Shaping Learner-Centered Design

Traditionally, instructional design focused mainly on the content, technology, and delivery approach. However, these elements often overlook understanding our learners, their profiles, and what drives their learning experience.

Learners have diverse needs and desired outcomes, from improving job performance and gaining industry-recognized certification to self-improvement and personal fulfillment. However, the difficulty lies in the uncertainty of accurately identifying the value we create for our learners and addressing the needs of each project. Hence, there is a need for a shift in focus to promote a deeper understanding of our learners, hence the development of the Learning Proposition Canvas (LPC).

Learning Proposition Canvas

The Learning Proposition Canvas was developed by instructional designers Maksym Korniichuk and Galiya Dautbayeva.

Drawing inspiration from value proposition, a concept introduced by Alexander Osterwalder, we created a tool explicitly tailored for learning and development initiatives.

Osterwalder's Value Proposition Canvas focused on understanding customers' needs and crafting products or services that meet those needs to create value. Adapting this concept to learning and development, we created a tool to effectively align learning solutions with learners' needs and goals.

The LPC is divided into two main sections: the Learner Profile and the Learning Proposition.

1. The Learner Profile forms the heart of the LPC. It is where we delve into understanding the needs, challenges, and goals of our learners. The Learner Profile is composed of three key elements: Learner Jobs, Learner Pains, and Learner Gains.
2. The Learning Proposition section is where the magic happens, where we align learning strategies with the needs and goals of our learners. The section is composed of three key elements: Learning Solutions, Pain Relievers, and Gain Creators.

Learner Profile

In the LPC framework, understanding the learner's profile is the first step to designing a potent learning experience. The Learner Profile provides a comprehensive snapshot of the learners, their needs, obstacles, and what they hope to gain from the learning process. With insights on Learner Jobs, Pains, and Gains, we can craft a learning proposition tailored to address specific learner needs.

Learner Jobs

Learner Jobs refer to the specific tasks, problems, or needs that learners aim to address through the learning process. They fundamentally dictate what learners hope to achieve. Jobs are typically categorized into four types: functional, social, personal, and supporting.

Functional Jobs

Functional Jobs are directly related to the learners' daily tasks and responsibilities. This category may further be subdivided into knowledge acquisition (understanding principles or theories), skill development (learning how to use a tool or software), and attitude adjustments (fostering a continuous learning mindset).

Example: For an IT professional, a functional job might involve learning Python to automate tasks.

Social Jobs

These are about the learner's social recognition. Achieving certifications and engaging in industry forums or conferences can improve reputations and networking opportunities.

Example: A software developer may wish to earn a certification to gain recognition in their field.

Personal Jobs

This category focuses on personal growth. Everything from pursuing leadership roles to enhancing problem-solving skills falls under Personal Jobs. These jobs are more about self-improvement and personal fulfillment.

Example: A manager might have a personal job of improving their leadership skills to advance their career within the organization.

Supporting Jobs

Supporting Jobs enhance and facilitate the learners' educational experience. This involves everything from preparing for a course to applying learned knowledge and managing the learning process.

Example: Before engaging in a data science course, learners may need to revisit basic statistical concepts or even learn a new programming language.

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Trigger Questions for Identifying Learner Jobs

• What specific tasks or problems are the learners facing that they need to address during the learning process?
• Why do learners want to undergo this training? Is it to expand their skill set (functional), gain recognition (social), achieve personal growth (personal), or prepare/manage their learning (supporting)?
• What do learners aim to accomplish by the end of this training?

Learner Pains

Learner Pains are the frustrations, obstacles, and challenges that learners face in their learning path. They can be categorized into undesired outcomes, problems, obstacles, and risks.

Undesired Outcomes and Problems

These reflect the negative experiences, frustrations, and inefficiencies that learners may encounter in their learning journey.

Example: Learners may often find the learning content too complex and needs more simplicity and clarity.

Obstacles

Obstacles refer to barriers that prevent learners from fully engaging or benefiting from the learning. These can be anything from time constraints, technical issues, or limited resources.

Example: Time constraints can often be a significant hurdle for learners, as finding a balance between work commitments and learning could be challenging.

Risks

Risks are potential negative consequences that learners may fear could occur during or after the learning process.

Example: One of the common fears among learners is the inability to apply the knowledge they have learned in their actual jobs, which can lead to a waste of time and effort.

Trigger Questions for Identifying Learner Pains

• What specific negative experiences or challenges have learners reported from their previous learning experiences?
• What might prevent learners from effectively engaging in the learning process?
• Are there any consequences or risks that learners fear might occur due to the training?

Learner Gains

Learner Gains refer to the benefits and positive outcomes that learners expect or desire from the learning process. These could be required, expected, desired, and unexpected gains.

Required Gains

Required Gains represent the fundamental, non-negotiable outcomes learners must achieve from their learning experiences.

Example: After a compliance training program, learners are required to pass the end-of-course assessment to confirm they understand the rules and regulations.

Expected Gains

Expected Gains correspond to the standard outcomes, the basic improvements learners expect from their learning experiences.

Example: After a sales training course, learners would expect to acquire new sales strategies to improve their sales performance.

Desired Gains

Desired Gains represent additional non-essential outcomes learners would love to achieve. These are the outcomes over and above the basic requirements and expectations.

Example: While undergoing technical training, learners might desire to form networking relations with their peers for future opportunities.

Unexpected Gains

Unexpected Gains are those surprising benefits that learners did not anticipate but find valuable. These gains often emerge as pleasant surprises and significantly enhance the learner's experience.

Example: A learner did not expect to uncover a passion for a specific field after attending a general training course.

Trigger Questions for Identifying Learner Gains

• What mandatory outcomes are learners expected to achieve from this training?
• What benefits or improvements do learners anticipate as a result of this training?
• Are there any additional benefits or outcomes learners hope to achieve from this training?
• What surprising benefit could be an unexpected gain for learners that they may not have anticipated?

By identifying and understanding Learner Jobs, Pains, and Gains, instructional designers can tailor learning experiences to meet the specific needs and preferences of learners, thereby fostering more effective and engaging learning experiences.

Learning Proposition

After comprehending the learner's profile, the focus shifts to creating a suitable learning proposition. The Learning Proposition is where strategic alignment occurs. Here, we map out learning solutions tailored to address the pains and facilitate the gains identified in the learner's profile. The Learning Proposition is the action plan, incorporating learner-centric strategies to deliver a meaningful and impactful learning experience.

Combining the insights from the Learner Profile with the actions in the Learning Proposition creates a holistic, fine-tuned approach to learning design that acknowledges and addresses learner needs and preferences while delivering tangible outcomes.

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Learning Solutions

These specific training methods and materials will deliver the value proposition. This could range from formal learning methods like online and blended learning to informal learning like job shadowing and community engagement. Also, engagement and motivation techniques like gamification, scenario-based practices, live discussions, etc., should enhance the training program.

Examples

• A new project manager may learn informally by observing seasoned project managers in their organization.
• An intern could job shadow a senior developer to gain a practical grasp of coding practices.
• The organization could establish an internal forum for employees to exchange knowledge and experiences related to specific topics.
• Using gamification elements such as points, badges, or leaderboards can foster a competitive and engaging environment in a training course.

Trigger Questions for Learning Solutions

• What delivery method would best engage learners and facilitate their growth?
• Are there opportunities for both formal and informal learning in the program?
• How can technology and innovative techniques be leveraged to improve the learning experience?

Pain Relievers

These are the aspects of the learning solutions specifically designed to alleviate the identified pains during the learning process.

For example, these could be flexible learning schedules for those with time constraints, simplified explanations for complex concepts, or hands-on practice opportunities for better knowledge application.

Trigger Questions for Pain Relievers

• What features of the solution specifically address the learners' pain points?
• How can the solution be modified to better address learners' challenges?

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Gain Creators

These describe how our learning solution will lead to desired outcomes and benefits for our learners.

For example, these might include certification and career development, resources for collaboration, or personalized learning paths.

Trigger Questions for Gain Creators

• How does the solution contribute to achieving the desired gains?
• What aspects of the learning solution make it valuable and beneficial for the learners?

The intersection of Learning Solutions with Pain Relievers and Gain Creators ensures Learning Experiences are engaging and focused on tangible results, either by solving a problem (relieving pain) or achieving a goal (creating gains). Learning experiences become more impactful when these elements align, providing value to both the learner and the organization.

Conclusion

By aligning learning solutions to learners' needs, challenges, and goals, the LPC ensures that learning solutions are relevant, engaging, impactful, and value-driven. It moves from a focus on delivery to design, emphasizing the need to understand our learners' needs, alleviate their pains, and create the desired gains.

In essence, the Learning Proposition Canvas aids in a more learner-centered design of learning solutions, thus increasing the possibility of creating successful, impactful learning experiences. With an accurate understanding of learners' needs and the right solutions, the LPC approach guarantees improved employee performance, enhanced user satisfaction, and overall learning and development initiatives.

For a deeper dive into how the Learning Proposition Canvas can transform your instructional design approach, watch the video from our recent talk on this innovative tool.