My Career as a Learning Designer is Over

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I've thought of myself as a learning designer for as long as I can remember. But in order to progress my career in L&D and reach my potential, it's time for a change.

I was 14 years old when I became a “designer”. I was at school doing 3D drawings with magic markers when the bell went for lunch. It was the first time that happened and I hadn't been out the door! I was captivated.

That was the moment I became a “designer”.

And I was good. Despite average marks in maths and science, I would repeatedly come top of my class for design and went to university to pursue my passion. I spent my free time learning and practising.

After graduating, I took on a couple of design roles, but wasn't excited by the projects I was working on.

So, I started teaching design instead. And this is where my passion for training was born. It wasn't long before I was redesigning my inherited training materials. I started designing classroom training and presentations and moved on to interactive courses and explainer videos.

The combination of design and training was the perfect fit. The design element whet my creative appetite, whilst the focus on training meant I was doing something meaningful.

I had found my calling!

Solutions to Outcomes

Despite improving my skills, learning new tools and experimenting with different training approaches, I had a nagging feeling I wasn't fulfilling my potential. Yes, my solutions were functional, looked the part and aligned with what I was asked to design. In fact, I don't remember a time when my manager or client wasn't happy with what I delivered.

But design isn't just about aesthetics and functionality. It's about solutions that create change. And my designs weren't doing that.

Of course, I would see impressive course completion data and read surveys with positive comments. But there was rarely anything meaningful.

Not only was I missing proof in the value of my designs, but I was also lacking recognition. I was working long hours and management was apathetic. The business didn't invest in training. I would rarely receive a pay rise or bonus.

This is when I started looking inwards. Perhaps I was the problem? Maybe I'm not as valuable as I thought?

Time to put my ego to one side.

Designer to Consultant

This was a seminal moment in my career. No more burying my head in the sand. It was time to take responsibility for delivering results instead of designing solutions. Or suffer another decade of frustration.

It became clear that in order to deliver more effective outcomes, I needed to be more involved in the initial analysis of the projects.

This is where my career as a designer ended, and my career as a consultant began. I started to serve my clients by consulting with them to uncover the real reason they want training, before designing a solution.

Obviously, the solution is important. You have to know what to recommend once you've identified what you're trying to achieve. And in most circumstances, you’ll need to design it too. Having knowledge about training design during needs analysis is really valuable.

But it's also naive to assume that training is the solution to achieving all business goals.

Nowadays, I think of myself as a "Consultant" instead of a “Designer”. Even though I’m still heavily involved in the design phase, I can offer clients far more than just design.

But has anything really changed?

Well, my work is more satisfying. I feel like I'm making a tangible difference to the organisations I work with. And when I do have the opportunity to design solutions, it's amazing to know that those designs have a great chance of making an impact.

All this has led to stronger relationships, repeat business and an ability to command higher fees.

And most importantly, meaningful change for my clients.

Conclusion

The switch from designer to consultant hasn't been easy. It didn't happen overnight. In fact, it's been a process that's taken several years. My self-identity was so wrapped up in being a designer, I struggled to let it go.

In fact, I don't think I was mature enough to have made the decision when I was younger.

But the truth is, I'm far more excited about changing the world than designing pretty slides. And the best part is that I can still do that when the need arises! But I can now do that in a more meaningful way.

If you're a learning designer, feeling frustrated with your progress, have a think about your own situation.

• How wrapped up is your identity in being a "designer" or "developer"?
• Has becoming an expert with a specific technology or platform become more important than everything else?
• Are you focused on solutions or outcomes?

Of course, there will always be a place in the world for talented specialists, who want to focus on their craft. I'm not suggesting everyone should follow this path.

But I hope my story will help you if you’re at a crossroads.

Note: Many people use the term 'consultant' interchangeably with 'freelancer' or 'external contractor'. I.e. someone who works outside of an organisation. I disagree with this. I believe that you could and should have consultants, focused on strategy and needs analysis, working internally within an organisation. Most do not have this expertise in-house, which leads to ineffective training.

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