I think of every training request like hiking: the endpoint is set by stakeholders, the compass gives us direction, and the terrain determines the path. Our job as instructional designers is to survey that terrain before we take a single step.
Deadlines push us to build fast, but experience has taught me that real efficiency comes from slowing down long enough to understand the why. Stakeholders may define the destination, but how we get there is where the actual work happens — and that takes flexibility, emotional intelligence, and the courage to redirect when the data points to a better solution.
Our job isn't just to follow the compass — it's to understand the terrain before choosing the path.
If you're asked to build training to improve KPIs, you can't just start designing. You need to look at the data, talk with learners, and uncover where the real pain points are. Sometimes the request doesn't match the root cause. You may discover that a management training program — or something entirely different — is the real solution.
That's when you go back to stakeholders with clear documentation, explain the why, and guide the ask toward a strategy that will actually drive the intended outcome.
Only then can we design a route that's realistic, cost-aware, and effective. Good learning isn't just about reaching the destination. It's about choosing the right path to get there.