It pays to do the legwork….

I saw a programme on TV about a Japanese company that recently released a new cookware. The product sold like hot cakes….not because of marketing gimmick, branding, rapid prototyping, or any get cash / profit quick schemes.

They did a lot of research.. they visited and spoke with housewives and listened to their needs and they realised where the gaps were. They analysed the challenges housewives faced in the kitchen.  A very interesting list, with a very Japanese flavour.

I believe in designing learning solutions, we must do the same. Good solid designs cannot come out of rapid prototyping, or price wars, or templatising, substituting less expensive resource to take on the role of Learning Designers…..

The need to understand real issues on the ground, finding out those issues diligently, and creating solutions that actually address the real challenges are the hallmarks of good learning designers.

Who awards such hallmarks? This is the crux of the quality battle.