In Episode 7 of the Product Design for Learning Podcast, host Greg Arthur welcomes David James, Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning and host of The Learning and Development Podcast. The episode dives deep into the concept of "Leadership in Learning," exploring how L&D professionals can move beyond process-driven approaches to become strategic partners driving real impact within organizations. David shares insights on redefining leadership in L&D, addressing skills gaps, and combating the "conspiracy of convenience" that undermines the function's potential.

David James is a seasoned L&D leader with over 25 years of experience. As Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, he focuses on enabling organizations to close skills gaps effectively. He also hosts the popular Learning and Development Podcast, where he engages with thought leaders to challenge conventional approaches and inspire transformation in the industry.

• Leadership in Learning: True leadership in L&D requires recognizing the limitations of the status quo and driving change toward impactful practices that align with organizational goals.
• "Conspiracy of Convenience": The entrenched status quo often leads to ineffective learning programs. Breaking this cycle requires L&D leaders to challenge stakeholders and push for meaningful change.
• Purpose-Driven L&D: Defining a clear purpose and aligning strategies with organizational priorities is essential for building credibility and achieving results.
• Earning Credibility: Unlike other C-suite roles, L&D leaders must actively prove their worth through measurable impact, moving beyond popularity metrics.
• Future of L&D: The shift toward skills-based learning and internal mobility highlights the importance of proactive, strategic L&D leadership to address evolving workplace demands.

What does "leadership in learning" mean to you?

David emphasizes that leadership in L&D is about moving beyond the expected and requested roles to set a vision that inspires stakeholders. It involves recognizing where the organization is, knowing what needs to be done, and taking strategic actions to benefit employees, teams, and the company.

What are common barriers to implementing impactful L&D strategies?

David introduces the concept of the "conspiracy of convenience," where stakeholders cling to ineffective models like traditional training because they’re easy to understand and implement. Breaking this pattern requires courage, analysis, and a willingness to challenge the norm.

Why is L&D often seen as a "popular but not credible" function?

David explains that many L&D functions focus on popularity metrics—like attendance and satisfaction surveys—that don’t demonstrate true impact. To earn credibility, L&D must focus on measurable outcomes such as skills development and business results.

What differentiates successful L&D leaders?

Successful leaders redefine their role by building partnerships, focusing on skills development, and aligning their strategies with organizational goals. Persistence, strategic consulting, and influencing stakeholders are key traits of impactful leaders.

How can L&D professionals overcome execution challenges?

David suggests starting with self-reflection on purpose and assessing organizational readiness. L&D professionals should focus on areas they can influence, use data to measure success, and communicate their impact to stakeholders effectively.

In this episode of The Product Design for Learning Podcast, host Greg Arthur delves into the nuances of production with Matt Ash, founder of Changeably and a seasoned expert in learning design. Together, they explore how to streamline production processes while maintaining creativity and quality, even when faced with challenging projects like compliance training. Matt shares lessons from his career, including award-winning projects and insights on balancing innovation with client expectations.

Matt Ash is a consultant, strategist, and founder of Changeably. With a background in learning design, Matt has spearheaded creative, award-winning projects, including films recognized at the Cannes Corporate Film Festival and New York Film Festival. He is an advocate for using agile methodologies in learning design to improve efficiency and elevate content quality.

• Balancing Creativity and Structure: Production thrives on creative freedom but demands clear scope, deadlines, and budget to avoid pitfalls.
• Client Collaboration: Effective communication and stakeholder involvement at every stage are key to navigating changes and ensuring alignment with project goals.
• Agile Production: Iterative approaches, rooted in discovery and regular review, can prevent scope creep and enhance output quality.
• Challenging Compliance Norms: Even compliance projects can be engaging and innovative when approached with an audience-focused mindset.

Matt shared his journey from creating early-stage e-learning to scaling an agency team and pioneering agile methodologies. His production philosophy focuses on consistency, audience-centric creativity, and aligning with business goals.

Matt discussed the importance of giving filmmakers, developers, and designers creative freedom while aligning their outputs with project goals. This approach fosters innovation even in traditionally rigid fields like compliance.

Using an audience-centric approach, Matt transformed compliance content into compelling narratives, earning prestigious awards. His work exemplifies how purpose-driven storytelling can elevate even the most mundane subjects.

Matt emphasized the need for clearly defined scope, deadlines, and budgets. He advised conducting a robust discovery phase and identifying key goals to prevent misalignment during production.

Flexibility and open communication are crucial. Matt shared how referencing agreed-upon goals and involving all stakeholders early on helps mitigate costly scope creep.

Matt recommended following the same structured processes you advise clients to use—pausing to reflect, sharing challenges, and seeking alternative perspectives to resolve issues effectively.

Greg introduces Matt Ash and the episode’s focus on the art and science of production in learning design.

Matt recounts his career highlights, including agile experimentation and managing award-winning creative teams.

The shift from dull compliance content to engaging, award-winning films is explored.

Matt shares...

In this episode of the Product Design for Learning Podcast, host Greg Arthur sits down with Jess Andrews, a seasoned learning and development professional with experience on both the agency and in-house sides of the table. Jess shares insights into the nuanced relationships between agencies and internal teams, the challenges of making an impact in learning and development (L&D), and how to foster collaboration for successful projects.

Jess Andrews

Jess is a learning and development expert who recently transitioned to an in-house role at Multiverse after an impactful career working agency-side. She brings a wealth of experience in managing creative projects, building strong client relationships, and implementing innovative L&D solutions.

• Logistical Support: Small teams often need help with scalability and quick turnarounds.
• Creativity and Industry Expertise: Agencies bring fresh ideas, innovative solutions, and cross-industry insights.

• Agency Work: Offers end-to-end control and responsibility but can be overwhelming due to multitasking.
• In-House Work: Requires letting go of control in some areas and focusing on influencing internal stakeholders.

• Clear Communication: Regular check-ins and transparent discussions about goals and challenges.
• Relationship Building: Understanding each other's work styles and stress points fosters collaboration.
• Alignment on Goals: Both parties must be clear about the ultimate objectives to avoid misaligned priorities.

• Misalignment on goals or poor initial scoping can derail projects.
• Agencies need to balance challenging their clients with respecting internal constraints.

Greg Arthur introduces the podcast and welcomes Jess Andrews to discuss the relationship between internal teams and agencies.

Jess explains the dual reasons of logistical support and creative innovation for seeking external help.

Jess shares her experiences adjusting to the in-house mindset and managing internal stakeholders.

Discussion on the importance of understanding communication styles, stressors, and shared goals.

Jess highlights the role of agencies in helping organizations achieve quick, measurable outcomes.

Exploration of how poor scoping and internal biases can undermine a project’s success.

Jess and Greg share strategies for reconciling conflicting recommendations between teams.

Jess offers practical advice for strengthening collaboration and overcoming challenges.

Jess speculates on evolving dynamics, including potential synergies with contractors and the growing marriage of design and learning.

The Product Design for Learning Podcast delves into the art and science of designing impactful learning solutions. Each episode features industry...