According to Computer Science professor and author of the New York Times bestseller, Digital Minimalism, Dr. Calvin Newport, Deep Work is "the activity of focusing without distraction on a cognitively demanding task." When in school and college, I spent so much of my time doing deep work. I didn't have as many distractions and I … Continue reading Deep Work Rules
Good Things Take Time
Recently, I watched a Google Talk by an eminent Graphic Designer. It was a fascinating talk about how MIT got its logo. What amazed me was the more-than-a-year long journey it took to arrive at the MIT family of logos. I find so many clients telling me with a straight face that they want their … Continue reading Good Things Take Time
Male or Female?
When it comes to an e-learning voice-over, which works better? A male voice or a female voice? Sometimes our preference for a particular gender for voice is driven by tradition and conditioning. It's hard to find men being enthusiastic about lotions and lipsticks. Similarly, I'm not sure if a female voice can be too successful … Continue reading Male or Female?
Educating the Parrot
As an e-learning designer, I am fully aware of the power of e-learning. But when people equate a wholesome education with smart classrooms, the latest gadgets and glitzy learning apps, I'm reminded of The Parrot's Tale by Rabindranath Tagore. In the story, a bird that was meant to fly is "educated" by caging it in … Continue reading Educating the Parrot
The Story of the E-Learning Storyboard – Part 2
In part 1 of this blog post, I gave you a brief history and background of the storyboard. In this part, I'll talk about the popular storyboard formats and the steps for creating an effective storyboard. I shall end the post with my top tips on storyboarding. Popular Storyboard Formats Today, the two most common storyboards formats in the industry are … Continue reading The Story of the E-Learning Storyboard – Part 2
The Story of the E-Learning Storyboard – Part 1
When I entered the e-learning industry, the concept of the storyboard fascinated me. Here was a document filled with graphics, dialogues and instructions that formed the crux of the entire e-learning development process. I quickly figured out that the storyboard is the most important tool of an instructional designer. If an ID has carefully conceived … Continue reading The Story of the E-Learning Storyboard – Part 1
Instructional design… so what is it that you do?
“What do you do?” I’m asked. “I am an Instructional Designer (ID)”, I murmur, patiently anticipating the inevitable part 2 of the question. Part 2 is usually one of the following: “Err… what does that exactly mean?”, “Instruction what?”, or worse “Industrial designer?” Over time, I have invented half a dozen responses to the all-too-familiar … Continue reading Instructional design… so what is it that you do?
