Designing Training That Sticks: What I’ve Learned in the Field (and Through LXD)

We’ve all sat through training that we forget the next day.

And if I’m being honest, I’ve delivered some of that early in my career too. The problem usually isn’t the learner, it’s the design.

Over time; and more recently through my work in Learning Experience Design (LXD) I’ve started to see training differently. It’s not just about delivering content, it’s about designing experiences that lead to real behavior change.

Here’s the approach I use now, blending what I’ve learned in the field with best practices from LXD:

Start with the outcome, not the content

(Performance-first design)

In LXD, this aligns with designing for observable outcomes.

I always start with:

What should someone be able to do after this?

Not what they should know—what they should apply.

That shift keeps training focused on performance, not just information.

Design with the learner in mind

(Learner-centered design + empathy)

One of the biggest takeaways from LXD is this:

If you don’t understand your learner, your design won’t land.

So I ask:

• What does their day actually look like?

• What pressures are they under?

• What might get in the way of applying this?

This is where empathy becomes a design tool—not just a mindset.

Make it active and meaningful

(Active learning + experiential design)

People don’t learn by watching—they learn by doing.

LXD emphasizes active engagement, which in practice looks like:

• scenario-based learning

• simulations

• decision-making exercises

The goal is to move from passive consumption to active participation.

Reduce cognitive overload

(Cognitive load theory)

This one changed how I design completely.

More content doesn’t mean better learning.

In fact, too much information at once can overwhelm learners and reduce retention.

So now I focus on:

• simplifying content

• breaking information into smaller chunks (microlearning)

• prioritizing what truly matters

Reinforce and measure impact

(Continuous learning + feedback loops)

Learning doesn’t stop when training ends.

LXD encourages designing for the full learning journey, which includes:

• reinforcement moments

• feedback opportunities

• measuring real performance outcomes

Because if we’re not measuring impact, we’re just assuming learning happened.

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One Final thought

What I’ve learned both in practice and through LXD is that good training isn’t about how much you teach.

It’s about how effectively people can take what they learned and use it in their real world.

Because if training doesn’t translate into action, it’s just noise.

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Want to Learn More?

If you’re exploring Learning Experience Design or looking to improve how you design training, here are a few resources that have shaped my thinking:

• Learning Experience Design (LXD) – University of Michigan (Coursera)

  A great foundation for understanding learner-centered design, engagement, and experience-driven learning.

  
  

• Design for How People Learn – Julie Dirksen

  One of the most practical books I’ve come across—especially for bridging theory and real-world application.

  
  

• Nielsen Norman Group (UX + Learning Insights)

  Helpful for understanding user experience principles that also apply to learning design.

  
  

• The Learning Guild

  A great resource for trends, articles, and practical insights in learning and development.

  
  

• Cognitive Load Theory (introductory resources)

  Understanding how people process information is key to designing effective training.

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I’m still learning and evolving in this space, but sharing what I learn along the way has become part of my process too.

Carla