Fancy Mills

We are proud to share that Alamo Colleges District has become the first member to receive Endorsement for Course Design Quality Assurance from QM, for its AlamoONLINE initiative. The distinction serves as recognition that Alamo has established a formal, systematic and evidence-based quality assurance process for course design using the QM Higher Education Rubric, Seventh Edition. “This endorsement reaffirms our commitment to providing high-quality online learning that supports student success at every level. It is a testament to the dedication of our talented instructional designers, faculty, and staff to ensure that all learners receive an exceptional online experience.” — Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g7NAX2gV

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I'll let you in on a secret. Most L&D professionals are flying blind with their online course surveys → collecting data that sounds good but reveals nothing about actual learning outcomes. The truth? Your current survey approach is creating a massive blind spot in understanding student engagement. Traditional questionnaires are like using a smartphone from 2005 in today's digital world: outdated and ineffective. Here's why your current surveys are failing: • They ask generic questions that generate surface-level responses • They don't capture the nuanced student experience • They miss critical signals about learner motivation and comprehension Effective surveys aren't just about collecting data—they're about unlocking insights that transform how you design learning experiences. By asking the right questions, you can create courses that don't just transfer information, but truly engage and inspire learners. Get the 5-step survey framework that top L&D teams use to revolutionize their learning outcomes

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Excited to share with the DallasHR Organization Development group next month. I will outline our analytical approach of linking behaviors, values, and performance in high potential (HiPo) leader identification and succession planning! Audra Leseckaite Jada Zeno-Woods, MS, SHRM-SCP

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There’s a moment most instructional designers recognize but rarely talk about. The stakeholder has just finished describing what they need. A course on communication skills. A refresher on the compliance policy. Something on leadership for the new managers. They’ve been specific. They’ve brought a deadline. In some cases, they’ve already picked the authoring tool. And somewhere in the back of your mind, a quiet alarm goes off. This isn’t a training problem. What you do with that moment? Whether you speak it or swallow it, is one of the most consequential decisions in the entire design process. Not because it determines the instructional strategy. Because it determines whether you’re a transactional fulfillment specialist or a partner.

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Texas just made a big bet on workforce eduction by approving an $850 million endowment for Texas State Technical College — a rare, state-funded endowment designed to modernize facilities, expand high-demand programs, and accelerate the talent pipeline for one of the fastest-growing economies in the country. I love this move. TSTC has been operating at capacity across dozens of programs, with enrollment climbing and employers calling for more job-ready graduates. But like many technical and community colleges, they’ve been constrained by outdated infrastructure and funding volatility. This endowment changes the equation. It offers predictable, long-term investment for capital improvements, new campuses, and modern equipment — the kinds of enhancements that directly impact student readiness for today’s workforce. It’s also aligned with Texas’s outcomes-based funding model, which ties state support to graduates’ wage gains and employment outcomes. Great article by Sara Weissman #HigherEd #WorkforceDevelopment #TechnicalEducation #CommunityColleges #TexasEducation #EducationInnovation #FutureOfWork #SkillsBasedHiring #EdTech #PublicInvestment #TalentPipeline https://lnkd.in/gSvn9TwX

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Compliance training isn’t broken because of content. 👉 It’s broken because of intent. Most compliance modules are built to satisfy legal checkboxes — not to serve learners. And who gets stuck in the middle? ➤ Instructional Designers under pressure to “make it engaging”… in two weeks… with zero budget… and 47 mandatory bullet points. Last month, I rebuilt my approach to compliance design around one question: What if compliance wasn’t about telling people what NOT to do — but preparing them for the moment they MUST choose with storytelling, role playing, and simulating? That’s when everything shifted. I just published a new mini-presentation: “Reframing Compliance Training Through Adult Learning Theory — A Playbook for Instructional Designers Under Pressure.” In it, I share: ✅ Research-backed alternatives to policy lectures ✅ How to design autonomy even when content is mandatory ✅ Why reflection beats quizzes (and how to swap them fast) ✅ A case study where voluntary replays went up 40% ✅ My favorite new mantra → Train for decisions, not definitions. 👉 Drop “COMPLIANCE” in the comments and I’ll DM you the deck. Question for my ID peers: What’s the ONE compliance module you’d love to rebuild if leadership gave you total freedom? #instructionaldesign #IDs #compliance #learningdesign #LXD

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Some SERIOUS energy, enthusiasm, and FUN happening in Alpine, Texas (that’s West Texas y’all!) We’re honored to partner with WeTeach_CS through their Preferred PD Provider program to empower these teacher heroes with tools, confidence, and community. After four packed days of hands-on training, these educators will walk away ready to bring real-world Python coding into their classrooms — not just as a computer science class, but woven into math, science, and other core subjects. Firia Labs' curriculum isn’t about one-off activities — it’s about building real coding skills through meaningful projects with real-world relevance. This is how you grow the next generation of problem-solvers.

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"We need to turn this PowerPoint into eLearning. How long will it take?" Before you answer that question, here's a better one: Is eLearning even the right solution? Analysis is where you uncover the truth about what learners need. Skip it, and you might spend tens of thousands building elaborate courses for problems that could have been solved with a job aid or a process change. That's not a training failure; that's an analysis failure. Where eLearning goes to DIE (and how to save it): https://lnkd.in/eUtTQ3VK

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You invested in eLearning. You launched the course. Now what?🤔 If your training programs aren’t clearly tied to business outcomes, you’re leaving ROI on the table... The truth is, generic eLearning can’t solve specific performance challenges. But custom-built training? That’s where the magic happens. In a recent article, we share valuable strategies for maximizing ROI - check it out to make your training work harder AND smarter.💥 Link is in the comments ⬇️ #LearningAndDevelopment #eLearning #CorporateTraining #BusinessGrowth #Fortune500 #JustAddClarity #ClarityConsultants

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Hiring a contract instructional designer? Watch for these red flags before you sign the dotted line — and the green flags that show you’ve found a true learning partner. The difference between a ‘course builder’ and a strategic designer can make or break your project. #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #Elearning #TalentDevelopment #WorkplaceLearning #InstructionalDesigner #LearningExperienceDesign #TrainingAndDevelopment

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According to the Greater Houston Partnership Economy at Glance today, we head into 2026 with slow but steady growth, continued cost and inflation pressures, and a labor market that’s cooling but still competitive in healthcare, education and public administration. Upstream energy firms continue to face challenges with a slumping commodity price, but midstream, LNG, and data center-related power expect continued growth. In this environment, human capital choices in 2026–2027 are essential to your performance. For #CEOs and #CHROs, the question is no longer if you’ll respond – but how decisively. Here are a few key actions: Diagnose: What are your #HR pressure points across #TotalRewards, #wellbeing, and #talent that most effect growth and success? --Where are cost pressures and medical trends hitting hardest? --Where are employee expectations shifting fastest? --Which roles are most exposed to AI and automation, and where are your most critical skills gaps? You need objective, data‑driven views of where the strains are – by business unit, skill/role, and geography. Decide: Align on 3–5 Human Capital priorities that directly support organizational strategy – not just a wish list of initiatives. Candidates include: redesigning total rewards to align to critical talent expectations, building a skills‑based talent framework to prepare for the future, strengthening employee financial and emotional wellbeing, or getting ahead of pay transparency and equity scrutiny. Plan for Action: Build a practical roadmap you can start executing this year to optimize existing programs, invest differently, sunset outdated programs, and communicate changes to support buy-in and performance. Act: The organizations that will win the next business cycle will understand their pressure points, make targeted bold choices, and execute with clarity and courage. What are the critical few human capital decisions you’re treating with board‑level urgency in 2026-2027? Is your roadmap ready to support it? Aon Human Capital Solutions is your partner to help you diagnose, decide, plan, and implement the right people strategies for success.

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