Adobe Learning Summit 2022 Recap

"We would like you to host a workshop on Instructional Design Needs Assessment."

This is how it started about a month ago when I received an email from Shubhadipa Sarkar . My first reaction was, me?! Adobe wants me? I've never attended any Adobe event but I was flattered they thought of me (which I found out later was the work of Dr. Pooja Jaisingh who I love and adore). I checked my calendar and saw it was open so I said yes.

But wait, the plot thickened quickly when Adobe reached back out and told me that there was another presenter doing the same topic and told us we could collaborate or do our own thing. They would have two sessions of the same topic going on at the same time. I'll admit my first reaction was oh no, group work in the real world :p. But when I first virtually met my needs assessment co-pilot Anita Horsley, M.Ed. I knew instantly the good folks at Adobe knew what they were doing putting us together. We co-created a jam packed session that may be one of my favorite presentations ever as we wanted it to be practical and guide people through the phases and pitfalls of each step of a needs assessment.

The theme of practical and guidance wasn't just in our session, every presenter "brought it" in their sessions. Adobe asking us to build our sessions as workshops was something that I found refreshing and from the kind people I met in person from Moena Allison Kristen K. Williams, Ph.D. , Holly Etling & more, it was clear that people were loving it.

So what are my takeaways from my first Adobe Learning Summit? Here are 3 things that made this a special experience:

Application of practice with technology

Each room had tables and chairs with ample accesses to outlets. Using your devices were encouraged and each presenter had a workbook, practice files, something for folks to interact with. The opening session with Terry White walking through Photoshop was one of my favorites because I got so tickled at the responses of the participants. They laughed, they clapped, and my favorite was when Terry demonstrated how to build in forced perspectives to make added objects look like they belong in a photo, people gasped. They were so excited! I couldn't help but get excited too as that's what a good conference should be about, discovery.

Conference user experience

Adobe treated people very well at this conference. Breakfast and lunch were provided buffet style and they did a great job of setting the room up to serve hundreds of people by having three buffets and helping people access different lines to keep it moving. I don't think I waited more that 5 minutes to eat. The food quality and variety was also good catering to many different diets which I think is more impressive when I share that this conference was $500 or less for most registrants, making it a great value especially when you compare the cost of other conference options.

Also Adobe was kind enough to treat speakers to an event at Top Golf Vegas which had this incredible view. Even though I was horrible at it, it was a great time!

Adobe also had a cocktail party at the Mirage pool for everyone with plenty of drinks and treats for everyone. I got sucked into some great conversations and had to be told by Mirage staff we needed to leave so the tigers and dolphins could sleep :p

Project Charm

Project Charm, the new version of Adobe Captivate, is currently in Beta testing and all of the folks at the conference were eligible to download it. I've downloaded it on both a Mac and PC and sadly I can't share any additional information beyond that as each of us who downloaded signed a NDA that we can't share anything outside of the Beta. What I can tell you is this: it's clear to me from this conference the folks at Adobe want this product to be robust and they care about making it better.

So that's a wrap from my first Adobe Learning Summit. I really enjoyed the energy, the sessions, and of course the people. I met so many new folks and I hadn't laughed so much in a long time. Thank you again Adobe for the invite and for an incredible event. Don't worry Vegas, I'm coming back in two weeks for Devlearn :)