Designing with Love

People First, Tools Second with James Gilchrist

Most training fails not because the storyboard is weak, but because the learning lands in an environment full of competing priorities and fuzzy signals. That’s the tough-love truth James Gilchrist brings to our mic as we unpack how people-first design—and authentic leadership—turns content into real performance. James’s winding path from actor and musician to L&D leader sharpened skills we often overlook: presence, narrative, and connection. Those talents power the “lightbulb moments” when knowledge becomes action, and they shape the way he builds programs that remove roadblocks and align teams.If the phrase people first, tools second resonates with you, this conversation will give you the language, tactics, and confidence to design for impact and lead with clarity. Enjoy the episode, and if it sparks ideas, share it with a colleague—and leave a review so others can find us. Want more? Connect with James on LinkedIn and tell us your biggest blocker to removing obstacles for your team.📢 Call-to-Action: I’d love to continue this conversation with you. You can connect with me directly on my personal LinkedIn profile here: James’ LinkedIn Page, where I share ideas on leadership, learning, and authenticity in the workplace. You can also follow my Lighthouse L&D Consulting LinkedIn page for updates, resources, and insights from my consulting work. Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

Mobile Learning Design: How to Create Courses for Any Device

Ever try to squeeze a desktop course onto a phone and wonder why learners bounce? We reframe the challenge and share five essentials that make mobile learning fast, clear, and genuinely useful in the moments people actually have. From finding mobile moments to building microlearning mile markers, we walk through patterns that turn scattered minutes into meaningful progress and show why one crisp outcome per lesson is the antidote to overload.A practical case study ties it together: a 45‑minute compliance module reborn as five six‑minute micro lessons for nurses in the field. With thumb-friendly navigation, fast media, and printable field cards, completion moved into the workday, and documentation errors dropped within a month. We close with ten evidence-backed strategies inspired by SHIFT eLearning, plus a simple five-by-five rule to keep scope sane. Grab the Glove Box Guide checklist to apply these patterns right away. If this helped you design smarter for mobile, subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review—what will you redesign first?🔗 Episode Links:Please check out the resources mentioned in the episode. Enjoy!A Comprehensive Guide to Mobile Learning DesignGlovebox Guide: Mobile Course Checklist📑 References:Cohen, D. (n.d.). A comprehensive guide to mobile learning design - Shift E-Learning. https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/a-comprehensive-guide-to-mobile-learning-design Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

Rediscovering Creativity: A Conversation with Patrick Williams

What if your greatest creative potential isn't something you need to find, but something you simply need to remember? As a creativity expert, Patrick Williams joined me to reveal how we've all been born with incredible creative abilities that often get suppressed as we grow older.The conversation offers surprisingly simple yet powerful practices anyone can implement: connecting with nature, practicing intentional breathing, keeping creativity journals, and experiencing different art forms monthly. These activities help break through creative blocks and spark innovation in unexpected ways. Patrick emphasizes that creativity extends far beyond traditional artistic pursuits—it's essential for relationships, professional growth, and navigating everyday challenges.For educators, business professionals, and instructional designers feeling creatively stuck, this episode provides both philosophical insights and practical tools to transform your approach to innovation. You'll walk away understanding how to access your creative potential not just for specific projects, but as a way of experiencing your entire life.Ready to reclaim your creative superpower? Listen now and discover how small shifts in perspective and daily habits can unlock extraordinary creative potential you never knew you had.🔗 Website and Social Links:Please visit Patrick Williams’s website and social media links below.Patrick Williams’ WebsitePatrick’s LinkedIn PagePatrick’s Instagram Page 📢 Call to Action: Patrick is available for private or group innovation and creativity consultations and programs. Please email him at patrick@patrickwilliams.com. He would be happy to answer any questions.Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

Stay Ahead: The Learning Designer’s Playbook

Want a smarter way to stay current without spinning your wheels? In this episode, Jackie walks through a practical playbook that helps instructional designers and learning leaders filter hype, design for real performance, and ship small wins that scale. It’s a clear path from “interesting idea” to measurable impact, built around five practice trends, a lean trend filter, and a two-week micropilot you can start right away.We begin by shifting to skills-first, evidence-driven design: define a lightweight skills dictionary for a key role, tag existing content to three to five skills, and track time to proficiency, error rates, and on-the-job application notes. Then we move learning into the flow of work with in-tool nudges, searchable help, and quick walkthroughs, instrumenting help moments to see time-to-solve improvements and ticket deflection. Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning step out of the “bolt-on” category and into the definition of done, with captions, alt text, headings, contrast, multiple representations, and testing with assistive tech and mobile-only users.We close with burnout guardrails to protect your energy: no weekend pilots, a “done for now” checklist to end endless tweaks, and one evidence hour each sprint dedicated to review. If you’re ready to turn ideas into impact, pick one practice trend, identify one measurable problem, and start your micropilot. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review to help more designers find this playbook—and tell us what you’ll test first.🔗 Episode Links:Please check out the resources mentioned in the episode. Enjoy!Related: Episode 44: Designing for Everyone: A Guide to Universal Design for LearningRelated: Episode 79: Top Emerging Technologies Shaping Instructional DesignResource: Staying Ahead Playbook Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

The Unstoppable Leader: Victoria Pelletier's Journey Through Corporate Transformation

Victoria Pelletier never planned to become a C-suite executive. With childhood dreams of practicing law, her path took an unexpected turn when a temporary banking job led to rapid promotions and a cross-country relocation. That detour became a 30-year journey through corporate leadership, culminating in her current role at the intersection of business transformation and technology at Kindrel.What makes Victoria's story particularly compelling is her philosophy on resilience. Signing her social media posts with #unstoppable and #noexcuses, she views resilience as both innate determination and a muscle that can be developed through conscious choices. This mindset has carried her through over 40 corporate mergers and acquisitions, teaching her that while we can't control challenges, we can control our responses.Everything you've ever wanted lives on the other side of fear. Victoria's parting advice reminds us that growth happens in discomfort zones. Whether pursuing leadership opportunities or embracing technological change, our greatest professional achievements often begin with one brave step beyond our familiar boundaries. What opportunity might be waiting for you just beyond your comfort zone?📢 Call To Action: Victoria is an in-demand public speaker on a variety of business, culture, and motivational topics. Please head over to her website to read her articles, order a copy of her books, or book her for speaking engagements.🔗 Website and Social Links: Please visit Victoria Pelletier’s website and social media links below.Victoria Pelletier’s WebsiteVictoria’s Facebook PageVictoria’s Instagram PageVictoria’s X PageVictoria’s LinkedIn PageVictoria’s YouTube ChannelVictoria’s eSpeakers Dashboard Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!