Free checklist. Real insights.

This checklist is for L&D professionals, instructional designers, and learning technology leads who are:

Evaluating a new SBL authoring tool and need a principled framework to compare options

Auditing existing content and want to understand why learners aren't engaging

Briefing a vendor or internal team, and need a shared standard to anchor the conversation

 Go through each section before you commit to any tool. If a platform cannot support the requirements of a particular section, then it’s not something sustainable to you in the long run. You shouldn’t have to design your courses around a tool.

Develop a creative brief for your design:

 Use it section by section as you plan each element of your scenario. Not every item will apply to every project, and that's fine. What matters is that you’re making deliberate design decisions.

 Go back through a scenario you've already built. Use this checklist to find out what is missing, what can be improved, and if the tool you’re using gives you enough resources to build your ideal scenario.

 Share this document before a build begins. It gives everyone a shared language and a concrete standard to work toward, replacing vague feedback like "it doesn't feel realistic" with specific, actionable feedback.

A checklist to help you develop the best learning scenarios for your employees


3 non-negotiable principles for scenario-based learning

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About

The tools might change, but the goal remains the same: helping people grow, learn, and perform better.

conversation with Stine Snekkenes exploring the evolving role of L&D

, one idea kept coming up again and again: Sometimes there’s a gap between how learning professionals describe their work and how the rest of the business understands it.

We speak in terms like “learning outcomes,” “engagement,” and “instructional design.”

We know those things are essential. But our stakeholders? They’re usually tuned into performance, productivity, and results.

That doesn’t mean they don’t value learning; it means they value what learning enables. And if we want to be seen as strategic partners (not order takers), we have to start speaking their language.

Pedagogy isn’t the problem, but it’s not the whole solution

. Good instructional design, grounded in how people actually learn, is foundational to the work we do. But, too often, we treat pedagogy like the goal when really, it’s the engine that gets us to the goal.

The shift happening in L&D right now isn’t about abandoning learning theory. It’s about connecting it more directly to performance.

If your course is beautifully designed, but no one uses what they learned? That’s not a win. If your simulation is wildly engaging but doesn’t move the needle on behavior or business outcomes? That’s a missed opportunity.

When I speak to organizations about their learning strategies, I often share something that often makes people uncomfortable:

“Most organizations don’t really care about learning. They care about what learning helps people do.”

It sounds harsh, but it’s actually freeing. It clarifies what success looks like.

Different stakeholders define “working” in different ways:

A compliance officer wants to know: “Did everyone complete it?”

A manager wants to know: “Did it help my team perform better?”

A business leader wants to know: “Did it drive results?”

None of them are asking if the instructional strategy was sound or if the learning objectives were aligned to Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Our job isn’t just to design effective learning experiences. It’s also to translate those experiences into a language the business understands and values.

Reframing a learning solution as a performance improvement initiative

Describing learner engagement as a readiness metric

Talking less about “skills” and more about capabilities

Reporting not just completions, but behavior change or time to proficiency

Here’s a quick shift in vocabulary that can help:

One of the biggest mindset shifts we can make is to see ourselves not as service providers, but as strategic enablers.

That shift happens in small, intentional ways:

Asking better questions in intake meetings

Understanding the KPIs that matter to stakeholders

Designing learning experiences around behavior and performance, not just content delivery

This is at the core of what being a learning leader looks like. Being a learning leader doesn’t require a fancy title; it requires a mindset that sees learning not as the end product, but as the means to drive something bigger.

Our roots in learning theory and instructional design are what make us effective. But the impact we make is only fully realized when we connect those roots to the outcomes our organizations care about.

This idea sparked a lot of energy during 

, and for good reason; it’s one of the most important shifts L&D professionals can make.

So let’s not abandon pedagogy. Let’s connect it more deliberately to performance.

Let’s not water down our expertise. Let’s translate it into something others see the value in.

Learning isn’t the goal. Performance is.
Learning is how we get there.

 constantly explores the convergence of learning and tech, demonstrating a profound commitment to transforming workplaces and enriching lives through innovative learning strategies. With 20+ years of experience in L&D leadership and consulting, he brings his passion to life in his daily work as a dynamic strategist, speaker, and writer, inspiring others to view their work through a fresh, tech-enhanced lens. He is the former Chairman and CEO of the Learning Guild.

Missed the webinar? This was just one part from a conversation that touched on strategy, design, and even quick-fire questions (like what David would be doing if he wasn’t in L&D). If this sparked your curiosity, you can watch the full recording 

Get started with We Are for free

 The best way to know is to try it.

Curious how interactive, scenario-based learning can change the game for your team?

Performance. Productivity. Results. That’s the language business leaders care about. But is everyone in L&D fluent… or do we sometimes get stuck in “learning-speak”?

In this guest piece, David Kelly, with over 2 decades in L&D leadership, makes the case for going bilingual — helping learning professionals connect great instructional design with business performance. David breaks it all down for you here.

Pedagogy meets performance: Speaking the language of the business

Making training impossible to ignore is the dream. Yet, one of the biggest challenges in instructional design is keeping learners engaged. People might sign up for a course or start an e-learning module — but how do you keep them interested enough to continue?

Many are struggling to crack the code. But, the award-winning instructional designer, international keynote speaker, author, and CEO behind 

 knows better and goes beyond the basics. In a recent We Are webinar, expert Hadiya Nuriddin, shared 3 strategies to captivate and motivate learners:

 And here’s a summary of how these 3 learning engagement strategies can turn training from a passive experience into something learners want to be part of.

Episodic learning keeps learners wanting more


Think about what keeps you hooked on a great TV series. It’s not just the information. It’s the suspense, the structure, and the feeling that you need to know what happens next.

“Can we steal from what serial television does and apply it to learning? Absolutely.”​

That’s the idea behind episodic learning: instead of presenting everything at once, break training into smaller, connected lessons that unfold over time.

To apply episodic learning in instructional design, consider these best practices as described by Hadiya:

 Each module should naturally lead into the next.

End sections with a challenge, an open question, or a problem to solve next time.

Keep it digestible and thereby easier to retain.

When training content is designed like an unfolding story, learners want to return because they’re invested in what happens next.

Rhetoric makes training leave a lasting impression

“A rhetorical appeal is a persuasive strategy used in communication to inform the public by targeting their emotions, their logic, and their ethics,” describes Hadiya.​

How information is framed can make the difference between a forgettable lesson and a powerful one. Hadiya explains that rhetorical appeals enhance engagement because they help learners see the relevance of their learning​.

3 rhetorical appeals for instructional design

By using rhetorical techniques, instructional designers can create more engaging corporate training that sticks with learners long after the course ends.

Using scenarios encourages learning application

Scenario-based learning transforms training from passive consumption into active decision-making. 

“I want learners to feel like, ‘I lived that experience already. It’s easier for me to take it back on the job.’”​


For example, see this We Are Story that puts learners in a high-pressure leadership situation where they have to give timely feedback:

An immersive learning experience (Story) for leaders on how to give feedback


Instead of just reading about a topic, learners make choices, solve problems, and see the impact of their decisions.

Want to create your own scenario-based learning content? 

Start for free with We Are and build your first interactive Story today.


As described by Hadiya, “the best thing you can do for a scenario… is to create a situation where people recognize themselves and the people they're seeing on the screen. That's not Samantha going through that. That's me going through that.”

This approach keeps learners engaged while building confidence in real-world problem-solving.

Hadiya is the CEO and Chief Learning Strategist at Duets Learning, a learning and development consultancy in Chicago. She is an award-winning talent development professional with over 20 years of experience in the field, she helps clients create effective, engaging, and interactive learning solutions that support their organizational goals and needs.


Watch the full We Are webinar featuring Hadiya diving into learning engagement strategies

Unlock the secrets to truly engaging learning experiences with insights from Hadiya Nuriddin, MA, MEd. Discover practical strategies that keep learners invested, motivated, and coming back for more.

Captivate and motivate learners like a pro: Expert engagement strategies

Whether you’re looking for fresh learning design strategies, practical AI applications in L&D, or new ways to engage learners, these sessions have you covered with insights, inspiration, and innovations.

AI-powered microlearning: Strategies for quick course creation

Need to build engaging microlearning modules fast? Don’t miss these 60 minutes with instructional design pros. In this webinar, Senior Instructional Designers. Anna Poli from 

 and Stine S. Snekkennes from We Are Learning will explore leveraging AI-powered tools for immersive, interactive storytelling.

3 engagement strategies to motivate and captivate your learners

Is your training falling flat? Learn how to design content that pulls learners in and keeps them hooked. This webinar features award-winning instructional designer Hadiya Nuriddin, CEO and Chief Learning Strategist at 

. This author and international keynote speaker will dive into amazing engagement strategies such as making training episodic and emotionally compelling, and how to create scenarios that truly hit the mark. Plus, this session includes a behind-the-scenes look at how these techniques come to life with We Are. Powered by AI.

Creating next-generation training: 4 expert insights into immersive, scenario-based learning

Hear from one of the most respected voices in learning experience design, Christy Tucker. In this interview, she sits down with Stine S. Snekkenes at We Are Learning to discuss:

What scenario-based learning is and why it works.

The key elements that make scenarios effective.

How AI can support and enhance scenario development.

For more from Christy, check out her blog: 

 — all about building engaging learning experiences.

5 key insights into instructional design and corporate training in an AI world

AI is shaking up how courses are designed, but what does that mean for instructional designers? In this thought-provoking conversation, you’ll hear from Dr. Robin Sargent, founder of

, author, and a Top 100 Learning Influencer in the instructional design community. She dives into how AI is being used across different stages of instructional design, plus what it can’t replace. Expect a candid discussion on balancing technology with human expertise and how to future-proof your approach to corporate training.

You might also be interested in Robin’s take on 

From trends to tools: How to create scalable, engaging corporate training in 2025

Creating engaging corporate training is one of the biggest challenges for L&D teams today. AI is making it easier — but how do you implement it effectively? EdTech insider, Harald F.A. Overaa, a leading tech advisor and Account Executive at 

, sheds light on what’s happening in the AI space and how it applies to corporate training. Learn about real-world use cases, common pitfalls, and best practices for integrating AI into your learning strategy. 

This webinar also features an example showcasing how companies like XXL, a leading sporting goods retailer, can scale engaging, immersive learning experiences. Check out the Story, created in We Are:

Dive into expert insights on immersive learning, AI, and next-generation training in this webinar round-up for instructional designers.

3 non-negotiable principles for scenario-based learning

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Read next

Pedagogy meets performance: Speaking the language of the business

Captivate and motivate learners like a pro: Expert engagement strategies

5 webinars to empower instructional designers in 2025