instructional design

New Books I’m Excited About

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I’m excited about a bunch of recently released books in learning and development and accessibility and inclusion. Here’s my list in no particular order. Disclaimer: I haven’t read any of these yet. I need to find a job first. Digital Accessibility Ethics: Disability Inclusion in All Things Tech by Lainey Feingold. From the book description: … Read more

Take the You out of Usability

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In the past week I’ve read Facebook posts from two separate friends talking about mistaken identity.  Said friends were going about their daily business when out of the blue a complete stranger starts talking to them, stating they look like a particular famous person.  Actually, one was described as Paul McCartney (of Beatles fame – did I just have to describe who Paul is?) while the other was Norman Bates (Tony Perkins’ character in the 60s Hitchcock thriller Psycho).  Sometimes when people are mistaken for others, we can look at them and say, “Oh yeah, you do kinda look like so-and-so.”  But, in this case, neither of these gentlemen look like their famous counterparts.  Back to this topic in a bit.

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What the heck is an instructional designer? – Part 1

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Being thrown back into the job hunting market has made me acutely aware of the fact that nobody understands what I do.  Methinks it’s time for an intro to my world and what it is I actually do.  I do not design software.  I do not fix computers.  I do not produce marketing materials.  And I am not restricted to only working in the industry of my last job (healthcare).

I am an instructional designer.  What exactly does that mean?  I get a lot of blank stares and misinterpretations about my profession.  First question posed to me: So, you are like an architect/interior designer?  Half the time it’s architect, the other half it’s interior designer.  Not so much.

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