by Denise Zdunyck

With knowledge at our fingertips, we sometimes forget the beauty and power of connecting with other people. When like-minded people gather to share their insight and experience, the room comes alive.

On Oct. 28, 2015, ATD-OC welcomed award-winning eLearning designer, Kevin Thorn, for an evening of “Tapas, Wine, and Storyline.”  The evening had almost a fireside chat feel to it as Gloria Hays expertly guided the conversation with Kevin. Sitting in the audience, we felt we were as much a part of the conversation as the star speaker.

Listening to Kevin, one gets the feeling that it is possible to attain one’s dreams even when unsure where those dreams lead. Kevin learned Storyline basically on a dare. And, in his stories, he dares us to dream and think bigger – or at least differently.

Kevin shared tales about how something as simple as doodles became the logo for his company, Nuggethead Studioz^tm, along with insightful perspectives on process design.

Through that story, and several others, Kevin encouraged eLearning developers to “think differently about their design” -- to think through the behavior of what they want their learners to experience -- the user experience. Focus on this, and design from this. Too often, Kevin shared, individuals building programs ask development questions when they should be focusing on design questions.

One of the questions asked by Gloria prompted a lively discussion amongst the group. She asked “[Do you have] any tips for how to get the stakeholders involved in the eLearning review cycle, earlier in the Design process?”

In the subsequent discussion, one guest in the audience insightfully leveraged her Executive Experience saying: “Tell them nothing. Ask them everything”.

Not only is Kevin Thorn a Storyline Star, he’s genuinely a nice guy. He took the time to talk with all of the participants who approached him, he answered questions, told fun stories, and, to top it off, he described ATD-OC’s hospitality as “exceptional.”