Please note: Over the next couple of months, we’ll be looking at influential trends to consider when planning training programs for 2026.
Okay, having a greater focus on evidence-based training is a perennial topic. Why put it forward as an essential component of planning for training programs for 2026?
It’s true that every year training needs to throw off the shackles of myth (learning styles, memory of a goldfish, digital natives)—and 2026 is no different in that respect.
At the same time, incorporating evidence-based approaches deeply into training programs makes both programs and courses more effective. Using approaches grounded in research helps training managers, instructors, instructional designers, course developers, and others to better understand what we do. And what we do is, at its core, make learners better—better at their jobs, better at using new skills, better at leading people more effectively.
It’s often the flashier things that garner the most attention. Incorporating generative artificial intelligence into training design and development. Implementing adaptive learning in training programs. Using clever video effects. Creating just-in-time helpful chatbots.
It impresses stakeholders when we use cutting-edge techniques and the latest software. And there’s a delight in encountering fun and effervescent effects. Speeding up the implementation of training strategies and reducing the cost of creating and maintaining training programs looks great for the bottom line.
But, as prosaic as it sounds, without a firm foundation in evidence-based training methods, there is a serious risk of privileging flash over substance, of hollowing out effective programs in favor of creating something quick and easy. Study after study has shown that, when it comes to moving the needle in providing learners with what they need to be successful, a firm basis in evidence-based methods outweighs other factors.*
The world inside and outside public service, higher education, and private enterprise is undergoing dramatic change. It has been, and it is likely to continue to do so.
But now, looking forward, one thing we can do in 2026 is to help people develop the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that will enable them to thrive in a changing environment. And leaning into methods of training that are supported by evidence is one of the most effective ways we have in making sure that training makes a real difference.
* Mirjam Neelen and Paul A. Kirschner’s Evidence-Informed Learning Design: Creating Training to Improve Performance discusses this in detail. And, when considering research-based training, anything by Clark Quinn, Will Thalheimer, or Julie Dirksen will amply repay your investment.
Insight from Everywhere
Jason Fried on when design drives behavior, a close look at how small elements of design can influence behavior—little touches can make a big difference in training as well as in watch design.
“But the most interesting designs to me are when design changes your behavior. Even the smallest details can change how someone interacts with something.”
Daniel Delaney makes a great point when he notes that free software scares normal people. The user experience can be overwhelming. What’s the minimum that people need to accomplish their goal (or training)?
“There is exactly one button.”
Will Thalheimer provides us with a provocative take on what to measure regarding training, giving us “Ten Reasons Not to Measure Impact.” (And don’t miss the citations!)
“That idea is this: Measuring the impact of our programs should be the overriding priority in learning evaluation. This idea is harmful enough that it deserves a firm rebuttal.”
At the Center for Digital Education, Abby Sourwine discusses preparing higher education for new digital accessibility rules and the need to focus on priorities, rather than deadlines.
“At the 2025 EDUCAUSE conference in Nashville last month, leaders from Binghamton University in New York shared their internal approach to taking on these updates, while vendors shared how they are updating their offerings to provide external solutions.”
The attention to detail discussed by Adian Walker in the parallel he draws between poetry and vertical video is inspirational. Finding the creativity in constraints resonates with the instructional designer in me.
“Like with the sonnet, a lot of meaning needs to be contained in a small package, and so density is the way it happens — and part of the charm of vertical videos is their play with that density, just like part of a sonnet’s charm.”
Video of the Month
For this month’s video, we’re happy to share Kim Bahr’s one-minute Microassist Moment: An Adventure in Accessible Training: Making Learning Accessible for All.
Tips and Tricks
from Kim Bahr, Microassist Senior Instructional Designer.
Inspect Without Color in Microsoft PowerPoint
In the U.S., around 8.6 million individuals experience some form of vision difficulty, with color blindness being a notable subset. The “Inspect without Color” feature in PowerPoint allows users to view presentations without color, ensuring that information is still understandable without relying on color cues.
In the slide example below of a timeline, the key in first image is colorized to help identify the participants doing the tasks. The second image using the Inspect without Color shows the difficulty in distinguishing the shades of gray. The feature reminds the developer to include a non-color indicator, helping those with color blindness read the timeline.
You can find this feature on the Accessibility ribbon. One way to find the ribbon is to select the Review tab and then Check Accessibility.
The Accessibility ribbon appears with the Inspect without Color option.
Performing a quick inspection of color elements helps to make your information more accessible.
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Until next time,
Kevin
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