Last week, we successfully launched our new program series, "Inside the Design," and honestly, we’re still riding that wave of excitement! This series is all about pulling back the curtain and giving everyone a front-row seat to how top L&D professionals actually build and launch their standout programs. We’re giving ourselves a well-deserved balloon for this one—because we truly believe "Inside the Design" will shine a light on new pathways to success in the L&D field.
For our very first session, we had the pleasure of hosting the amazing author and speaker Amy C. Waninger.
Amy took us on a deep dive into the strategic, personal, and even emotional journey behind her program, Moving from Panic to Purpose. She didn’t just talk about the nuts and bolts—she opened up about the real-life experiences and challenges that shaped her approach. It was inspiring to see how a thoughtful, intentional design process can turn a concept into a program that truly resonates.
Curious about Amy Waninger's newest book? Check it out here!
Here is a recap of the top lessons our ATDOC community took away from the session on effective content design and strategy:
"They don't need to know all of the theory, and all of the frameworks, and all of the college courses we took to get to this point. Our job is to distill it to what's relevant." Amy Waninger
A core challenge for any expert is the impulse to share everything they know. Amy emphasized that successful content design means constantly focusing on the participant: The goal is not to tell people everything you know; the goal is to help people learn what they need to know.
Amy illustrated this focus with two simple questions that govern her instructional design:
"I might need that later is, like, my mantra." Amy Waninger
Just because content doesn't make the final cut for this program, it doesn't mean it's worthless. This strategy is tied to Amy's Input strength (a collector of ideas).
Instead of cutting valuable ideas forever, Amy maintains a section at the end of her manuscript called "The Dump". Anything edited out goes there so she doesn't "lose it out of [her] brain entirely".
This resonated strongly with attendees, with one noting:
"Amy, LOL about not throwing ANYTHING away! That trait is at once my strength (Input is in my Top 5) and my weakness!!!"
Amy doesn't view idea hoarding as a weakness, but an asset for anyone developing content in multiple mediums. What doesn't work in a book might be valuable in a live workshop, or a keynote.
"The feedback that I get most often is: 'Wow, you really shared a lot with us, and got us to trust you right away. Or you were really vulnerable, and that created a space where we could be too.' And I think sometimes in corporate, it's hard to be vulnerable. It's hard not to be guarded." Amy Waninger
The most difficult component in L&D is often designing for behavior change and managing the emotional resistance that accompanies it. Amy noted that L&D professionals often try to be very dispassionate and guarded, which blocks engagement.
Amy's advice for designing learning that drives real change is to lead with vulnerability:
Share Your Learning Pain: Talk about how you learned a thing, including ways your own strengths or professional assessments (like the IDI) have been underdeveloped or initially resisted. This creates the trust necessary for others to be vulnerable, too.
Extend Grace: Acknowledge that you may have participants who are "voluntold" to attend. For those who are emotionally stuck or need more time, offer dedicated "office hours" or a side conversation. This allows you to coach them through the emotional block and hold them accountable for growth.
Amy shared the beautiful story of her friend Deidre, who is a "balloon giver"—someone who always asks, "How did you celebrate that?". Amy vowed to be one herself, moving away from being a "balloon popper" (a person who makes fun of you for celebrating).
As L&D professionals, it’s easy to move quickly from one project to the next. Amy's story was a powerful reminder to pause, recognize the accomplishment, and celebrate the wins—big or small.
The Takeaway: Find that peer who "gets it" and be intentional about celebrating. Or: be your own "Deidre." We certainly gave ourselves a balloon after everyone signed off.
We hope you found valuable insights into taking your program ideas to market!
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