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It’s true that determining the actual problem takes time, but it’s far quicker than solving the wrong one and starting over.
— Shane Parrish
Thanksgiving’s a time for gratitude, and I’m grateful for the chance to connect with smart people like you every week. Bianca and I are launching a new LinkedIn group to help make your L&D efforts more impactful. Join us to share insights, discuss challenges, and build a community of marketing-savvy L&D pros. Let’s level up L&D together.
Thanks for reading!
🎶 What I’m Listening To
I’ve been binging The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix, and it has a great soundtrack.
👆 Last Week’s Most Clicked
📰 News & Notes
Getting started with AI: Good enough prompting
Ethan Mollick emphasizes that effective use of AI requires a “good-enough” approach to prompting, not perfection or deep technical expertise. By spending about 10 hours experimenting with AI for practical tasks, users develop an intuition for what works. Treat AI as a collaborative coworker—clear in instructions, iterative in feedback, and unafraid to explore its capabilities. Recognizing AI’s quirks, such as its forgetfulness and infinite patience, helps unlock its potential for productivity, creativity, and even idea generation.
🎯Takeaway: Use AI as a collaborative partner by mastering simple, iterative prompts to leverage its strengths and navigate its limits.
How to Build a Custom GPT for Instructional Design
Dr. Philippa Hardman, shows how building a custom GPT for instructional design enhances task accuracy and consistency by tailoring AI to specific needs, such as writing learning objectives. Using tools like OpenAI’s GPT Builder, even non-tech-savvy designers can create AI “partners” that leverage structured knowledge, follow best practices, and adapt to complex instructional challenges. These GPTs save time, ensure quality, and enable designers to focus on creativity while mitigating risks like bias and context limitations.
🎯Takeaway: Custom GPTs empower instructional designers to streamline repetitive tasks and improve content quality by embedding domain-specific expertise into AI tools.
Is AI-generated video as GOOD as real video in learning?
Research confirms that AI-generated videos can match traditionally produced ones in learning effectiveness and learner perception, according to a study by Leiker et al. This opens doors for scalable, cost-efficient solutions in training and simulations, from soft skills to customer interactions. Moreover, advancements in AI avatars and interactive characters enable dynamic, real-time engagement, pushing the boundaries of experiential learning. As tools like Synthesia , Colossyan and others make high-quality video production faster and cheaper, instructional designers can now integrate AI-driven media to amplify learning outcomes without compromising quality.
🎯Takeaway: AI-generated videos deliver learning outcomes on par with traditional ones, offering a scalable and cost-effective alternative for L&D professionals.
Training opportunities give your employees purpose at work
Show your employees you care about their career growth and professional development! By doing so, you’ll not only have a more productive team with a well-rounded skill set, but you may also reduce churn, allowing you to keep top talent more easily.
🧰 Tech Tools & Tips
If tools are your jam, check out my new Work Smarter newsletter.
Gamma
Gamma is an AI-powered tool that helps you create presentations, documents, and websites without any design or coding skills.
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Kit
Kit is an email marketing tool that offers a generous 10,000-subscriber free plan that is worth checking out.
Warning: This Masterclass May Cause Excessive Training Flexibility (Side Effects Include Success)
Change sucks. Unless you make it your secret weapon. 🎯 On December 12th at 9:00 AM (ET), Megan Torrance and Roy de Vries are hosting a masterclass to help you design training that bends but never breaks. Stakeholder drama? Covered. Better learning experiences? Done. World domination? Optional. Sign up now. It’s free—your future self will thank you.
🎧 Podcast
This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.
The NOCOURSE Approach to Learning Design with Anamaria Dorgo
Anamaria Dorgo flips traditional learning on its head with her bold “No Course” approach. Discover how to build thriving learning communities, spark participant-driven experiences, and harness curiosity and adaptability to fuel lasting impact.
sponsored
Master the Finish Line: Pro Tips for Flawless Course Publishing
Frustrated with unexpected errors after publishing an online course? Join a free webinar on Thursday, December 5th, to discover the top 10 eLearning publishing pitfalls that trip up even the best instructional designers — and how to avoid them.
🧳 Where’s Mike?
- ATD Core4, December 4, Online
- ATD 2025 International Conference May 18-21, Washington DC
If you or your event needs a speaker or workshop that is highly interactive and super practical, we should talk.
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