they get on and do it.

This notion resonated with me when a fellow learning professional asked me what I do in my capacity as an E-Learning Manager.

The thing is, the role of “E-Learning Manager” (ELM) is a grey one. Like “Product Manager” or “Business Analyst”, the nuts & bolts of what you do can vary widely from organisation to organisation – from the code monkey who really should be a software engineer, to the strategic consultant who really should be a politician, to everything and anything in between.

Even within the one role at the one workplace, the breadth of what an ELM might do can be staggering. For example, these are some of the activities that I might do on any given day:

• Client consulting
• Training needs analysis
• Content curation
• Content mapping
• Content sourcing
• Content development
• Content editing
• Instructional design
• Graphic design
• Multimedia production
• Courseware development
• Courseware testing
• LMS administration
• Webinar administration
• Discussion moderation
• Community management
• IT helpdesk
• Training and coaching
• Vendor management
• Sales liaison
• Reporting
• Data analysis
• Evaluation
• Internal marketing
• Intranet publishing
• External research
• Expert advice
• Strategic planning
• Irrelevant stuff that is other people’s jobs.

And I’m sure there’s plenty I’ve missed!

Of course, I don’t do all of this all the time. Ideally I will prioritise; but the reality of business is that the prevailing circumstances will dictate my priorities for me.

How does this stack up with what other e-learning pro’s do?

Are there any budding ELM’s out there who have different expectations of the role?