Before I tell you “Happy Holidays!”, I want to reflect on something that I’m finally taking the leap on in the nonprofit sector: Learning experience design (LXD).
Introduction: Learning experience design was a part of my approach
If you’ve been following me for a long time, you know that my work begins in community. Specifically, it begins with digital media literacy education. For almost a decade, I was educating racialized people young and old about the importance of media literacy. Day-to-day, I was planning, designing and facilitating workshops, lessons, events, educational outings and interactive activities. In fact, I was doing this work for almost a decade in *pre-social media times*! How incredible is that?
Since leaving that work, I’ve carried with me. The praxis I developed there informs so much of my current work as a communications strategist. For instance, my perceptiveness, empathy, curiosity and facilitation skills all inform how I work with people on their projects, even if they aren’t digital media literacy projects. The insight and knowledge I gained as a digital media literacy educator complements the kind of strategic and critical thinking I do as a communications strategist. I think it’s why I know how to ask really good questions!
Reflection: Learning experience design was a part of my praxis
More importantly, I have realized that I’ve been doing learning experience design *already* in the nonprofit sector. Through my professional development, education and communications projects, I’ve learned that I’ve already been approaching work with that mindset. All those times I asked many variations of “What about the learner?” or facilitated workshops with that question in mind… It’s like I’ve been having 424824289 “a-ha!” moments for years!
However, in so many ways, this realization scared me. I didn’t know if it meant I needed to change career paths or stop doing strategic communications work. As well, I didn’t know if I was ready to start over in that way. But instead of continuing to think in extremes, I looked to my network.
Over the past few months, my network has come through for me in ways I will forever be grateful for. Several people let me interview them about their professional LXD experience, skills and education. Others helped me see how much overlap there is between communications and LXD. Then, there were the unicorns who helped me redesign my public profile to the world to reflect this realization.
Over…to me
So now, especially now, with the increasing need for digital literacy experts and fighters of mis- and dis- information, I’m looking to explore learning experience design in more depth while still being a communications strategist. I’ve had the pleasure of working on a really meaningful eLearning project that includes LXD. From that experience, I gained new ideas and ideas to help me find new avenues to explore.
So, in 2025, I’ll be taking baby steps towards it. This blog post is my first way of holding myself accountable. The second way is with the new addition of LXD to my services. On my website, you’ll find a brand new Learning Experience Design page where I offer audits, consultation and custom solutions. Since it is a new service, I’m offering it at a big discount for the entire Winter season.
I’m really thankful for my network, community of people who are super kind and welcoming. I’m looking forward to the new year where I step into the light.
And now, here is where I tell you what I wanted to tell you from the beginning:
Happy Holidays!