Design starts with a question: Why great learning begins with discovery
When I moved from my career as an English language (ESL) educator to teaching design, I brought practical experience with learners and formal training in accreditation programs. While this program helped to create a foundation for understanding learning theory and teaching methodology, I developed a design approach with many years of practical learners. Long before I entered the field of educational design, I was developing learning experiences centered around real-world communication needs, but I learned to start with problems.
In my ESL education experience, I relied on clear and confident English communication and worked with business professionals who successfully requested roles. I wasn’t relying solely on frameworks or buzzwords. I focused on understanding their challenges and creating materials that met their immediate needs. That learner-centered thinking is the basis for how to design a learning experience.
Many educational design projects claim to be learner-centric, but rush to a solution without first clear understanding of who the learners are, what they are experiencing, and the barriers that could hinder success. This trend skips the discovery stage and does not start with problems is usually not due to a lack of care, but rather a broader pattern to symptoms instead of identifying the root cause.
It’s not a matter of carelessness. It’s a habit of assuming we already know the problem. Without a thoughtful discovery phase rooted in curiosity and empathy, even the most sophisticated solutions could be scarce by overlooking deeper reality learners actually contesting while treating surface symptoms.
I have noticed that designing based on indirect assumptions about learners’ needs is fundamentally different from understanding those needs directly. Relying on incomplete insights runs the risk of building solutions that appear on paper but actually fail. It’s like drawing a map without walking through the terrain. What’s the result? It sounds logical, but it’s a training that will miss out on things that are really important.
What “learners need” really makes sense
“Learner needs” is a phrase we often hear, but it is reduced to superficial data points: rating scores or content preferences. In practice, a truly understanding of learners’ needs requires a richer, more nuanced approach to get a sense of the full context of learners’ challenges, motivations and environments beyond surface-level metrics. To unlock this further, some common design pitfalls reveal where a deeper understanding of learners’ needs is often lacking due to important factors that are usually overlooked or misunderstood. These include:
1. Content Context: Without context, content is flat
It’s important to know what learners don’t know, but it’s more than that to understand what they do every day. In my ESL education, flow ency was not about grammar drills or client vocabulary diversification. It was to allow experts to lead the meeting, engage in close business transactions, and communicate their thoughts and feelings clearly in English.
The interests were high, and success was dependent on how real-world challenges and study material matched. The same applies to educational design. If you ignore contexts such as work roles, workplace culture, and communication norms, your solution risks feeling general or irrelevant. Context-related requests ask whether training truly supports learners’ daily tasks and unique situations.
2. Stakeholder-led is not always learner-centric
Now I have to be honest and say that some education designers are acting as order takers and creating exactly what they demand without any issues. Stakeholders may require instructor designers to develop courses such as “specialized communication skills for impact and impact” or “5-module time management program.” These trainings often miss the mark as non-end users stakeholders may not fully understand or communicate the real challenges faced by learners.
Stakeholders often review employee metrics, suppose they identify root issues, and bring in the instructor designer to build training to address these perceived gaps. Although intentional, these efforts often become scarce, as they start with the problem and do not rest on untested assumptions. Stakeholders may think they understand what they need, but they overlook deeper issues that remain unresolved.
Despite good intentions, these initiatives often miss marks by relying on unconfirmed assumptions. Stakeholders may feel confident in their understanding of the problem, but they overlook more complex and fundamental issues that truly affect learners’ performance. This is where education designers need to be intentional research partners in the learning process, not just delivering content.
3. Cognitive load and cognitive compatibility
Identifying learners’ needs is just the first step. The way that information is provided is equally important. Minimizing cognitive overload is important, but equally important is achieving cognitive fit. It involves adjusting how learners naturally think and process content structure. We found that even well-organized content could fail if it did not reflect the learner’s mental model or decision-making process.
For example, simple linear compliance decision trees may appear clear, but often contradict the complex, unpredictable decisions learners encounter in real life. Without cognitive compatibility, training risks being irritated and confused rather than empowering learners.
4. Language Accessibility
In multinational environments where English is often a second language, language accessibility is an essential yet often overlooked factor. Speak fluent English speakers can easily overlook the ways in which complex languages can hinder others’ understanding.
I’ve learned to ask: do I use idioms and terminology that I don’t translate? Is my language unnecessarily dense or formal? Can visuals and examples make the message clear? Clear and respectful communication is not “silly” content, but creating truly inclusive learning with reduced barriers and respect for diverse linguistic backgrounds.
5. Looking down on emotional needs
One of the biggest pitfalls of educational design is the neglect of learners’ emotional experiences. Corporate training often focuses on content and metrics, but when learners are worried, frustrated or released, they don’t stick to even the best material.
We must ask: Does this design build confidence? Do you expect moments of confusion or disappointment? Do you allow safe failures and encourage trial and error? Emotional safety and confidence are not options for learners, especially those navigating second languages and unfamiliar environments, but are essential for engagement, understanding and long-term success.
The focus of learners is at the heart of effective design
The central teaching design is our job: serving those involved with learners. Although stakeholders may define initial demands, it is important to look beyond these surface commands and start with problems to uncover the learner’s deeper challenges, contexts and needs through thoughtful discovery and analysis.
Prioritizing the learner’s perspective allows you to design solutions that support meaningful growth and performance, rather than chop up boxes, even when mediated through stakeholders. This learner-first mindset is the foundation of effective design, starting with asking the right questions before building a single slide or interaction.
As a formal trained education designer with experience in learner-centered teaching, I am committed to applying these best practices thoughtfully from the start. Educational design is an iterative process based on reflection, curiosity, and commitment to creating engaging and supporting learning experiences related to learner goals.
Looking ahead, we will continue our conversation on the pitfalls of educational design
This article is the first in an ongoing series that explores the general pitfalls of educational design and how to address them with thoughtful, learner-centric strategies. If any of these insights resonate with your organization or reflect the challenges you have seen in your training program, I welcome the opportunity to connect.
As an education designer and e-learning developer with a background in ESL and adult education, I bring about a practical and inclusive approach shaped by real-world experiences and a deep commitment to success for learners. Work together to create a learning solution that is not only well-made, but also truly impactful.
