Learning Subscriptions Transform One-Time Buyers into Loyal Learners

Disney+, Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime—you can bet a few of these names show up every month on members’ credit card statements. Yet they’re still buying professional development from you one transaction at a time. You’re processing registrations like it’s 2010 while members are clicking ‘subscribe’ for everything from meal kits to meditation apps. Instead of operating a transactional learning business, adopt a model that helps you build long-term relationships with your professional development customers. With learning subscriptions, you support professional growth, deepen engagement, generate revenue, and make a bigger impact on the lives of your members and customers. Learning subscriptions turn occasional purchasers into lifelong learners.

Why Do Learning Subscriptions Appeal to Members and Customers?

For subscribers, learning is no longer a sporadic event. Learning subscriptions help them embark and stay on a continuous journey of professional growth. When they want to indulge their curiosity or address workplace challenges, they have immediate access to self-directed learning in your content library.

With a subscription, learners explore programs without risk. They can repeat a program. If life gets in the way, they can quit a program without guilt, knowing they can return to it another time without incurring any additional expense.

Subscribers only have to get budget approval from their employers once, not every time a new need or desire arises. Learning subscriptions are especially valuable for people whose employers don’t pay for association memberships but will pay for professional development.

Why Do Employers Pay for Learning Subscriptions?

Some employers have a hard time seeing how association membership benefits their company, but they understand the value of skills training for their employees. Employers appreciate having access to a reliable, trusted source of training for new hires and employees. By making an investment in learning subscriptions, they demonstrate their commitment to employee growth, which enhances their talent recruitment and retention efforts.

A single annual purchase is much easier for everyone involved, from supervisors to HR and accounts payable teams. Employees access learning without having to make repeated authorization requests.

What Are the Benefits of Learning Subscriptions for Associations?

Learning subscriptions help your association fulfill its mission by:

Learning subscriptions enhance the membership value proposition when offered as part of a membership tier.

As you shift from a transaction- to relationship-based model, subscriptions strengthen a learner’s loyalty to your association. Why would they go elsewhere if they’ve already prepaid for education?

Associations CFOs love the recurring revenue—and starting the year with predictable (deferred) revenue already in hand. In an ASAE Collaborate forum discussion, a trade association CEO said their growing six-figure subscription revenue stream is “like printing money.” Revenue is up 300% and learner engagement is up 200% for another association after launching its learning subscription.

Here’s a simple exercise that shows how they’re printing money: How many of your customers buy from you one year but not the next? Imagine retaining just 25% more of them, year after year. That’s the compound power of subscriptions.

Subscriptions also present new sponsorship opportunities. For example, industry partners could sponsor learning subscriptions (or scholarships) for early-career or rising star professionals.

With a steady stream of learner data, you’ll finally have the insights to decide what courses to develop next and which ones to sunset. 

How Do Associations Price Learning Subscriptions?

Survey members about their learning and content consumption preferences and their willingness to pay. Many associations base their initial subscription pricing on the average annual customer spend on educational products.

Start with one subscription option or consider offering tiers (basic, pro, and premium) if the needs and desires of different member and customer segments vary widely.

Charge non-members more for learning subscriptions. Use the same pricing differential as your other products and events.

Offer corporate pricing to encourage training partnerships with industry employers—a lucrative source of revenue for many associations.

How Do Associations Select the Content Included in Learning Subscriptions?

Many associations include their entire learning catalog (with a few exceptions) in the subscription. If you offer a tiered subscription, you might only include compliance, entry-level, and foundational programs, including early-career microcredentials, in the basic tier.

Typical exceptions include:

What Are the Essential Features of a Learning Subscription?

Netflix wouldn’t last long if they only updated their catalog once a year. Subscribers expect a fresh catalog of content. Schedule regular content development, releases, and updates throughout the year.

Send out monthly targeted ‘new release’ notifications, just like Netflix, except yours feature AI skills instead of true crime documentaries. Make personalized recommendations based on member/customer behavioral and demographic data.

Make sure your learning management system (LMS) is mobile-friendly, so subscribers can learn on the go, whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them.

Ask subscribers to opt in to automatic subscription renewals, like other subscription services. Send automated reminders of their approaching renewal date.

What’s Involved in Launching Learning Subscriptions?

You don’t need 3,000 hours of content to start. One association launched its subscription with just 5 courses and generated $25,000 in new revenue. Start where you are.

Gather a cross-functional team—colleagues from the education, membership, IT, marketing, and finance departments—to help you assess the viability and design of your subscription program.

Improve content metadata, such as titles, descriptions, and tags to improve search functionality and personalized recommendations. Eventually, create thematic collections and learning pathways for different market segments.

Develop marketing messaging that emphasizes the value proposition for different segments of prospective learners and their employers.

Develop a plan to regularly add and update content. Deliver new content more quickly with the financial investment of industry partners and the help of external learning design firms, like Apti.

Ensure your LMS and/or association management system is capable of managing subscriptions, including purchases and renewals.

With learning subscriptions, you’re not just making a pricing model change. You’re shifting how your association thinks about and serves its education customers. Instead of one-off sales, you’re building ongoing relationships by engaging and nurturing subscribers throughout the year. Your team has to think differently about success. Instead of focusing on courses sold, your success metric is subscribers recruited and retained.

Let’s Discuss Your Association’s Learning Plan

Every association that’s breaking revenue records with subscriptions started exactly where you are now—curious but cautious. If you’d like to discuss your current learning business and possible paths forward, please contact us for a free 20-minute consultation.

Beyond Content: How a Dedicated Learning Experience Designer Transforms Performance and Potential

In today’s fast-paced world, learning is more crucial than ever. But simply providing information isn’t enough anymore. We’ve all encountered “info dumps”, or courses that pile on facts without truly engaging us, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and uninspired. At Apti, we believe learning should be an experience that moves you, connects with your goals, and genuinely sparks growth. That’s where the magic of a dedicated learning experience designer comes in.

We go far beyond just technology, focusing on the powerful human element that drives real learning and lasting change. For us, a truly effective learning experience begins with understanding you; the learner, the organization, the aspirations.

The Learner’s Journey Begins With Empathy

At the heart of every human-centered learning experience lies empathy. An Apti learning experience designer doesn’t just look at what information needs to be conveyed; they delve into the unique journey of each learner. Who are they? What challenges are they facing? What truly excites them about gaining new skills or understanding a complex topic?

We listen to understand, truly hearing your needs and the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of your team. This deep connection allows us to craft solutions that resonate on a personal level, ensuring the learning isn’t just received, but deeply felt and absorbed.

It’s about building authentic human connections at every touchpoint, making the complex seem easy and accessible.

Igniting Motivation and Emotional Connection

Once we understand the learner, the next step is to ignite their motivation and forge an emotional connection.

We firmly believe that learning starts with hearts, not just smarts. Our learning experience designer meticulously designs every interaction, every story, and every challenge to captivate attention and inspire action.

This means moving beyond passive content. We integrate engaging narratives, interactive elements, and meaningful scenarios that allow learners to explore, experiment, and apply knowledge in ways that feel relevant and rewarding.

We’re curious risk-takers, always looking to find innovative ways to make learning unforgettable and truly compelling. The goal isn’t just comprehension; it’s inspiration that leads to real behavioral change.

From Experience to Lasting Impact and Transformation

The ultimate aim of an Apti learning experience designer is to create lasting impact. It’s about transforming raw potential into tangible performance.

We don’t just deliver a course; we craft a journey to foster genuine understanding and practical application. When learners feel engaged, motivated, and emotionally connected to their learning, the results are profound.

Our dedication to you is for the long haul. As your trusted creative companion and loyal friend, an Apti learning experience designer ensures that the learning journey continually optimizes opportunities for growth, adapting and refining until the desired transformation is not just met, but exceeded.

We make collaboration easy, simplifying your journey at every turn, because our shared success in building truly effective learning experiences is our top priority.

This focus on the learner’s journey and emotional connection isn’t just our philosophy; it’s increasingly recognized as the cornerstone of effective modern learning.

As organizations continually seek ways to not only upskill their workforce but also foster a culture of continuous growth, the strategic input of a dedicated learning experience designer becomes invaluable. It’s about building a future where every learning moment truly impacts performance and unlocks new levels of potential.

For deeper insights into the evolving landscape of learning, you might find this article from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College helpful. It directly discusses how human-centered learning experiences drive engagement through empathy, collaboration, and accessibility, which aligns with our approach.

Connect With a Learning Experience Designer Today

Moving beyond content is about embracing the full potential of human-centered design. It’s about recognizing that truly impactful learning touches lives, inspires action, and drives measurable results.

If you’re ready to transform your team’s performance and unlock their full potential with learning experiences that truly resonate, we’d love to connect. Let’s explore how a dedicated learning experience designer from Apti can be your guide on this exciting journey.

Tell ‘Em You Used AI: Navigating Transparency in Learning Experience Design

As tools like Articulate Rise, Articulate Storyline, and ChatGPT increasingly weave AI into the fabric of learning design, it’s become harder to tell where the human stops and the algorithm begins. This lack of clarity in the use of AI in eLearning​ can raise questions for learners about credibility, authorship, and control. For designers, it presents an ethical challenge, and a professional opportunity.

This article explores how AI shapes learning experiences behind the scenes, why transparency matters, and how designers can communicate AI’s role effectively without disrupting the learner journey. 

Where AI Shows Up in LxD 

AI is already influencing how we design and deliver content, whether learners realize it or not. Its contributions range from overt to invisible, with each posing unique implications for transparency and trust.

Visible Use of AI in eLearning​

Designers often rely on AI for:

Tools like Rise’s built-in AI tools have made these uses increasingly accessible, with results that may potentially be easy to identify, especially for learners familiar with AI’s tone and structure. 

Behind-the-Scenes Use of AI in eLearning​

Some of AI’s most powerful effects happen quietly:  

For AI-powered adaptive modules, learners may notice their course path shift after a quiz without any context provided. Without disclosure, they may assume the platform is responding arbitrarily, which could potentially affect the learner’s performance. 

Why Transparency About AI Matters 

LXDs are more than content creators, we’re curators of knowledge which requires us to be trustworthy and credible. Failing to disclose AI’s role may potentially undermine the learning experience, so it’s important to cook up a game plan about how to address AI’s role within your work to the learner. 

Supports Learner Agency

Learners who understand how and why their experience is being shaped are more likely to engage. Research in learning science shows that transparency and agency may be supporting retention. Clarity empowers users to feel in control of their learning journey—even when it’s being optimized for them. 

Enhances Credibility

Most learners can now recognize AI-generated content. When AI contributions are presented as original human work, it risks impacting the learner’s perception of the integrity of the course. Clear attribution reassures learners that content was intentionally designed and responsibly reviewed.

Promotes Ethical Design

Credit matters. Just as we cite research or consult SMEs, disclosing the use of AI in eLearning respects intellectual transparency and avoids misrepresenting authorship, particularly in academic or compliance-driven contexts. 

How to Communicate AI’s Role 

Transparency should feel intentional and LXDs can incorporate small but strategic disclosures that inform learners without overwhelming them. If visuals, scripts, or assessments were generated with the help of a tool like ChatGPT, designers can acknowledge that tactfully within the course. For example you could say: 

“Portions of this module were created using AI tools and reviewed by instructional designers.”

“We built this module with generative AI for initial drafts. Subject matter experts reviewed, fact-checked, and edited all content before publishing.” 

Here’s some additional tips for disclosure:

1. Use Direct, Jargon-Free Language

Depending on your audience (corporate learners vs. academic learners are going to require different approaches) avoid overly technical explanations. Instead, focus on simple statements that explain what AI did:

“We generated this feedback with an AI tool that reviewed your quiz responses.”

“We updated your learning path using insights from your recent performance.”  

2. Integrate Touchpoints into the Experience

Choose moments where it feels natural and layer them where they make the most sense:

Example:

“You may have noticed a new module appeared after Quiz 2. Our system used your performance data to help guide you toward areas where you can grow.” 

3. Visual Cues 

For learners skimming content, consider icons or hover-over labels to identify AI-generated sections. These micro-interactions promote transparency without derailing the flow. 

Final Thoughts 

The use of AI in eLearning is here to stay, and its influence in learning design will only grow. Designers should openly acknowledge when and how they’re using it to protect credibility, build learner trust, and strengthen the overall learning experience. 

As AI becomes a more prominent tool in the learning designer’s toolkit, let’s focus on crediting it thoughtfully and intentionally, with respect to the learner’s experience. Not everything needs a neon label, but learners and stakeholders can benefit when they understand the mechanics behind what’s shaping their learning experience.

At Apti, we’re exploring ways to support the integration of AI transparently and ethically within the realm of Learning Experience Design. Interested in learning how else we’re putting learner trust at the forefront of our work? Contact us today!

We developed this article with the assistance of ChatGPT. A human editor revised and reviewed it to ensure clarity, accuracy, and alignment with ethical LxD best practices. 

Questions to Guide Ethics of AI in Learning Experience Design

Artificial Intelligence is inescapable.

Much like the dot-com boom of the 1990s and the rise of Silicon Valley in the early 2000s, AI has become a defining force in today’s technological evolution. Across industries, AI is streamlining complex processes and reducing the time required for tasks that once demanded hours of manual effort. For those of us working in learning experience design (LXD), AI is quickly becoming a part of our creative and strategic toolkits.

The promise of AI in learning and development lies in its ability to make our work more efficient. It allows LXDs to focus more on high-level design thinking while letting the technology handle repetitive tasks. In many ways, this promise is being realized. AI is helping us research content, generate visual assets, analyze learning data, and personalize experiences in ways that were difficult to scale before.

Ethical Use of AI in Learning and Development

At the same time, AI’s integration into LXD comes with responsibilities. As with any powerful tool, thoughtful use is essential.

As more learning environments incorporate AI, we must ask: How do we use AI tools responsibly? How do we ensure they serve our learners and uphold the values that define quality learning experiences?

The following questions can serve as a guide for learning designers navigating the ethical use of AI.

Question 1: Am I Protecting Learner and Client Data?

Data is the engine that powers AI. Every prompt, click, and interaction contributes to the learning systems we build and the decisions our AI tools make. In LXD, this data often includes sensitive information about learners, such as their progress, engagement metrics, performance trends, and personal identifiers. It may also include proprietary client content or internal subject matter expertise.

This is why privacy must remain a top priority. When adopting AI tools, take the time to explore how each tool collects, stores, and manages data. You should be aware of what kind of data is being shared, who can access it, and whether it is being used to train broader AI models. Some tools store user data to refine their algorithms, which can pose risks if not properly managed. Choose platforms that align with strong privacy practices and provide transparency around data usage. In many cases, anonymizing or removing identifying details before inputting content into AI systems is a smart precaution.

By safeguarding learner data, we’re reinforcing trust with the people we serve.

Question 2: Am I Actively Auditing and Mitigating Inherent Bias?

AI is built on data, and data often reflects human tendencies, with all of its progress and all of its prejudices. AI systems can unintentionally replicate those biases, reinforcing stereotypes or excluding certain voices. Within LXD, this can manifest in seemingly small but meaningful ways. Examples of biased AI in learning and development include the wording of automated messages, accessibility of content, the diversity of characters in AI-generated images, or the recommendations made in adaptive learning platforms.

Example: This image was generated by ChatGPT with the prompt, “Americans sitting around a conference table.” Notice how it doesn’t include any people of color, therefore not accurately reflecting the diversity of the modern United States.

Designers should remain vigilant about where these tools source their data and what assumptions are embedded in their outputs. Regularly review content generated with AI, whether it’s text-based or visual. This can help catch biased or exclusionary content before it reaches learners. Involving a wide range of perspectives during the design and review process is equally important. Diverse teams and feedback loops reduce the likelihood that blind spots will go unaddressed.

Mitigating bias requires an ongoing commitment to listening, learning, and improving our systems as new challenges emerge.

Question 3: Am I Being Transparent About AI’s Role?

AI is often most visible when used for front-end tasks such as research, content drafts, scripting, and visual asset creation. However, many of its functions operate behind the scenes. Adaptive assessments, automated feedback, and learning analytics dashboards may all involve AI beneath the surface. While this level of support can greatly enhance the immersion of the learner experience, a lack of clarity around AI’s role can lead to confusion or mistrust.

Transparency helps learners understand what is influencing their learning journey. If LXDs use AI to generate personalized feedback or suggest resources, they should communicate that fact clearly. Learners are more likely to engage meaningfully with their content when they feel informed and in control.

Designers can also help demystify AI by offering plain-language explanations of how these tools work. This could include a short overview within the course or a visual walkthrough of how AI tailors their learning path. These small touches build confidence and reinforce the credibility of the learning experience.

Question 4: Am I Ensuring the Learning Experience is Still Human?

Simply stated, the value of AI is that it helps save time. AI in learning and development expedites the repetitive tasks required to build learning experiences, such as drafting content or organizing materials. AI tools allow learning designers to redirect their energy toward more thoughtful and creative aspects of the process.

However, when LXDs rely on AI on too heavily, it can result in learning that’s created efficiently but ultimately lacks depth. Without human involvement, LXDs can lose the emotional and contextual layers that make learning meaningful.

That’s why it’s essential to use AI with intention. Rather than blindly handing AI the reins, ensure a human stays in control, someone who can guide the direction and ensure the experience reflects real understanding. This helps prevent learning from feeling like a paint-by-number course built by a machine. Instead, it creates something that fosters a genuine human exchange of knowledge and ideas.

Using AI in Learning and Development with Integrity

Artificial Intelligence is here to stay, and it has the potential to evolve beyond what we can imagine today. This makes it all the more important that, as AI becomes more integrated into learning experience design, we take the time to carefully consider the ethics involved in its use.

By focusing on protecting data, addressing biases in algorithms, openly communicating AI’s role to learners, and maintaining a thoughtful balance between AI-driven efficiency and human insight, we can unlock AI’s benefits while safeguarding learners and promoting fairness and integrity. This approach helps ensure that AI strengthens the quality and trustworthiness of learning experiences.

As AI in learning and development continues to grow, navigating its ethical use with integrity is paramount to building trust and fostering meaningful engagement. At Apti, we believe in a human-centered approach, where AI thoughtfully enhances every learning experience, ensuring it connects with hearts, inspires action, and drives real behavioral change.

Are you ready to explore how to blend innovative technology with unwavering human insight to create transformative and trustworthy learning experiences? We’d love to be your trusted creative companion. Let’s build something exceptional together.

From Info Dump to Brain Boost: Help Your SMEs Shine 

Subject Matter Experts are invaluable to associations because of their deep, specialized knowledge. But turning their expertise into concise and engaging eLearning content often proves challenging. SMEs naturally want to share everything they know, which can result in overwhelming learners with information overload. For associations aiming to deliver impactful online education, the key lies in guiding SMEs to distill their expertise into targeted, practical, and learner-friendly modules. 

Here are three effective strategies associations can use to help SMEs translate their expertise into engaging eLearning experiences: 

Clearly Define Learning Objectives 

When SMEs begin creating content, they’re often tempted to include extensive detail. The antidote to information overload is having clear, concise learning objectives from the start. Associations should collaborate closely with SMEs to identify what learners must know and be able to do upon completing each module. Each objective should be specific, measurable, and directly related to real-world applications. 

For instance, instead of allowing SMEs to broadly cover every detail of a complex topic, associations should help them articulate focused objectives such as, “Upon completion, learners will accurately perform X task,” or “Learners will confidently explain the steps involved in Y process.” Clear objectives help SMEs prioritize essential information and keep their content relevant and practical. 

Employ Instructional Design Principles 

While SMEs are experts in their fields, they might not be familiar with instructional design. Associations can bridge this gap by introducing SMEs to basic instructional design principles. Techniques such as chunking content, utilizing multimedia effectively, and integrating interactive elements can transform overwhelming information into digestible, engaging lessons. 

For example, rather than lengthy documents or lectures, SMEs can break content into bite-sized segments, each focusing on a single concept or skill. Associations might also encourage SMEs to include visuals, brief videos, quizzes, or scenarios that allow learners to practice applying their knowledge. Applying these principles ensures content remains learner-centered, interactive, and memorable. 

Foster Collaboration Between SMEs and Learning Specialists 

The most impactful eLearning occurs when SMEs and instructional designers or learning specialists collaborate effectively. Associations can facilitate this partnership by establishing a clear workflow that involves regular communication, feedback loops, and joint content reviews. SMEs can provide raw expertise, while learning specialists ensure the material remains accessible, engaging, and aligned with best educational practices. 

Regular check-ins or collaborative sessions can prevent SMEs from unintentionally drifting into overly technical or exhaustive content. For example, SMEs might initially draft comprehensive notes, which learning specialists then review and restructure into learner-friendly formats. By working together, SMEs and specialists ensure that every piece of content delivers value without overwhelming the audience. 

Putting it All Together 

Turning deep expertise into effective eLearning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By clearly defining learning objectives, employing instructional design best practices, and encouraging close collaboration between SMEs and learning specialists, associations can develop targeted, practical, and engaging educational content. 

The outcome is a win-win: SMEs effectively share their knowledge, and learners receive impactful, applicable training experiences. These strategies empower associations to deliver valuable online learning that enhances member skills, boosts confidence, and strengthens overall engagement. 
 
Ready to transform your association’s eLearning content? Let’s chat about how we can team up with your SMEs to create courses that really connect and stick with your learners. 

Instructional Design vs. LXD—What’s the difference

Designing effective learning today means navigating a landscape that’s always shifting. Learners bring different goals, experiences, and expectations—and they engage across devices, settings, and stages of life. With that complexity, the way we design for learning has had to evolve. 

Two terms often come up in that conversation: Instructional Design (ID) and Learning Experience Design (LXD). People naturally assume they’re the same thing. Is LXD just Instructional Design with a facelift? 

Not exactly. 

LXD builds on the foundation that ID (originally Instructional Systems Design or ISD) established, but it pushes further into emotion, engagement, and the full experience of learning. It reflects a shift in how we think about what learning is and how it feels. 

This article explores how the two approaches connect, where they differ, and why that distinction matters, especially for those designing learning that’s meant to make an impact. 

What is Instructional Design?

The formal origins of instructional design trace back to the high-stakes environments of World War II. The U.S. military faced an enormous challenge: training thousands of individuals quickly, with consistent results, and little room for error. Psychologists and educators were called in to develop systematic methods of instruction that would yield predictable performance. 

Laying the Foundations: Task Analysis and Learning Objectives

This need led to the development of task analysis, learning objectives, and step-by-step instructional methods. These early efforts laid the groundwork for a more formalized design process that would continue to evolve in the decades following the war.

Among those who helped shape the field was Robert Gagné, whose Nine Events of Instruction, developed later, provided a structured framework for supporting attention, retention, and learner performance. His work aligned with behaviorist thinking, particularly the belief that learning could be measured through observable outcomes and shaped by reinforcement. 

Expanding the Field: Bloom, Glaser, and Mager

Post-war and into the 1950s and 1960s, other influential figures included Benjamin Bloom, whose Taxonomy of Educational Objectives offered a way to classify learning outcomes by cognitive complexity, and Robert Glaser, who advanced early thinking around learning and instruction, as well as individualized learning.

An additional figure, Robert Mager, played a key role in shaping how instructional goals were defined, introducing a systematic approach to writing clear, measurable learning objectives that linked directly to assessment and performance. 

The Rise of Models: ADDIE and Scalable Instruction

By the 1960s and 1970s, instructional design had expanded into corporate training, government initiatives, and academic programs. The ADDIE model—Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate—emerged during this period, credited to work by the Florida State University Center for Educational Technology under a U.S. Army contract.

ADDIE offered a repeatable, systems-based process for building instructional materials and quickly became a dominant framework. Its structure allowed organizations to scale learning programs across regions and roles, particularly in sectors like healthcare, aviation, and education, where procedural knowledge and compliance mattered. 

A Cognitive Shift: The 1980s and Beyond

The cognitive revolution of the 1980s brought refinements to instructional design. As cognitive psychology gained influence, designers began to consider how learners processed and organized information, not just how they behaved. This added depth to ID models without abandoning the structured approach. The goal remained the same: help learners reach defined outcomes as efficiently and reliably as possible. 

Learning Experience Design: Digital Opportunity 

While instructional design continued to serve traditional learning needs, cracks began to show, especially with the rise of eLearning in the 1990s and 2000s. Organizations started moving training online, often by simply uploading slide decks or turning lectures into videos. The results were underwhelming. Learners disengaged, and completion rates dropped. Despite investing in digital tools, many organizations found their training didn’t stick. 

It became clear that something was missing: a deeper understanding of how people engage with digital content, and why they choose to continue learning in environments where no one is watching. 

The Rise of UX Design in Learning

Enter the influence of user experience (UX) design, which had been reshaping technology, websites, and apps for years. UX professionals prioritized empathy, iteration, and simplicity. They researched users’ behaviors and pain points, tested prototypes, and designed with the end-user in mind from the very beginning. 

Around this time, design thinking also began gaining ground, especially in Silicon Valley and innovation-focused education settings like Stanford’s d.school. This approach emphasized creativity, problem framing, prototyping, and—most importantly—starting with empathy for the user. 

The Birth of Learning Experience Design (LXD)

Educators and instructional designers began borrowing these ideas, and Learning Experience Design (LXD) began to emerge as a distinct practice. It expanded beyond organization of content, but transitioned into crafting meaningful stories to help convey learning outcomes in a way that motivated people to reflect and apply what they’d learned.  

Learning experience design emerged from within the broader evolution of instructional design, as digital learning environments began to expose the limitations of traditional, one-directional instruction. Rather than growing from centralized mandates, LXD took shape through practice, designers and educators applying principles from UX, design thinking, and learning theory to create more engaging, human-centered learning. It wasn’t a rejection of instructional design, but an expansion shaped by the demands of modern learners and the affordances of new technology. 

What These Models Assume About Learners 

Instructional design begins with goals. It defines what learners should know or do by the end of a course, and then builds backward to support that outcome. This approach works best when you can measure performance clearly. Systems support the learner by helping to guide, test, and reinforce behavior in a structured way. 

LXD takes a different route. It begins not with outcomes, but with the people themselves—their backgrounds, emotions, motivations, and needs. The learning environment grows beyond a simple task, but becomes a complete experience to move through. Designers look for ways to create relevance and agency, using storytelling, interactivity, and reflection to keep learners engaged and emotionally present. 

Instructional designers often define success by what the learner can demonstrate immediately after the learning. In learning experience design, success includes how they connect to the material, how they feel about their progress, and whether the experience stays with them long after it’s over. 

The Theoretical Backbone 

Instructional design has long relied on models grounded in behaviorist and cognitive psychology. Gagné’s Nine Events, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and the ADDIE model all support structured, measurable, and repeatable systems. They’re incredibly effective when you need order, like when you’re teaching someone how to follow safety protocols or use a new software tool. 

LXD, by contrast, is shaped by theories that emphasize exploration, meaning-making, and motivation. Kolb’s experiential learning cycle encourages active experimentation. Design thinking brings in iterative testing and empathy-driven research. Self-Determination Theory, formulated by psychologists Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, suggests that learners thrive when they feel autonomous, competent, and connected. These frameworks align more naturally with environments where learners have choices and where their emotional investment makes all the difference. 

The Right Approach 

Instructional design gave the field of learning a strong foundation. It brought intentionality to the design of instruction, helping educators and organizations structure content around clear goals and measure whether those goals were achieved. That foundation continues to support much of the work being done today, especially in settings where consistency, efficiency, and accountability are essential. 

Learning experience design extends that foundation. It grows from the same principles, but pushes further into how learning actually feels, what draws someone in, what makes something memorable, what inspires change. It reflects a broader view of what it means to learn, and a deeper understanding of the emotional and cognitive dimensions that shape that process. 

Instructional Design and LXD: A Seamless Evolution

Rather than representing two different approaches, LXD builds on what instructional design began. The tools, models, and structures remain relevant, but they’re now being used in ways that better reflect the complexity of the modern learner. Where instructional design asks, what do we need to teach, learning experience design adds, how can we make this matter? 

In practice, that shift allows learning designers to bring intention to both the structure and the experience. It’s no longer just about delivering information effectively, but about designing experiences that connect with learners and stay with them beyond the course of training. That kind of learning creates real possibilities for growth. 

Bring Learning to Life with Apti LXD

In the world of learning, it’s no longer just about delivering information; it’s about crafting experiences that truly connect, inspire action, and stay with people long after the session ends. That’s the heart of Learning Experience Design.

If you’re ready to move beyond simply teaching and start designing learning that deeply matters and genuinely transforms performance, we’re here to help. Let’s talk about how Apti’s unique approach to LXD can bring your vision to life and create exceptional results, every time.

Reach out to us anytime to start a conversation about what’s next for your learning initiatives.

How AI Can Power Storytelling for Learning Experience Designers

From the dawn of time, storytelling has been the foundation of how we learn. Before we ever developed written language, we passed down knowledge through oral traditions, folklore, symbols, and cave paintings. It’s how hunters taught younger generations to track prey, how families shared wisdom across lifetimes, and how cultures preserved their values. Storytelling was our first teacher—and it still is.

Today, we’re witnessing a shift. Artificial intelligence, often seen as rigid and technical, is stepping into this deeply human space. It’s becoming a helpful co-creator, expanding the possibilities of how we simulate and shape narrative experiences. Especially in the world of learning experience design (LxD), AI is offering new tools to help designers build immersive, emotionally resonant environments that adapt to learners’ needs.

Let’s explore AI in elearning, specifically how it is supporting storytelling today, and what learning designers can take from it.

AI Dungeon – Fantasy Adventures

Originally developed by Nick Walton in 2019, AI Dungeon began as a text-based, AI-powered dungeon crawling game that let users type anything they wanted and watch a story unfold in real time. The tool uses natural language generation to build expansive, open-ended narratives, responding to user input with flexibility and emotional range.

What made it go viral wasn’t just the fantasy setting, it was the freedom. Players could create any kind of character, world, or conflict and explore infinite outcomes without being constrained by pre-written scripts. Whether it was befriending a dragon or becoming a time-traveling pirate, AI Dungeon let people engage with the story as a co-creator rather than a passive reader.

For learning designers, AI Dungeon demonstrates how open-ended, choice-driven storytelling can promote curiosity, intrinsic motivation, and exploration. It’s a sandbox model that gives learners narrative agency, an essential ingredient in designing adaptive scenarios, simulations, or problem-based elearning. The system doesn’t just react to input, it builds a world around it, encouraging critical thinking and creativity.

Boords – Storyboard AI

Boords is a popular AI-powered storyboard generator originally designed for creative professionals in film, animation, and advertising. However, its robust toolset makes it a valuable resource for learning experience designers looking to visually structure training modules, video lessons, or interactive scenarios.

Users enter a text prompt or upload a script, and Boords generates visual storyboard panels complete with consistent characters, camera direction, and scene sequencing.

Boords offers AI-powered text-to-panel generation, character consistency, and collaborative tools that make it useful for learning designers despite being built for videography and animation. It allows for fast visual prototyping of learner journeys or scenarios, reducing the need for complex tools. Designers can use Boords to align early with stakeholders by visualizing abstract ideas like workplace challenges, while AI-assisted shot suggestions help communicate emotional tone, such as empathy or urgency, before full production.

While not created with LXD in mind, Boords allows teams to test and refine learning flow visually, making it easier to focus on narrative clarity and emotional engagement when creating engaging learning experiences.

ChatGPT – Dialogue Assistant

ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, is a conversational AI that responds to natural language prompts with context-aware output. For learning experience designers, it’s a practical tool for drafting dialogue, building instructional content, and simulating learner interactions in a variety of contexts—all key components in elearning development.

Designers can use ChatGPT to explore different tones, model decision points in role-play scenarios, generate alternative responses without manually scripting every variation, and create visuals in varying styles to support the story. It’s especially useful during early design phases, where speed and flexibility are key to shaping content. ChatGPT can also be used to prototype different branching narrative paths. Although it doesn’t support long-term character memory, ChatGPT helps designers create learning materials that feel fluid, realistic, and ultimately support a more engaging learning experience.

Charisma.ai – AI-Powered Branching Narratives

In a BBC-backed workshop, writer Alys Metcalf was introduced to Charisma.ai, a tool that allows users to create interactive, emotionally responsive stories where characters remember, react, and evolve based on user choices. In just two days, she built a branching narrative about an artist manager whose client had gone missing before a concert; each of the player’s choices affected whether or not their client performed.

Charisma stands out for its sentiment analysis and memory features, allowing characters to shift tone or perspective based on how users interact with them. Designers can script personality traits, relationship dynamics, and emotional boundaries, and the tool’s natural language interface gives learners the freedom to engage in unscripted conversation.

For learning experience design, Charisma is more than a storytelling platform, it’s a training ground for empathy. In simulations involving ethics, counseling, management, or patient care, the emotional nuance and responsiveness of the platform create opportunities for reflective, personalized elearning. It opens the door for learners to directly involve themselves in the narrative by engaging in meaningful, sometimes uncomfortable dialogue that mirrors real interpersonal challenges.

IdeaMap AI – Structuring Personalized Learning Narratives

IdeaMap is an AI-enhanced visual brainstorming platform that helps teams generate, organize, and refine ideas in mind-map form. It uses OpenAI for idea generation, provides collaboration features, and includes visual mapping support.

For learning designers, IdeaMap can serve as a dynamic narrative-planning tool. By inputting learning outcomes and scenario prompts, teams can use the generated mind maps to structure ideas for branching narratives and plot character arcs, making story logic visible and editable before scripting or storyboarding.

This visual, collaborative format is especially useful during early-stage curriculum design or scenario planning. For example, a team building a leadership training module could use IdeaMap to sketch out multiple learner pathways. Each path could branch into dialogue moments, ethical decisions, or team reactions, giving the designer a top-down view of complexity before diving into production. IdeaMap supports both creativity and alignment, making it easier for teams to refine story-driven learning at scale.

Conclusion: What Learning Designers Can Take Away

Each of these tools, whether building fantasy quests, workplace dialogue, or immersive simulations, shows how AI can deepen the emotional and narrative dimensions of learning. For learning experience designers, it allows us to design emotionally responsive learning experiences that give learners agency, explore diverse storytelling, offer opportunities for reflection, and expand our horizon in regards to the lessons we can deliver through nimble storytelling.

As AI in elearning continues to evolve, we have the opportunity to shape it–and ensure the stories we build are meaningful, engaging, and deeply human.

Interested in co-creating a learning experience of your own? Let’s connect.

Grow Your Association’s Learning Portfolio with Sponsored Online Courses

Delivering the education your members need is a must, but it’s tough to do when their needs keep changing in response to new technology and market conditions. Many associations lack the resources required to develop and deliver new online courses to meet these new demands. But your competition does.

And that competition is even closer than you think. Member companies regularly host webinars, workshops, roundtables, user conferences, and even credentialing programs for your audience. The good news? These companies aren’t just your competition; they’re a solution too.

Member companies want to share their expertise with your members and customers. They prefer to be known as industry experts, not just suppliers. Help them help both of you. Bring them on board as sponsors of new online courses and educational programs.

The new sponsorship model

Traditionally, associations generate non-dues revenue by inviting member companies to sponsor various aspects of an event. Companies purchase bronze, silver, or gold sponsorship packages that include a mix of advertising, logo displays, signage, and shout-outs from the podium. Higher-priced packages include the sponsorship of coffee breaks, receptions, charging stations, hotel keys, or lanyards.

But over the past few years, sponsors have realized their marketing dollars are better spent on year-round partnerships with associations instead of a few days of visibility at a conference. They’re prioritizing relationships with associations that give them opportunities to share their expertise throughout the year in online educational programs and content.

How associations benefit from the new sponsorship model

Sponsors have the resources your team needs: money, expertise, and time. Sponsorship consultant Bruce Rosenthal said, “Beyond revenue, one of the value propositions of a corporate partnership is providing content your members want, but your association doesn’t have the expertise or capacity to offer.” These revenue partnerships bring other benefits too.

Expand your learning portfolio. Design and deliver new online courses without taking on additional financial risk or hiring new staff.

Budget for professional learning design. Thanks to sponsorships, you don’t have to take a DIY approach to instructional design. You can afford to hire experts to create engaging online learning experiences—the kind of experiences members talk about.

Tap into partner expertise. Consultancies and product/service suppliers are industry and market experts who understand emerging challenges, trends, and solutions and can help your association respond to real-time industry disruptions. They have access to research and data. They offer specialized expertise your volunteer SMEs may not have.

Alleviate volunteer fatigue. Many of your valuable volunteer SMEs are burned out, but too loyal and kind to say “no.” Give them a break by supplementing their contributions with the fresh expertise of a sponsor. Sponsorship is a marketing initiative for member companies. They will gladly make the time to serve as online education program consultants, instructors, facilitators, moderators, coaches, advisors, or mentors.

Amplify your marketing. Sponsors want the entire industry to know about the new course you’ve developed together. They will spread the word via their own email, advertising, retargeting, and social campaigns.

Generate new revenue. Sponsorships more than cover the costs of the programs you’re developing together. You can also count on revenue from registration and licensing fees.

Sponsored programs are appreciated by all involved. Members get the education they need right now. Sponsors get to share their expertise, boost their reputation, and build new relationships—that’s a much better ROI than the usual marketing tactics.

Examples of sponsored online courses and programs

Sponsors help you fill the content gaps in your online learning portfolio.

Online courses

Webinars

Workshops

Microcredentialing programs

Learning cohorts

How a sponsored online course comes together in real life

A tightened budget at a state construction association caused its staff to look at new funding sources for its online education programs. Members wanted programs on specific topics, but the association didn’t have the budget to meet this demand quickly enough.

After seeing a member company promote a webinar on new building codes, the team realized they had untapped expertise and sponsorship dollars within reach. Together, the association and company came up with ideas for courses and microcredentialing programs that members and employers would support. They started with an asynchronous introductory course on building codes.

They worked with an outside firm on the design of the course, which came together more quickly than any other in the past. Staff from the sponsoring company made guest appearances as instructors throughout the course.

Both the association and sponsoring company promoted it heavily, with a focus on recent graduates, community college students, and early-career industry professionals. Group discounts were offered to large contractors. Registrations exceeded expectations because many subcontractors purchased the course for new hires. Now, the association and sponsor are working on a series of stackable microcredentials covering all the state building codes.

Next steps for getting started with a sponsored education program

Identify the gaps in your learning portfolio. Conduct a learning needs assessment for your members and market. Talk to employers about skills gaps in the workforce. Consult with a learning experience design firm that can help you with needs assessment tools and findings.

Identify potential partners. Talk with existing and prospective high-dollar sponsors about their marketing goals, expertise, member needs, and ideas for sponsored programs. Find out which ones are capable of helping your association take its online learning portfolio to a new level.

Develop a partnership framework. Develop, document, and agree on guidelines and policies concerning:

Run a pilot program. Collect feedback from everyone involved: learners, instructors, sponsor staff, and association staff. Make changes to improve the program and partnership before offering it again.

Successful online courses combine sponsor expertise, association oversight, and professional learning design. If you’re considering a new online learning program, we’d love to talk: contact@hiapti.com.

Why Leadership Should Prioritize Inclusive Training To Empower Their Organization

In today’s dynamic and diverse workplace, leadership must do more than just support inclusion; they must champion it. This is especially true when it comes to learning and development. Inclusive training is no longer a “nice to have” initiative, but rather a strategic action that drives employee engagement, draws top talent, inspires innovation, and improves organizational performance.

In this article, we explore why leaders should not only support but also lead the charge in making training inclusive and how doing so benefits everyone involved.

What Is Inclusive Training?

In simplest terms, inclusive training ensures that learning experiences are accessible, equitable, and meaningful for all employees, regardless of intrinsic characteristics or backgrounds. It removes barriers that may prevent people from fully engaging and creates space for a variety of voices, perspectives, and learning preferences.

This includes:

Why Should Leadership Drive Inclusive Training?

As a leader, you set the expectations and tone for how your team, peers, and organization engage with and impact the world. Here are some reasons why leaders must drive inclusion in their organizations’ learning initiatives:

It Signals Organizational Values from the Top Down

When leaders prioritize inclusive training, they send a clear message: You are valued here. This makes people feel more comfortable with sharing ideas and gets everyone invested in their organization’s success.

Leadership’s visible commitment shows that inclusivity isn’t just an HR issue—it’s a leadership and business imperative.

It Builds Trust Across Teams

Employees are more likely to trust and engage with a workplace where they feel included and valued. When training reflects a range of experiences and learning needs, it shows that everyone’s growth matters, not just those in the majority, or people who have been deemed as “operation-critical”. This builds psychological safety and encourages more open, collaborative environments.

It Fuels Innovation and Better Decision-Making

Inclusive learning environments foster diverse participation, resulting in richer discussions, broader perspectives, and more effective solutions. When training programs invite and prepare people from all walks of life to contribute meaningfully, the organization becomes more adaptable and innovative.

It Improves Retention and Engagement

A lack of inclusive learning opportunities often leads underrepresented employees to feel overlooked, disengaged, or underdeveloped. Inclusive training, on the other hand, makes people feel invested. It drives higher retention rates by showing that advancement and skill development are available to everyone.

It Future-Proofs the Workforce

The workplace of the future will only grow more diverse, and inclusive training ensures that the future workforce will feel welcomed and ready. By giving all employees the tools and confidence to thrive, you’re building resilience, agility, and long-term capability across your teams.

What Can YOU Do As A Leader?

Building and driving inclusive training requires intention, and leadership is key to sustaining it. Here’s how leaders can make a difference:

Leadership’s ROI On Inclusive Training

When leadership drives inclusive training, the whole organization wins. Teams become more connected, individuals feel more empowered, freely expressed ideas become innovations, and the company becomes better equipped to navigate the complexities of today’s world.

Inclusion in training isn’t just about fairness; it’s about unlocking the full potential of every employee to create stronger outcomes for all. Because when people are included, they learn more. And when people learn more, an organization can only grow stronger.

Are you ready to create inclusive learning experiences that truly engage and transform your workforce? Partner with Apti to design emotionally-engaging, experiential training programs that make every employee feel valued while delivering the exceptional performance results your organization needs. Contact us to start today.

10 Signs Your Company is Ready for Custom eLearning Solutions

Strong training helps great teams thrive. Whether you’re onboarding new hires or helping your current staff upskill, thoughtful learning experiences give your employees the confidence to grow in their roles and take on challenges with ease. And as your company evolves, your training can evolve with it.

Standardized courses and instructor-led learning can be a good place to start, but if you’re looking for learning that reflects your brand, supports your growth goals, and overall mirrors the way your teams work every day, it may be time to explore something more personalized.  The good news? Custom eLearning isn’t just for big corporations. It’s for any organization that values meaningful learning and wants to get more from their training investment.

Here are 10 signs your company is ready to take training to the next level with custom eLearning:

1. Your team is ready for learning that feels more engaging

If your training experience could be more dynamic or relevant, custom eLearning can bring it to life. By weaving in real-world scenarios, interactive elements, and storytelling, learning becomes something employees look forward to and content that sticks because it matters to their day-to-day.

Example: Increase learner engagement with interactive branching scenarios based on real customer interactions. Not only do you get learners who are connected to the material, but they are better prepared to tackle real-world challenges they may encounter.

2. You’d love to simplify your training resources

It’s easy for training to become a messy collection of slide decks, PDFs, and scattered video links, but custom eLearning can consolidate that into a neat package. Custom eLearning brings everything together in one seamless experience, so learners can focus, stay organized, and get what they need easily, improving efficiency.

Example: Instead of emailing slide decks to new hires and tracking completion manually, everything is housed in a custom eLearning platform that is automated and easy to monitor.

3. You want custom compliance training that’s easy to manage

In industries with frequent updates or changing regulations, staying current matters. Custom eLearning makes it easier to update content, track progress, and ensure everyone’s on the same page. It gives you peace of mind knowing your team is learning what’s most important, right when they need it.

Example: Instead of scheduling live sessions every time a regulation changes, your team accesses an up-to-date digital module that rolls out new requirements instantly.

4. Your company’s tools, goals, and values are unique

No two businesses run the same way.  With custom eLearning, you can design content around your tools, your language, and your expectations, while also making your company culture part of the learning experience.

Example: Training is built around your proprietary process, connecting your team more deeply to their work.

5. You’re growing, and your training needs to grow with you

Whether you’re hiring more people, expanding globally, or launching new roles, custom eLearning can make growth smoother. It should be built to scale, with tools like role-specific modules, translation support, and built-in progress tracking that help everyone stay on the right path.

Example: New hires at your new location in a different time zone access consistent training through self-paced, translated eLearning modules.

6. Leaders are looking for different results

When leadership wants to see more impact from training, custom eLearning can help deliver it. Tailored learning experiences make it easier to build in real practice, offer feedback, and track performance improvements, so you can see the difference your training is making in your team.

Example: Managers review learning management system dashboards to track skill development and see where additional support is needed.

7. You want custom training to help solve real challenges

Every business runs into sticking points. Maybe it’s a process that’s often misunderstood or a service standard that needs to be reinforced. With custom eLearning, you can build training that speaks directly to these areas and gives your team the tools to improve day-to-day performance.

Example: Specific modules are created to address common custom service issues and coach on tone and de-escalation strategy.

8. Your team needs quick answers

If employees are often reaching out with repeat questions, they probably need faster, easier-to-find resources. Custom eLearning gives you the option to build short, searchable content like microlearning modules, video walkthroughs, or internal FAQs, helping your team stay independent, collaborate company-wide, and remain efficient.

Example: Employees use a searchable video library to refresh on how to submit expense reports or use new tools.

9. You want training that reflects your brand

Your brand isn’t just something for customers; it’s something your employees should feel too. With custom eLearning, you can bring your brand’s look, voice, and values into every part of your training. That consistency builds stronger team alignment and reinforces what your organization stands for.

Example: Modules feature your brand—including colors, tone, and company values—ensuring the message gets across and it remains consistent

10. You care about long-term growth and development

Long-term growth requires strategic planning. Custom eLearning gives you reusable, scalable content that helps your employees grow with your company. It’s a smart investment in the people you want to keep and develop, with a long shelf life to boot.

Example: A career development path is built into the platform, offering tailored content for individual growth.

Is It Time to Customize?

Custom eLearning exists for more than just making your marketing team happy; it’s an intentional, thoughtful way to support your workers directly. It helps you meet people where they are, stay aligned with your growth goals, and build training that makes a difference.

If any of this sounds familiar, now might be the perfect time to rethink your learning strategy. When you invest in custom eLearning, you’re investing in your people and in the future success of your organization.

Want to explore what’s possible?
We’d love to help. Reach out to us, and let’s talk about creating a training experience that fits your organization perfectly.