Embrace Imperfection: Elevate Your eLearning with Allegro Media Design

How many times has it happened?

You set out to make minor updates to an old eLearning module…

Just update some text, remove a few pages that are no longer relevant, and republish. Or split an old, excessively-long module into standalone, bite-sized learning chunks.

The Reality of Course Maintenance

“It should just take an hour or two,” is nonchalantly, fatalistically bantered about while discussing the needed course edits.

The reality is the course is broken like Gordon Hayward’s ankle on opening night of last season. For non-NBA fans – it is broken like Garrett’s heart on The Bachelorette season 14 finale.

For non-reality TV fans – it’s broken like the healthcare system in the USA (sorry I went there).

Finding Zen in Imperfection

It’s safe to say that we learning & development pros can use all the zen moments we can get. It was a situation like this that made me really reach for the wheel of dharma, and I was not disappointed.

Not to get too theological, but I stumbled upon the concept of wabi-sabi and The 3 Simple Realities:

• Nothing lasts

• Nothing is finished

• Nothing is perfect

Wikipedia defines wabi-sabi as a world view centered on the acceptance and transience of imperfection; it is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence, specifically impermanence, suffering, and emptiness.

Does nothing define the career of L&D pros better than impermanence, suffering, and emptiness?!

But seriously, I thought about all the times that I wanted to do more with a course but ran out of time; the times I had ideas for more simulation and immersion that weren’t feasible because of technology and/or budget; I thought about that course that just nearly sent me into a downward spiral; and all the training I’ve ever created that has either met its shelf life and been retired, or is out there needing updates.

The 3 Simple Realities seem to have immediate relevance to eLearning development and maintenance, especially in the sense that wabi-sabi is a material representation of Zen Buddhism and eLearning is an attempt to connect learners to the real world via the abstract.

Rebuilding for Perfection

Having found some serenity through my changed perspective, it became obvious to me that I should rebuild the course from scratch, be spared the code gremlins and whatever bad voodoo was breaking the course, while also making the course more modern and consistent with current company branding.

Let Allegro Help

Next time you find yourself in this position, let Allegro help align your training’s chakras and put some qi in your CBTs. Allegro Media Design can work with you to produce and update polished Storyline, Lectora, or Captivate courses, or take the work off your plate while you focus on new training initiative or the million other things L&D professionals get tasked with.

Talk to us today, like RIGHT NOW; email Jeff. We’ll get nachos, and build you some kick-ass courses.