We have all been guilty of the “Field of Dreams” approach to eLearning: If we build it, they will learn.

We take the content from the SME, we shove it into a template, we publish the SCORM file, and we hope for the best.

But hope is not a strategy. And if your learners are disengaged, it’s not because they are lazy. It’s because the solution wasn’t designed for them.

Enter Design Thinking.

This isn’t just a buzzword from the tech world. It is a radical shift from being an “Order Taker” (who builds what they are told) to a “Problem Solver” (who builds what is needed). It merges the analytical with the creative to place the human being at the very center of the process.

Here is how to stop designing for content and start designing for people.

The 5 Stages: A Blueprint for Empathy

Design Thinking moves away from linear processes (like rigid ADDIE) and embraces iteration. It follows five distinct phases.

1. Empathise (The “Who”)

Most training starts with the content. Design Thinking starts with the human.

• The Shift: Stop assuming you know what the learner needs. Get out of your office. Interview them. Observe them in their natural habitat.
• The Goal: To feel their pain points. If they are stressed, rushing, and using an iPad on a train, a 60-minute desktop-only module is a design failure.

2. Define (The “What”)

Once you have the data, articulate the real problem.

• The Shift: The SME says, “We need a course on the new software.”
• The Definition: You realise, “Actually, the software is fine, but the users are terrified of making mistakes because the error messages are confusing.”
• The Goal: A clear Problem Statement that guides your design.

3. Ideate (The “How”)

Now, we brainstorm. No idea is too wild.

• The Shift: Don’t just open Storyline and start building Slide 1.
• The Goal: Quantity over quality. Sketch on whiteboards. Use sticky notes. Ask: “What if this was a game? What if this was a PDF? What if this was a podcast?” Divergent thinking leads to innovation.

4. Prototype (The “Draft”)

This is where L&D often fails. We tend to build the “Final Version” immediately.

• The Shift: Build a “Low-Fidelity” version. Sketch the interface on paper. Create a rough mock-up in PowerPoint or Figma.
• The Goal: Create something tangible that you can show to a human before you spend 40 hours developing it.

5. Test (The “Reality Check”)

Put your prototype in front of a real learner. Watch them try to use it.

• The Shift: Do not help them. If they get stuck, your design is broken.
• The Goal: valid feedback. If they hate it, you scrap it. It is better to fail here, with a paper sketch, than to fail after launch.

Your Design Thinking Toolkit

A carpenter needs a hammer; a Design Thinker needs a toolkit to structure the chaos.

• Personas: Stop designing for “The Learner.” Design for “Busy Bob, the 45-year-old Sales Manager who hates tech.” Personas keep you honest.
• Journey Maps: Visualise the learner’s emotional timeline. Where do they get frustrated? Where do they lose interest? This map reveals the “Moments of Truth” where your design needs to shine.
• Prototyping Tools: Get comfortable with tools like Figma and for brainstorming and interface mock-ups, and even pen and paper.

The Bottom Line

Design Thinking is not a quick fix. It is messy. It is iterative. It requires you to admit you don’t have all the answers.

But the result? You stop building courses that people have to take, and you start building experiences that people want to take.

Tired of building courses that miss the mark? Book a coaching session with me, and let’s integrate Design Thinking principles into your workflow to solve the right problems.