Here we are at the corner of 2019. I can’t believe it’s December already. Although this has been the busiest year for me, I must say it brought lots of happiness, joy and a great learning experience. This year has changed the dynamics of my professional career. Now, it’s not only about my career but it’s about making someone’s life better too. Thinking of a bigger picture, mentorship, managing the workforce, and coaching people for their better future. 

In this article, I will be focusing on the key lessons I learned in 2019.

1. xAPI – A Successful Learning Experience

From the last two years, xAPI has become a mantra for instructional designers and eLearning developers. Everyone wants to learn about it and like others, I was curious too! After attending the xAPI cohort – organized by the team of Meghan Torrence (highly recommended), I learned the basics of xAPI and how it works.

However, I was a bit skeptical about it, especially when it was time for implementation. I knew that it was one of the solutions but not “the” solution for every training. I really needed to understand the feasibility and impact that it will bring in corporate sectors and if it was good enough to propose to my bosses. So, I attended xAPI Boot Camp at Learning Solution Conference, where I met with a few xAPI gurus, like Anthony Alteri, who explained to me the “WHYs” of xAPI, instead of “How-To’s.”

After having exciting and informative conversations at the conference, I came up with a project called Skill-Based Assessment which was a huge success at my company – Citrix. We can now identify learner’s skill gaps before and after the trainings with the help of Storyline and xAPI. HUGE Accomplishment! I will talk more about this project in my next article.

2. Learned to Pick the Best Conference(s)

I know it’s challenging to keep yourself updated of all the latest trends in the eLearning world. Conferences are the best way to know about it.

Lately, I have learned to be very picky about the conferences because I don’t think it’s worth spending nearly $1500 + Ticket and Hotel without knowing what you will get out of this. Before I go to any conference, I evaluate that conference with my career plan. Areas that I like to pursue in the future are covered in it or not.

Conferences are like an information dump for me, in a good way. You will get information from every corner, but now it’s you who will decide which corner is good for you. I prefer to attend those conferences that I think are good for my career. Take xAPI as an example; I knew that there is an xAPI Boot Camp at Learning Solution Conference 2019. No doubt, there were some great sessions I have attended, but my primary goal was to learn about xAPI as much as possible.

3. eLearning Project Management

When designing and developing eLearning content, you think of yourself as one part of the engine who gets the information from people, work on it and pass it on to other people. You are only responsible for what you did and be less worried about the whole engine.Managing eLearning Projects is different. You are now accountable for all the parts of the engine and make sure that it fulfills all the required expectations. Stressful, isn’t it? One thing I learned is to keep all the pieces together and ensure people who are in this are comfortable and happy. This couldn’t happen without proper communication. You must know what to say, how to say and when to say it.

4. Spoke at ATDCFL and ATD Saudi Arabia Conferences

After 12 years of working as an Instructional Designer and eLearning Consultant, I think it’s time to share my knowledge and experiences. The best way to do that is to speak at conferences. This year, I conducted two workshops at the ATDCFL conference and one seminar at the ATD Saudi Arabia conference.

In both conferences, my facilitation was  focused on instructional Design methodologies and learning analytics that will help to identify performance gaps. The biggest takeaway was how to evaluate your training and eLearning courses and make sure that it makes a significant impact on the ROIs of the company. I must say that it was an incredible experience

5. Read Books

You know when you think you learned enough and now you don’t have to learn anything. Congratulations! I would welcome you to the path of self-obsession. I was one of them, but later I realized, I need to change that and start reading books.Unlike others, I consider myself a slow reader, but when I read it, I understand it and I try to implement those ideas in real life. Lately, I read some books and must say that they are one of the best books that changed my life by 360 degrees.

• Design for How People Learn

Do you want to be a good Instructional Designer? Read this book. It was written by one of the eLearning influencers, Julie Dirksen. The book will clear all the fundamental concepts of instructional design and it’s existence as a role. Whether you are just a beginner or an expert in your field. It is a great refresher for those who have been designing for years or for those who are a novice to the industry. 

• Start with Why

If you would like to pursue a managerial or leadership roles in your career, then this book is for you. It was written by one of the most influential Ted Talk speakers Simon Sinek. This book encompasses a wider range of thinking. It talks about why you do what you do. If you are a leader, what’s your vision? What are your goals, and how are you planning to accomplish those goals? In chapter 2, he talks about the concept of the Golden Circle. A self-made theory, which I think is an essential for all leaders.

• The Oz Principles

If you think your life is the biggest screw up Or your job sucks then read this book. It was written by Craig Hickman, Tom Smith and Roger Connors. This book helped me to See how I control my destiny and handle critical life situations by myself rather going to the Wizard of Oz. By taking full accountability into my own hands I am motivated and reponsible for all the actions and consequences.