A Little About Me:
My passion for instructional design is deeply rooted in my diverse professional background and an inherent love for exploration, much like my enduring enthusiasm for travel and discovering new cultures. Having spent many rewarding years as both a teacher and a real estate broker, I developed a strong foundation in understanding people’s varied needs, effective communication, and the crucial importance of clear, meaningful instruction that truly resonates. Teaching provided me with invaluable firsthand experience in creating engaging, interactive learning experiences tailored to diverse audiences, while my career in real estate sharpened my skills in client interaction, negotiation, and adapting quickly to different and often challenging situations.
Instructional design beautifully combines these elements, allowing me to channel my creativity and deep passion for effective design into developing impactful, well-structured educational content. Just as travel continuously exposes me to new perspectives, cultures, and ideas, instructional design consistently challenges me to innovate and think critically about the best ways to facilitate learning for different learner types. This powerful intersection of experience, creativity, and passion drives my genuine dedication to crafting instructional materials that are not only functional and clear but also inspiring and motivating to learners.
Project Management Essentials for First-Time Leaders
Creating a project management course for new trainees involved several key steps to ensure the material was comprehensive, accessible, and aligned with industry standards.
First, I conducted a needs analysis to identify the specific skills and knowledge gaps among new trainees. This helped me tailor the course content to their level of experience, focusing on foundational project management concepts, tools, and best practices.
Next, I developed a structured curriculum that covered essential topics such as project lifecycle, task planning, risk management, resource allocation, and communication strategies. To enhance learning, I incorporated real-world examples and case studies that demonstrated practical applications.
I designed the course to include a mix of instructional methods, including interactive assessments, pdf’s, links and videos to gauge trainees' understanding and provide opportunities for diverse learning.
Throughout the development process, I ensured that the course materials aligned with recognized project management frameworks and terminology, enabling trainees to build a solid foundation for their future work.
Finally, I piloted the course with a small group of trainees and gathered feedback to refine the content and delivery, resulting in a well-rounded training program that supports new employees in effectively managing projects from the outset.
Designs by Cheryl
I developed onboarding and learning management systems (LMS) for a small craft company by first conducting a thorough needs assessment to understand the unique workflows and skill requirements of the team. I designed an onboarding program that introduced new hires to company culture, safety protocols, and craft-specific techniques through a mix of video tutorials, interactive modules, and hands-on assignments.
To support ongoing employee development, I implemented a customizable LMS that housed training resources, progress tracking, and assessment tools. The system was tailored for ease of use, allowing employees to learn at their own pace and revisit materials as needed. I also incorporated feedback mechanisms to continuously improve course content based on learner engagement and outcomes.
By integrating these systems, the company achieved a streamlined onboarding process, reduced training time, and enhanced employee proficiency, all while maintaining a scalable platform suitable for future growth.
