Posted by Caveo Learning ● December 6, 2019

A Day in the Life of a Learning Solutions Architect at Caveo Learning

GettyImages-470788648It’s early. I mean really early. I am quite certain that I beat the rooster out of bed this morning. But, that’s ok, because I know that today I have an opportunity to make a positive impact for my client, their organization, and their employees. And I’m happy to say, I do that every day in my role as a Learning Solutions Architect (LSA) at Caveo.

According to Wikipedia, an architect is “a person who plans, designs, and reviews the construction of buildings.” Wikipedia goes on to say, “The architect, once hired by a client, is responsible for creating a design concept that both meets the requirements of that client and provides a facility suitable to the required use. The architect must meet with, and question, the client in order to ascertain all the requirements (and nuances) of the planned project.”

While I do not have the construction of buildings in my daily work, I do help plan, design, and construct learning paths and learning deliverables for a multitude of adult learners daily. I work with clients, other Caveo LSAs, instructional designers, client stakeholders, project managers, sales representatives, and others to help craft the most effective learning solutions possible for the learners I impact—sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly.

In my role, I’m fortunate to be able to wear a number of different hats for my clients. One of my most important hats is that of a trusted advisor to those that I work with. What does that mean? It means that my focus is on our clients and helping with problem definition and resolution. It means learning about their end goals and helping to find a solution that will meet their goals in the most effective way. As an LSA, I strive to determine what’s best for each individual client versus “what everyone else is doing.”

My fellow LSAs and I don’t consider ourselves part of a company that our clients think of as a “vendor.” We think of ourselves as a business partner to our clients, advising them on learning solutions to help them solve their business needs and drive performance. But it’s not just when our clients have a project that we’re engaged. As thought leaders, we regularly advise our clients on emerging trends in L&D and how they may apply to each client’s organization.

Part of that trusted advisor role includes providing instructional design expertise for our clients. It may be as simple as updating a course that needs a revamp, or as complex as a multi-day blended program—the variety is exiting to us. The topic could be leadership, product training, compliance, or any other subject.

I had a recent request to revamp a course on safety procedures at a manufacturing facility. There’s nothing alluring or exciting about that topic in general, but it is critically important. In fact, being successful at safety for this organization can be the difference between life and death—literally. The approach Caveo took to this project was to build in the messaging that safety is everyone’s job and to illustrate what can happen when safety procedures aren’t followed—and THAT’s impactful!

I’m also a sales partner. I work closely with our Directors of Client Development (DCDs) and our clients to understand their requirements and provide a blueprint for a learning solution to solve a business problem they may have. And not only when our clients have a need. I work with our DCDs on quarterly business reviews for our clients to look for other opportunities to help them grow their businesses through learning solutions.

Recently I collaborated with a DCD to determine how we can help a client to rebrand their learning materials to create an exciting new look and feel for a new client service program they’re launching. The revamped branding will set this program apart from others they have and help drive engagement and participation, and who doesn’t want that?

None of this happens without the amazing team of instructional designers I manage and support. I may be helping my team work with a client to enhance their team's leadership skills. Or perhaps the day includes developing ways to increase someone’s productivity. I may even be detailing a very complex course on making interactive widgets.

Just yesterday I had the opportunity to partner with a designer to determine the best path forward on a project to help a client’s sales organization understand a brand relaunch more intimately. The project involved developing an engaging, interactive, and exciting course that will “wow” the client—and I’m confident we will!

Now that you’ve learned a little about a day in my life, I’m heading off to refill my coffee. It’s time to review my schedule and prepare for my day. Whatever today holds, know I’ll be living up to my favorite quote, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” from Mahatma Gandhi. I’ll be making an impact helping someone learn, improve their skills, and do their job better—and that’s making a difference.

Topics: Instructional Design