Best Practices For Writing Course Materials That Stick

Anyone who communicates ideas for a living should read Made to Stick at least once a year. I distilled the book from 304 pages to 7 principles that changed how I write, think, and sell new ideas: 1. Fight "The Curse of Knowledge" Once you know something, you can't imagine not knowing it. You subconsciously tune your frequency to "Expert," using jargon and skipping foundational steps. To win, write like you are explaining things to your smart but impatient grandmother. 2. Simple: Find the Core Proverbs survive for centuries because they pack maximum wisdom into minimum words. "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" beats a 500-word essay on risk management. Southwest Airlines didn't have a 10-point strategic plan; they had one proverb: "THE low-cost airline." If a decision didn't help them be the low-cost airline (like serving chicken salad), they didn't do it. If you can't explain your value prop in one sentence after three beers, it is too complex. 3. Unexpected: Break the "Guessing Machine" Violate expectations. Instead of "excellent customer service," say "We don't answer emails on weekends because we want our staff to love their lives." Instead of a statistic about safety, show a safety video that gets interrupted. 4. Concrete: Use "Velcro" Never say "we offer high-performance solutions." Say "our battery saves you 47 minutes of charging time per day." The Heaths use the example of the "kidney heist" urban legend. We remember it because it has a bathtub, ice, and a note. It is visceral. Stop selling "solutions" and sell "bathtubs and ice." 5. Credible: The "Sinatra Test" You don't need a PhD to be credible; you just need to pass the "Sinatra Test": If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere. If you catered a dinner for the White House, you don't need to tell me your food is safe and delicious. The credential speaks for itself. Don't drown people in statistics. Give them one immense, verifiable proof point. "We power the security for the Pentagon" beats a 20-page whitepaper on encryption standards every time. 6. Emotional: The "Mother Teresa" Principle "If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will." Stop trying to get people to care about "the industry" or "the metrics." Make them care about one person. Don't say "We help companies reduce turnover." Say "We help the VP of HR stop dreading exit interviews." Lead with the feeling, then justify with the logic. 7. Stories: The Flight Simulator A great story is a flight simulator for the brain. When you tell a story about how a problem was solved, the listener mentally rehearses that success. So walk the prospect through the simulation: "Imagine it's Monday morning. You open your laptop. Instead of 50 unread tickets, you see zero. You pour your coffee..." You are letting them "practice" the solution before they’ve even bought it. TAKEAWAY Test your current messaging against these 7 rules. If it fails half of them, rewrite it.

🔍 Here’s a little secret: I never forget anything on my grocery trips. Not because I carry a detailed list, but because I’ve already planned our meals for the week.   It’s not about ticking off items. It’s about having a clear vision.   Why should learning be any different?   Most learning content is as forgettable as a random grocery list. We’re cramming in details, facts, and checkboxes... but is anyone cooking with it?   🤘 THE BRUTAL TRUTH: 🚫 Information overload is killing your programs.   We’re drowning in content. PowerPoint slides, PDFs, and endless e-learning and SCORM modules all pile up—much like that grocery list with items you don’t actually know how to use.   It’s no wonder it doesn’t stick.   Because most learning materials are built to be consumed, not applied. They’re focused on order-taking rather than solving problems.   You’re trying to remember 20 items on a list vs. planning a delicious meal from scratch. Which one engages you more? Which one do you remember?   Learning is the same.   💡 Here’s how to flip the script and make learning unforgettable:   ⚡ Start with a clear purpose. Have a concrete goal for what the learner should do—not just know—by the end. If your training is on project management, don’t just aim for participants to "understand project timelines." Instead, set a goal for them to create a detailed project plan for an upcoming task. This shifts the focus from passive understanding to active application.   ⚡ Focus on real-life applications. Turn theories into tasks. If you’re teaching conflict resolution, skip the textbook definitions and jump straight into role-playing exercises where employees resolve a hypothetical workplace conflict. This way, they’re not just learning about techniques—they’re practicing them. Teach people how to “cook the meal,” not just what ingredients are needed.   ⚡ Give agency to learners. Learning by doing sticks better than learning by listening. Engage learners with activities that require their input and creativity. DO NOT make another iNtErAcTiVe eLeArNiNg though for the sake of it! Instead, have learners design a process improvement for their department and present it to their peers. This not only reinforces their learning but also gives them ownership of the material.   ⚡ Keep it simple. Cut out the fluff. If you’re conducting customer service training, zero in on the top three communication techniques that consistently lead to satisfied customers. Skip the lengthy lectures, and get right to what they can start using in their next interaction. Focus on the core skills and knowledge that will drive action, not just information.   The next time you’re developing a solution, ask yourself: Are you handing out a grocery list, or are you teaching people how to cook?   Learning is an experience, not a chore. So, ditch the grocery list. Start planning the meal.   #LearningAndDevelopment #Learning #InstructionalDesign #WorkplaceLearning #EmployeeEngagement #LearningCulture

An old Chinese story tells of a young man who asked his master the secret to mastering knowledge. The master handed him a clay jar and told him to fill it with water but the jar had a hole at the bottom. Day after day, the student filled the jar, only to see the water trickle away. Frustrated, he asked why they weren’t fixing the hole. The master replied, “Knowledge is like water. If you do not find ways to keep it, it will slip away.” In education, we often focus on getting knowledge into students’ minds but not enough on making it stick. Research on memory and retention tells us that learning sticks when: 📍It is connected to prior knowledge. The brain loves patterns and links. We remember best when new concepts are tied to what we already know. 📍It involves retrieval. Recalling information (rather than re-reading) strengthens memory traces far more effectively. 📍It is spaced over time. Distributed practice beats cramming. Repetition across days or weeks cements learning. 📍It is active and varied. Discussions, teaching others, hands-on activities and switching contexts keep learning alive. 📍It has meaning and emotion. We hold on to lessons that move us, surprise us or feel relevant to our lives. As educators, leaders and parents, our job isn’t just to “pour in” knowledge, it’s to seal the hole in the jar, so learning stays long after the lesson ends. What’s one strategy you use to make learning stick? #MakeLearningStick #Teaching #LearningScience #Education

Structured writing isn't just for technical writers ... its for anyone who deals with content at scale, including educators. In my recent work developing virtual exchange courses between American and Polish students, I discovered that creating consistent learning materials across cultural contexts mirrors the challenges technical writers face when documenting software for global audiences. Both roles require systematic approaches that maintain quality across diverse contexts. When I started using structured frameworks for my course materials I found I could rapidly adapt content while maintaining pedagogical effectiveness. Here's the systematic approach that evolved: 1️⃣ Content Pattern Analysis I examined my most successful assignments, identifying recurring elements that consistently engaged students. This revealed core components—learning objectives, cultural context bridges, and assessment criteria—that could be systematized. 2️⃣ Framework Development These patterns informed a structured framework where each assignment component became a reusable block that can be adapted for different cultural contexts: ‣ Learning objectives ‣ Background information ‣ Rationale ‣ Instructions ‣ Criteria 3️⃣ Implementation and Testing I began small, converting one successful assignment into this structured format. Testing revealed that what worked for American business writing students also resonated with Polish students when properly structured. This systematic approach transformed what initially seemed like a daunting cross-cultural challenge into a scalable content operation. Bonus ... I can now use these assets to build more content for other contexts using AI.

Overwhelmed learners don’t learn. They tune out. We know this. And yet, course creators continue to overstuff and understructure their content. 💡 If you want your workshop or course to stick—to spark real understanding, retention and then action—you can't just teach. You have to structure for learning. Two of the most powerful and overlooked strategies? ➡️ Scaffolding: providing just enough support at the right time ➡️ Chunking: organizing information into meaningful, manageable parts When you combine these strategies intentionally, you create learning experiences that feel clear, logical, and digestible, and mos importantly, NOT overwhelming. In my newest article, I dive into: 👉 Why scaffolding and chunking matter 👉 How these two key strategies reduce cognitive load and support real mastery 👉 Practical, actionable strategies for using both in your course or workshop design If you're creating workshops, courses, or learning experiences—and you want people to actually remember and use what you teach—this one's for you. 👇 Read it here and let me know:   Where could you strengthen your scaffolding or chunk your content more clearly?

Trying to teach an unwilling adult is like handing someone a manual when their hands are full. They’ll drop it. Fast. The truth? 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 “𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲” 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼. . . Adults aren’t blank slates. They’re walking libraries of habits, biases, and “I-know-best” energy. You can’t force new chapters into their story. Instead, focus on 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅, those curious enough to lean in. . . So what works better? . . 1️⃣ 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 Brains are selfish. Start with 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 problems, not your wisdom. If you’re teaching time management, don’t say “Let’s optimize productivity!” Say, “Want to finish work by 5 PM to binge Netflix guilt-free?” Relevance is the gateway drug to learning. . . 2️⃣ 𝗗𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲 Adults zone out faster than toddlers. Use their language: memes > textbooks, stories > statistics. Visual learners? Show a meme about deadlines. Kinesthetic folks? Turn a lesson into a quick role-play. Auditory types? Drop a spicy metaphor they’ll repeat at lunch. . . 3️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 “𝘄𝗶𝗻” 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 No one likes being told they’re wrong. Instead, ask questions that lead them to your point. “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺?” or “𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?” Let them debate themselves into your corner. It sticks better. . . 4️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 Facts fade. Stories stick. Share how 𝘺𝘰𝘶 failed at budgeting before learning, or how Karen in accounting once rescued a project with Excel. Add humor: “𝘈𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺.” . . 5️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 Big goals scare people. Tiny steps build momentum. Instead of “Learn Spanish,” try “Learn how to order tacos without pointing.” Celebrate the baby wins, like when someone actually opens your email. Progress fuels motivation. . . The Secret? . . Stop trying to be the hero with all the answers. Be the 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸, not the sermon. Your job isn’t to fix people. It’s to notice who’s already holding a match, then casually hand them candles. . . The world is full of people waiting to care. Your power? Be the “𝘖𝘩! 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭!” moment they can’t unsee. And if all else fails? Just smile and remember: even orchids need the right soil to grow. 🌱 . . Image Credit: Qwen

We spend hours designing workshops, but 90% of learning fades within days. The cruel reality: → Without reinforcement, most learning vanishes before it’s ever applied (Ebbinghaus, 1885) → Inspiration without implementation breeds cynicism among participants → The brain actively discards information it doesn’t immediately use So, what do we do? Here are six evidence-based strategies to ensure learning sticks after a workshop : 1️⃣ Post-session nudges Send knowledge pulses (e.g., an email with a quiz) at 2 days, 1 week, and 3 weeks. 2️⃣ Learning Buddy System Accountability isn’t pressure—it’s the scaffold of transformation. Small groups create the courage to implement when motivation dips. 3️⃣ One-Week Try-It Challenge Get participants to choose one concept, apply it within five days, and share what happened. 4️⃣ The 48-Hour Teach-Back Rule Encourage participants to teach what they learned within 48 hours. 5️⃣ When-Then Planning Propose a simple task: “When will you use X approach?” Or “When you face situation Y, which approach will you use?” This type of mental rehearsal creates automatic neural activation when real-world challenges arise. 6️⃣ Future-Self Reminders Have participants write notes to their future selves—delivered when motivation fades. Their own words become a lifeline for implementation. And during your training, don’t forget to bake in retention strategies: ✔️ Frequent low-stakes quizzing to reinforce learning ✔️ Application templates that bridge theory and real-world use ✔️ Real-time challenges that turn passive listening into active problem-solving Remember: The most profound learning happens in the space between exposure and mastery. Design for this invisible territory. 🔹 What’s one strategy you use to make learning stick? #LearningAndDevelopment #CognitiveScience #WorkplaceTraining #ProfessionalDevelopment

🔴 If learning stays separate from experience, it won’t stick. People don’t learn in a vacuum. They make sense of new information 👉 by connecting it to what they already know. Instead of just delivering content, help learners tie it to their own experiences. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Start with what they already know. Ask questions that activate prior knowledge: ✅ “Have you ever faced a challenge like this?” ✅ “What’s your current approach to solving this problem?” ✅ “What’s worked—or not worked—for you in the past?” This primes the brain to connect new insights to real-life situations. 2️⃣ Use reflection to deepen learning. After introducing a concept, have learners: ✅ Share how it relates to their own experiences. ✅ Compare it to what they’ve done before. ✅ Identify how they might apply it moving forward. Example: Instead of saying, "Here’s how to handle a difficult conversation," ask: "Think about a tough conversation you’ve had—what worked, and what didn’t?" 3️⃣ Encourage storytelling. When learners share personal experiences, they: ✅ Make abstract ideas concrete. ✅ Learn from each other’s perspectives. ✅ Feel more engaged and invested. 4️⃣ Design activities that require personal application. ✅ Case studies where learners apply concepts to their own work. ✅ Discussions that link new ideas to past experiences. ✅ Journaling prompts like: “How does this apply to your role?” Learning isn’t about memorizing facts. It’s about making knowledge personally meaningful. 🤔 How do you help learners connect new ideas to their own experiences? ----------------------- 👋 Hi! I'm Elizabeth! ♻️ Share this post if you found it helpful. 👆 Follow me for more tips! 🤝 Reach out if you need a high-quality learning solution designed to engage learners and drive real change. #InstructionalDesign #AdultLearning #MakeLearningStick #LearningAndDevelopment

How to create learning materials that actually stick. Richard Mayer's principles are the secret sauce. 🧠💡 Most eLearning falls flat. Here's how to fix that: 1. Dual-channel processing → Combine visuals + audio → Don't overload one channel 2. Less is more → Cut the fluff → Focus on what matters 3. Highlight what's important → Use cues (bold, arrows, etc.) → Guide learner attention 4. Words + pictures > words alone → But don't repeat on-screen text → Let visuals do the heavy lifting 5. Keep it close → Text near relevant graphics → Reduce cognitive load 6. Timing is everything → Sync words and visuals → Present simultaneously 7. Bite-sized is best → Break content into chunks → Let learners set the pace 8. Build a foundation → Intro key concepts first → Then dive deeper 9. Audio > on-screen text → Free up visual processing → Use narration wisely 10. Keep it conversational → Ditch the corporate speak → Talk like a human 11. Human voice wins   → Skip the robo-narration   → Connect with your audience 12. Images aren't always the answer   → Only use if they support learning   → Don't add visual clutter Master these principles: ↳ Boost engagement ↳ Improve retention ↳ Generate real results What's your go-to strategy for creating sticky learning?

One of the top questions I get from undergraduates is how do you convey your ideas in a more effective way? The ability to craft ideas is a superpower. In a world flooded with information, the ability to convey ideas well is a game-changer. Here are 7 strategies that I use to make my ideas resonate and endure. 1. Simplicity is Sophistication Complexity often clouds the clarity of ideas. To make your ideas stick, distill them to their essence. Embrace simplicity without sacrificing depth. A concise and clear message is more likely to be remembered and shared. 2. Compelling Stories We are wired to remember stories, not data points. Craft your idea within a narrative that captivates your audience. A well-told story engages emotions, making your idea more relatable and memorable. 3. Make Abstract Ideas Tangible Ensure your ideas have tangible elements. People remember specifics, not vague concepts. If possible, ground your ideas in real-world examples, data or vivid imagery. The more concrete, the more memorable. 4. Unexpected Twists Capture Attention Surprise your audience. Inject an unexpected element into your idea. Whether it's a counterintuitive fact or a twist in your narrative, the unexpected grabs attention and lingers in the memory. 5. Emotion Creates Connection Connect with your audience on an emotional level. Whether it's through humor, empathy, or inspiration, emotions anchor ideas in memory. A memorable idea is one that evokes a feeling. 6. Make It Relevant and Applicable Your idea should matter to your audience. Relate it to their lives or challenges. When people see the practical application, your idea becomes not just a concept but a solution or insight they can use. 7. Repetition is consistency Repetition breeds familiarity. Consistently reinforce your idea across various platforms and interactions. The more your audience encounters your message, the more likely it is to stick. In a crowded world, the ability to craft ideas is a superpower. So, simplify, tell stories, inject surprises, and connect emotionally. Make your ideas not just heard but remembered.