Creating meaningful learning experiences at scale
Dr. Heidi Kirby is revolutionizing the world of learning and development (L&D). With a passion for creating meaningful learning experiences, she’s on a mission to align L&D strategies with business goals, all while keeping the learner at the center. In this podcast, Heidi shares her sharp insights, and a bold vision for the future of L&D.
Watch the full podcast video
Top tips for creating meaningful elearning
Don’t have time to listen now? Here are the key takeaways from Heidi:
- Adopt a learner-first mindset: Tailor learning initiatives to meet learners where they are and maximize impact.
- Align training with business goals: Speak the language of leadership and show measurable results to gain buy-in.
- Embrace continuous growth: As L&D professionals, staying relevant means committing to lifelong learning.
- Overcome challenges creatively: Turn obstacles like resistance to change into opportunities to innovate.
- Leverage technology and empathy: Combine data-driven insights with human connection to shape the future of L&D.
1. Adopt a learner-first mindset
Heidi emphasizes that successful learning initiatives start with understanding your audience. Whether it’s addressing their needs or designing content that resonates, putting learners first is the key to long-term success.
” I mean, a lot of the places are running like a pizza shop. Right? Like, they’re taking orders and they’re taking orders from anybody who will send them. So it’s structured in a very, in a way that’s gonna be very hit or miss for the audience…We can’t be effective unless we’re learner-focused. That’s always been at the heart of my work.”
2. Align training with business goals
For L&D to thrive, it needs to deliver measurable outcomes that matter to the business. Heidi highlights the importance of speaking the language of leadership and proving the value of training programs.
“One of the biggest challenges in L&D is proving its value to leadership. It’s not just about creating great content but showing how that content connects to business outcomes. If you can show measurable results – like improved performance or efficiency – you’ll get buy-in every time.”
3. Embrace continuous growth
As an advocate of lifelong learning, Heidi believes that staying relevant in the fast-paced world of L&D means committing to ongoing personal and professional development.
“For me, growth has been about always staying curious. From my time as a college English professor to leading instructional design teams, I’ve learned that L&D is constantly evolving. The more we learn, the better equipped we are to teach and inspire others.”
4. Overcome challenges creatively
Heidi shares strategies for turning common challenges, like resistance to change or limited resources, into opportunities to innovate and improve.
“Challenges are inevitable, whether it’s a tight budget or stakeholders who don’t see the value of training. But I’ve found that those constraints often push you to think outside the box. Some of the best solutions I’ve seen in L&D came from a place of necessity.”
5. Leverage technology and empathy
The future of L&D lies at the intersection of technology and human connection. Heidi envisions a world where data-driven insights and empathy come together to create transformative learning experiences.
“Technology is a tool, but empathy is what drives impact. When we use data to understand our learners and design with their needs in mind, we create experiences that don’t just teach but truly transform.”
About Heidi
Dr. Heidi Kirby is an L&D consultant with a mission to help organizations craft meaningful learning experiences. Drawing on her academic background and professional expertise, she works with companies to align learning strategies with business goals and learner needs.
Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn to learn more about her work.
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