eLearning Leadership Blog

Unlocking Learner Potential: Why Relevance and Empathy Are the Missing Keys in eLearning

michael.w.allen@alleni.com (Michael Allen) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:32:29 GMT

Picture this: You're scrolling through your feed on a Tuesday morning, coffee in hand, and you stumble upon a training module that's supposed to "upskill" you. But five minutes in, your mind wanders to lunch plans. Sound familiar? In the fast-paced world of 2026, where remote work and hybrid learning are the norm, eLearning has become ubiquitous. Yet, despite all the tech bells and whistles, too many courses feel like they're shouting into the void. What if the secret to breaking through isn't more interactivity or gamification, but something simpler—making it matter to the learner and tuning into their emotional pulse?

Every Word Counts

callen@alleni.com (Christopher Allen) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:42:33 GMT

Learners have tuned out of text-heavy training content (even when it's in chunks)

Stop writing. Employees have stopped reading. Not only have they stopped reading, but—as APM Research Lab reports—most US adults lack literacy proficiency in understanding, interpreting, and synthesizing information to draw conclusions. Further, 54 percent of adults in the US (or 130 million) read below a sixth-grade level.

Learner Empathy Can Save Your Course Design

aiverson@alleni.com (Ann Iverson) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 20:24:25 GMT

Where do you start with instructional design? Sifting through folders of content? Meeting with SMEs to capture what they think is essential to the training? Maybe you turn to Google to get the latest information about the training topic? If this is your approach, you may want to refocus. Information-sharing is not training. Since all learning is designed in some way to change learner behavior, it makes sense to think about the expected change from the start of the design process. Proactively using a learner-centric approach, one that puts learners at the heart of the design, motivates and engages learners, and ultimately delivers successful outcomes for your organization.

Make a Learning Love Connection: 5 FACTS for Better e-Learning Courses

aiverson@alleni.com (Ann Iverson) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:40:00 GMT

What is love, really? (Sorry in advance for any earworms!) We can love our cars, homes, and flat-screen TVs, but purists will tell you, “You can’t love things, dummy. You can only love people.” Hmmm, are you sure about that?

5 Questions You Need to Consider for High-Impact Learning

eedwards@alleni.com (Ethan Edwards) — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:03:01 GMT

The standard accepted methodology for designing instruction, including e-learning, is still centered solidly on the ADDIE process…a time-honored methodology composed of five steps--Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. I’m a strong proponent of the idea that the inherent linearity of this process creates huge obstacles to coming up with highly engaging interactivity in e-learning.

It isn’t that these tasks are necessarily wrong; rather, it’s that design for e-learning needs to be more exploratory and experimental in approach instead of prescriptive. At Allen Interactions, we design using an iterative, rapid-prototyping approach to creating effective instruction. Many training groups are beginning to modify ADDIE to include some flexibility, but generally it doesn’t seem to me that it’s far enough to effectively design engaging interactions.

3 Easy Ways to Get Started With the Successive Approximations Model

info@alleni.com (Allen Interactions) — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Over the years, we have taught many workshops on SAM (Successive Approximation Model) and have given even more talks on the subject. In these workshops and talks, we often see the same basic questions. But, the one question we can guarantee we will be asked is, “How do I implement SAM in my organization?”

While we are always happy to be asked this question, this is tough to answer! Since we encounter this question so frequently, we can focus our answer on a few key factors that increase the likelihood of success.

Our team often uses the phrase “moving the needle” to describe the efforts when implementing SAM in an organization. By “moving the needle”, someone is making incremental changes that produce noticeable results. Our three tips will help ensure that you can start incorporating the Successive Approximations Model in your organization - and start to see results.

Start at the Start

There is no better way to build excitement for the power of an iterative design than to kick off with an active brainstorming and sketching session, which is called the Savvy Start in SAM.

Sure, we recognize that you might face resistance when asking for the time required of a Savvy Start (as described in the book). Still, perhaps you can facilitate a one-hour brainstorming session on a single performance event or objective. The energy and excitement generated from a robust brainstorming/sketching/prototyping event go a long way to building credibility within the organization for a new instructional design approach.

5 Learning Hacks to Skyrocket Your Sales Performance

slee@alleni.com (Steve Lee) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 18:19:26 GMT

In the fast-paced world of sales, continuous learning and development are the cornerstones of success. Effective sales enablement training not only equips sales teams with the knowledge and skills they need but also ensures they stay ahead of the curve in a constantly evolving market. To harness the full potential of your sales force, it's essential to implement learning strategies that are tailored to the unique demands of sales enablement.

In this article, we will unveil five invaluable learning tips that will supercharge your sales enablement training programs, enabling your teams to drive revenue growth, enhance customer satisfaction, and excel in a highly competitive landscape. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or a learning and development specialist, these insights will provide a blueprint for achieving sales excellence through continuous learning and skill development.

Miss the first two installations of the Sales Enablement series? Catch up now:

Part One | Part Two

Define Sales Enablement Objectives

L&D professionals should start by defining the objectives of the sales enablement plan. This could include improving sales performance, increasing revenue, reducing the sales cycle, or improving customer satisfaction. The objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely.

Hitting the High Notes Part 2: Making it Right

slee@alleni.com (Steve Lee) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:30:00 GMT

In our last blog, we explored how critical trust is in the sales enablement process and the important role that context plays in providing value to the learner. In this edition, we will explore the final two high notes that sales enablement training can provide and how they can create exceptional learner, employee, and client experiences.

Read Now: Hitting the High Notes: How Great Training Leads To More Sales & Better ROI »

High Note #2: Willingness to Try

Going back to the diet/exercise example used in our first installation of the blog series, if a program doesn’t seem to fit our lifestyle or seems too difficult, it becomes a non-starter.  The best programs include many components including levels, menus, practice guidelines, progress goals, and most importantly, a coach.  Therefore, effective sales enablement training must provide authentic practice with levels, goals, feedback, and coaching. 

Traditional learning design focuses on knowledge transfer and limited practice.  Through the use of CCAF-driven scenarios with simulated challenges and by following the principles of the Serious eLearning Manifesto, the learning mimics the actual user experience of real-world tasks to be achieved.  Too many times learners gain all the knowledge provided, ace the assessments, and then find the job is much more complex and stressful than the training environment.  When this happens, the motivation to try is completely lost. 

Using a practice-to-mastery approach within authentic activities that are meaningful, memorable, and motivational, learners have a sense of familiarity with the job on day one.

Hitting the High Notes: How Great Training Leads to More Sales & Better ROI

slee@alleni.com (Steve Lee) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:53:07 GMT

Does your sales enablement training hit the top 3 “high notes” needed for success?

Allen Interactions Named as Top Experiential Learning Technology Company by Training Industry

info@alleni.com (Allen Interactions) — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:45:03 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. — August 31, 2023 — Training Industry has announced its selections for the 2023 Top Training Companies™ lists for the Experiential Learning Technologies sector of the corporate learning and development (L&D) market. Training Industry, the leading research and information resource for corporate learning leaders, prepares the Training Industry Top 20 report on critical sectors of the corporate training marketplace to better inform professionals about the best and most innovative providers of training services and technologies.