My first date with Patti...

For the most part, I consider myself to be a "self-taught" instructional designer. Sure, I have a Masters and a certificate in Instructional Design, but for the most part, the tools and techniques I use have been discovered through trial and error. This morning I explored Patti Shank's website (www.learningpeaks.com) for the very first time. She is someone I have seen on the training circuit, but until now, I have never attended her presentations or read her work. Lo and behold: I share many of the same thoughts and practices. How can this be?

I'm sure there is a study/PhD program/theory/label for this phenomenon, but I'll call it "collective discovery". The fact that professionals in the same field, tackling very similar challenges, end up with very similar solutions. It's reassuring and yet disappointing. I'm not as genuinely creative as I think I am, but it's also reassuring to know I'm not crazy either. 

For now, I'm happy to be creative in my own way, but in a way that won't lead clients down the road to Learner Hell.  Thanks Patti - and thanks to every other professional wrestling with these common challenges. Cheers!