Community Insights: What You Can Learn from David Tait’s Career Pivot
One of the best things about creative careers is how flexible they are—you can take them in so many directions. For DavidTait, that flexibility led from graphic design to learning design, and eventually to co-founding 4pt, a learning design studio. 4pt has been creating meaningful learning experiences for more than 16 years. In this Member Spotlight, you'll discover how adaptability, curiosity, and community shaped David's journey, and how to apply these lessons to your own career path. From Design to Learning “Before starting my career in e-learning, I was a student focused on design,” David says. “I spent four years studying design. Two in graphic design and two in newspaper, magazine, and infographic design. That background gave me a strong foundation in visual communication, which has been incredibly useful in my learning and development (L&D) work.” While still in college, he took on a freelance project as a graphical user interface designer for the Northern College Network. “It was my first real step into the world of digital learning design,” he recalls. “It helped me see how I could apply my design skills in a completely different context.” Soon after, a former lecturer offered him a role at an e-learning startup creating online CPD courses for healthcare professionals. “Working in a startup meant wearing many hats,” David says. “That experience really shaped my path and helped me see how my design skills could grow into a career in learning.” 💡Tip: Apply your existing creative skills to a small digital learning project (freelance, volunteer, or self-initiated). Hands-on experience helps bridge design and instructional work faster than theory alone. Turning Change into Opportunity A few years later, the company was acquired, and layoffs followed. “Rather than seeing it as a setback, my studio manager and I took it as an opportunity,” David says. “When we started 4pt, all of those responsibilities suddenly became our job. Being able to adapt to new challenges was essential, and it’s a big reason why we’ve been able to thrive.” 💡Tip: When your path shifts unexpectedly, use it to test new skills or partnerships. Career detours often reveal strengths you wouldn’t discover in a stable role. Finding Flexibility with Storyline “One project in 2013 really shaped our company,” David says. “A client asked us to build a course in Storyline 1. We’d never used it before, but rather than turn the work away, we invested in licenses and learned as we went.” “Before long, Storyline became the tool most of our clients wanted to use,” he explains. “Storyline gave us the ability to solve problems ourselves, experiment more freely, and move much faster. That agility has stayed with us ever since—it’s a core part of how we approach learning design.” 💡Tip: Don’t wait to feel like an expert. Pick a project, open the tool, and build. Use the community forums and shared files when you hit roadblocks. The Power of Community “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve hit a dead end in Storyline and found the solution on the forums,” David says. “That support has saved me countless hours and kept projects moving. The community around Articulate is unlike anything else.” Over time, helping others became just as rewarding. “Being part of E-Learning Heroes isn’t just about getting help,” he adds. “It’s about giving back. I try to pay it forward when I can, and that sense of community has been such a valuable part of my journey.” 💡Tip: When you find an answer in ELH, take a minute to thank the poster—or add your own version of the solution. Small interactions build visibility and confidence. Lessons from the Journey “Figure out where your limitations are, and then build a trusted network of professionals who can help you overcome them,” David says. “Continuous learning is important, but you don’t have to master everything yourself.” He also believes in stepping outside your comfort zone: “Sometimes doing that sooner opens doors you didn’t even realize were there.” “I try to focus on projects where I can see real value and impact—and to work with people I genuinely like and respect. That combination has made the journey far more meaningful.” 💡Tip: Find one collaborator who complements your skills—a developer, writer, or media pro—and trade knowledge. Collaboration accelerates growth and keeps learning fun. Looking Ahead These days, David is focused on advancing localization in his projects and exploring how AI fits into e-learning. “We’re evaluating Storyline’s new localization features ahead of a major project,” David says. “I’m excited to see how these tools evolve and how we can integrate them to deliver even better multilingual learning experiences.” He’s also reading Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick. “It’s not written specifically for L&D, but it’s helped me think more critically about how AI can be used thoughtfully and effectively.” 💡Tip: Keep one “outside-the-industry” book on your reading list. Fresh perspectives often spark the most creative ideas. 💬 Your Turn David’s story is a reminder that creativity, curiosity, and community can take your career in directions you never planned, but might love most. What’s one skill—or moment—that’s shaped your own learning design journey? Share it in the comments below!How I Built This: I Developed an Award-Winning Ethics Course
Why I Built This: When I first learned about branching scenarios, something clicked for me that I hadn’t seen other eLearning developers execute: visually compelling, philosophically rich thought experiments. I studied Moral Philosophy in my undergrad and became obsessed with ethical dilemmas. Naturally, I decided to build an ethics course about technology. Think The Trolley Problem, only I wanted to pose questions about the growing reliance on AI and its implications by employing Instructional Design strategies. An opportunity came up through my Master’s program to attend DevLearn and compete in DemoFest, so it was time to start building my concept. I designed and developed a course in Storyline called The Agency Algorithm that confronts learners with issues regarding three main topics: algorithmic warfare (The Armory), AI assisted resource allocation (The Triage Garden), and surveillance (The Mask Archive). The Experience & Design Intent: A quick walkthrough of the multi-room experience. The Agency Algorithm is a multi-room interactive learning experience that blends instructional design, game-like mechanics, and philosophical inquiry. It immerses learners in ethically complex scenarios by leveraging branching logic, and integrating experiential aesthetics with conceptual depth. My primary goal with this project was to encourage critical reflection on the role of technology on human agency and autonomous choice. The concept itself was pretty clear to me, but I wanted to push the limits of Storyline visually, so I acquired a number of 3D assets from Adobe Stock, some of which I further modified in Adobe Dimension. I wanted the visuals to anchor the learner in a unique environment that did not feel reminiscent of traditional eLearning, and rather create space to explore and feel like a participant in something unfolding. There aren’t often black and white answers to ethical questions, and branching scenarios are an excellent way to illustrate this while offering learners a safe place to experiment and think through various outcomes based on their decision making. Visual Worldbuilding/Making It Not Feel Like eLearning: Initially, I intended to hand draw assets myself to really hone in on the human vs AI dynamic, but quickly realized the time I’d have to accomplish this was dwindling. While I drafted a few loose concepts in my journal, I ultimately decided to stick with digital assets. While I landed on 3D assets largely due to time constraints, the outcome is reminiscent of an old experimental video game or some sort of immersive idea gallery. As an artist, I often approach my work from a minimalist lens so this project was a fun way to really add some artistry that corporate training often doesn’t have room for. Variables, Multi-state objects, Cue points, and other mechanics: I relied heavily on multi-state objects to create hover states, “tip” cards, text labels, and more, for example in the circuits with definition reveals. I enjoyed building the “loading” effect in the Mask Archive, although it was a bit clunky and took a lot of trial and error! I learned a lot along the way and used a cue point on an orb with a glow effect beneath the mask and used triggers to cause the effect to work. The course overall has a few hundred triggers (slide, object, and variable triggers) and somewhere around 40 variables (mostly T/F variables). What I learned: I think it is important that we don’t hand-hold learners through every learning experience. I want users to think through complex challenges and autonomously choose and feel like a true agent in the process of acquiring knowledge. A lot of eLearning makes it too easy for the learner and we lose engagement when we undermine the intelligence of our audience. I learned SO much about how to leverage Storyline in new ways. I am still a relatively new user to the tool, so this project allowed me to freely explore and be guided by curiosity. Link to my portfolio: https://www.abigailvettese.com/🌍 Around the World with Articuland
The journey continues! ✨ Articuland 2026 is crossing borders and connecting learning professionals around the globe. Last week, our community put on their detective hats to uncover where Articuland was headed next, and you cracked the case! 🕵️♀️🎉 ✨The winners of the 20% discount are: katherinezf AmyDorries-0d78 Isabella_M AlistairBruce KevinThorn GingerBakerSanh JoanneChen taylabm and easye5116 🏆Our Grand Prize winner is ChristineWal590 Special shout-out to GingerBakerSanh for correctly identifying all three stops! Each winner will be getting an email with more information shortly. So without further suspense… 🌏 Articuland 2026 is headed to: London • Barcelona • Toronto 📍 Event Details 🇬🇧 London, UK 🗓️ Wednesday, October 14 & Thursday, October 15 📍 Novotel London West 🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain 🗓️ Friday, October 16 📍 PRBB – Parc Recerca Biomèdica Barcelona 🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada 🗓️ Tuesday, October 27 📍 Hotel X 🎟️ Registration is officially open! VIP pricing is available for a limited time. This is the lowest price you’ll get for Articuland 2026 and is only available through May 31, 2026. Articuland is all about practical learning, meaningful connections, and ideas you can actually use. Past events have featured powerful insights from the Articulate team and community voices alike. While we’re still shaping the 2026 agenda, you can expect the same energy, creativity, and impact. ➡️ Register now to secure your spot 💬 Let’s keep the conversation going: What would you love to see at Articuland 2026 – sessions, speakers, formats, or experiences? Drop your ideas below 👇This Month in ELH: Bloom and Grow Together
From small group opportunities like Peer Pods and AI Cohorts to lifting each other up in challenges and discussions, this month was full of opportunities for connecting. 🌍 Articuland Registration In addition to Articuland Orlando, we have three international locations this year: Barcelona, London, and Toronto. Special shout out to GingerBakerSanh for guessing all three locations correctly, and ChristineWal590 who won the grand prize of our competition! Registration is live for all locations, join us to connect IRL across the globe. 🫛 Peer Pod Signups Peer Pods are 3-4 week, community-driven learning experiences designed to help you build skills alongside others without a big time commitment. The upcoming topics are: Rise Tips and Tricks New to Instructional Design Accessibility. Signups for each topic are live, learn more here! 🏫 AI Certification Cohort This program is designed to help you master AI features in Rise and Storyline, connect with fellow e-learning professionals, and earn official certification to showcase your expertise. The May cohort is full, so sign up for the August group! 💬 What Everyone’s Talking About Looking for a place to share your knowledge and help others? Check out these discussions: Designing Under Constraints JoanneChen shared a recent experience with redesigning under limiting circumstances, join in with your own. Best Practices for Revisions This discussion revolves around how to make the smoothest workflow for revisions and content changes, led by ElissaFeuerman Making Repetitive Content Engaging This conversation, led by DebbieFowler-c1, is focused on brainstorming ways to liven up otherwise dry material. 🌟 Weekly Challenge Highlights Meet the Team by AsweniGD This amazing first time submission utilizes the Morphing Menu technique in Storyline to create a clear and engaging team intro Meet the Team: Hover Quotes for Storyline by Montsea If you need an efficient team introduction this submission includes a download so you can check out the mechanics of the interaction. Know Your Super Heroes by GolfPrincess This submission shows how you can use tools in combination with one another to create bright (and immediately implementable) courses. The People Behind the Desks by Jayashree_Ravi A wonderfully stylized and practical take on how to introduce a team, including booking links. Team Presentation Template by Kate_Golomshtok A great template with information many new hires appreciate, all in an elegant presentation. 👉We're always looking to highlight challenge submissions that have downloads or tutorials associated with them, so others can learn too. Join a challenge this week! 🎓 Trending Training and Webinars Creating Images, Narration, and Sound with AI Assistant This beginner-friendly session covers everything you need to know about generating images, recording clear audio narrations, and adding impactful sound effects. Quick Tips & Tricks: Episode 123 In this session, we covered how to create a novel presentation using animated motion paths, and how to control slide and layer audio in Storyline. Learning Luminaries: Faith Cagle (Life Sciences) Faith Cagle discusses how teams in highly regulated environments can move beyond transactional, compliance-only training toward a more human-centered approach that drives real behavior change. 📚 Member-Powered Articles Looking for ideas you can learn from and adapt? These articles share hands-on guidance and career insights grounded in members' real experiences: Made By Members: Code Block Build-a-thon Highlights These member examples show not only what creative outcomes you can build with Rise Code Block, but share actionable templates you can implement right away. How I Built This: I Developed an Award-Winning Ethics Course This member spotlight shares how AbigailVettese created her highly interactive and deeply thoughtful ethics course. 💎 Hidden Gems Sometimes the most helpful moments in the community are easy to miss. Here are a couple worth exploring: AI Voices in eLearning Stephanie is sharing how she built the audio elements to her Build-a-thon submission in an easy to follow tutorial. ELH Recognition Program We need your input on a new program coming soon, let us know what makes you feel like you’ve been recognized! 🌷Many of these opportunities for connecting with other members reach far beyond March, so don’t hesitate to spring into action and help others grow. Join a discussion to offer encouragement and feedback to a peer today!Welcome to the New E-Learning Heroes
We’re super excited to introduce you to the all-new E-Learning Heroes community platform. Whether you’ve been a community member for years or you’re just looking to join us, there are plenty of new and improved features to love. For example, now you can earn badges for your contributions, connect with other members about specific topics in dedicated groups, and find answers to your questions more easily. Check out the video below for a walkthrough of our favorite new features, and let us know what you’re most excited about in the comments! Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest e-learning inspiration and insights directly in your inbox. You can also find us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). And if you have questions, please share them in the comments.Made by Members: Code Block Build-a-thon Highlights
The Code Block Build-a-thon wrapped last month with three winners, 60+ submissions, and so much creativity! This month, we’re exploring the highlights from the event: creative submissions, topic trends, and what you can learn from the build-a-thon, even if you didn’t participate 🎨 Creative Submissions These submissions were not only fun and functional, but novel uses of the code block focused on game-type interactions. 👑Paint by Num-Birds by ArthaLearning03 This winning submission is a fresh take on a classic pastime, helping novice bird watchers over a large hurdle in the hobby. Wizard Maze Game by KayleneWance Have you wished that pac-man was a little more magical? This submission will be right up your alley as a mix between familiar gameplay and unique graphics. CMY Mixer by ISa Color theory is one of those skills that can take a lifetime to master, but this mixer lets you practice with hexcode and percentage mixing support. 💭 Play is a great way to improve engagement and recall—what type of game could you include in your next course? 📈 Trending Content There were a few noticeable trends in submissions: those that taught, encouraged thought, or sought to help with professional development. Australian Sign Language by ShwetaArun Visual and kinesthetic learners will appreciate this lesson that not only runs you through the Australian Sign Language Alphabet, but teaches you how to sign your name. Using Time with Intention by AnnaRabasso This thoughtful lesson takes you through practical time awareness in a kind and beautiful exercise. 👑 Meet your Learner Persona - by ClaudiaNadol891 Our first place winner shines as both a code block example and professional development session. 💭 What trends are you seeing in the Instructional Design space? Which do you enjoy the most? 🥡Takeaways These submissions were thoughtfully made as templates and tools for the community so that you can start experimenting with them right away. Custom Tab Interaction by JenChang You can plug-and-play with this interaction, and use it for a wide variety of learner interactions. 👑Accessibility Checker by SheriLee A winning submission through and through, this accessibility checker can levelset your accessibility related decision making in just a few interactions. Custom Interactive Product Match by VirginieBergon If you’re looking for a variation of a matching knowledge check with learner feedback, this code block is for you. 💭Templates and checker-type tools can be incorporated into your work today. What are some other tips or tricks you’ll be able to implement? Experiment with games for learners, get inspired by trending topics, or try one of these templates in your work and let us know how it goes. You can also share any new code block examples for others to see and learn from, too. Thank you to everyone who participated in our first ever build-a-thon! 🗨️Let us know Which submission was your favorite? Were there any that surprised you? 🏅 Want to Be Featured Next? We’re always looking to highlight inspiring examples from the community, and your work could be next! Here's what we look for in a standout submission: A downloadable .story file or link to your Rise course so others can explore, adapt, and learn from your build. A clear explanation of what you built, how it works, and what makes it unique. Behind-the-scenes insight into your process, techniques, tools, or challenges you tackled. Purposeful design, whether it’s solving a problem, teaching a concept, or experimenting with a new approach. Bonus: Share your ideas for how your design is widely applicable beyond the specific example.E-Learning Heroes (ELH) FAQs
Index Community-Specific Questions Articulate-Specific Questions General E-Learning Questions Community-Specific Questions How do I change my user name? Log in to E-Learning Heroes, click your avatar image, and select My Settings from the dropdown menu. On the next screen, click the Edit button next to your user name and you’ll be able to change it there. NOTE: User names are limited to 15 characters. They can include letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores. How do I change my profile picture? Your E-Learning Heroes profile picture comes from your Articulate account. To change your picture, go to your Articulate account, click on your picture, and upload a new one. The change will be applied everywhere, including on E-Learning Heroes. How do I stay up to date on the latest E-Learning Heroes content? There are a few ways to do this. For example, you can: Subscribe to our newsletter. We send out a newsletter every week with the latest E-Learning Heroes content. Subscribing is an easy way to get access to everything directly from your inbox. Browse the home page. There, you’ll find the latest articles, examples, discussions, and e-learning challenge. Subscribe to the pages you’re interested in. At the top of each hub, you’ll see a bell with an icon of a bell with a plus sign. If you select that icon, you’ll receive a notification whenever we add new content to that page. Follow us on social media. Another easy way to stay up-to-date on everything we’re doing is by following us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). How do I change my notification preferences? Log in to E-Learning Heroes, select your avatar image, and then My Settings from the dropdown menu. On the next screen, select the Follows & Notifications tab. Scroll down to the section on Email Notifications to modify the frequency or disable notifications completely. What are the rules about posting content on ELH? Read our community guidelines for the details. What roles exist in the ELH community? The community is made up of a few different roles: General members: Most community members belong to this category. It’s anyone who doesn’t hold another, more specific role. Super Heroes: These are community members who go above and beyond by sharing their expertise and helping other community members. Find out more here: Everything You Need to Know About Articulate Super Heroes. Staff: Articulate employees. The staff members you’ll see most often in the community are those whose job it is to help customers in the forums or create helpful content—our community moderators and managers. How can I become a Super Hero? Find out Everything You Need to Know About Articulate Super Heroes. How can I get more involved with the community? There are tons of fun ways to get more involved with the community! Here are some ideas: Help your fellow community members by answering questions or sharing tips in our discussion forum. Dig deep into specific topics—like Accessibility or JavaScript—with other members by joining a group. Push yourself out of your comfort zone by participating in the weekly design challenge. Inspire other community members by sharing examples or downloads you’ve created. Meet Articulate staff and other e-learning pros by attending industry events. How can I participate in the weekly challenges? It’s easy! Just follow the steps outlined here: Why & How To Participate in the Weekly Challenges on E-Learning Heroes. Should I start a new discussion or add a comment to an existing one? If you read a recent post that describes an issue that sounds exactly like yours, feel free to add a comment. If the discussion is months or years old or if the topic is similar but not exactly the same, it’s best to start a new discussion. You can always link to the older or similar post if you think it’d be helpful. Can I use ELH downloads for my project? Yes! You can use any of the downloads shared on E-Learning Heroes for your personal or commercial e-learning projects. However, please don’t distribute these assets. Instead, refer people back to the community. For more details, review our Terms of Use. How can I edit a discussion or example I posted? Open the discussion or example, click on the gear icon at the upper right-hand side of the post, select Edit, make changes, and hit Publish. How can I edit a comment I left on a post? Simply click on the ellipsis, select Edit, make the desired changes, and hit Reply. How do I close my account? Log in to E-Learning Heroes, select your avatar image, and then My Settings from the dropdown menu. On the next screen, select the Security & Account tab. Select Close Account. NOTE: Closing your account will remove your personally identifiable information, such as your name, email address, and other profile details. Your content, such as posts and replies, will remain in the community as authored by “Deleted User.” You cannot reopen your account after you close it. To rejoin, you must re-register and start from scratch. Articulate-Specific Questions When should I submit a support case instead of starting a discussion? If you run into an issue you think might be a bug or you want our Support Engineers to help troubleshoot a file, it’s best to open a support case rather than start a discussion. How do I submit a support case? You can connect with our Support Team and submit a support case. Remember share your file, a screen recording or screenshot, browser details, and a link to view your published course so our team can better assist you. Can I call and talk to someone on the phone? We don’t offer phone support, but we do offer chat support. How do I submit a feature request? There are two ways to do this: Share an idea in our dedicated hub. Fill out the feature request form on our website. Remember to include as much detail as possible so we understand what the feature is and how you’ll use it. For example, if it would solve a problem you’re having currently, what is it that you’re currently unable to do and how will this feature solve it? What impact does it have on your daily productivity? How do I get in touch with the sales team? If you’re based in the US or Canada, you can reach out to the sales team via email at this address: sales@articulate.com If you’re based in another country, you can find the contact information for your country on this page. Where can I see information on upcoming Articulate 360 features? You’ll find upcoming feature information on our roadmap. General E-Learning Questions How do I create an e-learning course? Follow the steps in this article: 8 Simple Steps for Creating Online Training. How do I make sure my course is accessible? We have tons of resources that’ll help you create accessible courses. Check them out below: All About Accessibility Accessibility Index How do I decide whether to use Storyline or Rise for my course? Our customers say that Rise is their go-to for most of their courses. But if you need something more custom and immersive, Storyline might be a better fit. Here are some articles that can help you decide: Rise 360 or Storyline 360: Which One Should You Use for Your Project? Why You Need the Apps in Articulate 360 and When to Use Them How do I share my course with learners? There are several different ways to do that, outlined in this article: How to Share E-Learning Courses with Learners. Have a question that’s not listed here? Feel free to add a comment below or post a new discussion.
