With the UK government talking about making massive investments and commitments in AI, I felt it was the perfect time to throw my two pennies into the ring and share some thoughts on why staying technology-agnostic helps us leverage the right tool for the job (not just the latest trend). This feels especially relevant as tools like AI continue to dominate conversations across industries.
As a creative lead, I have seen countless trends and tools sweep through the e-learning industry. Buzzwords change constantly – gamification, microlearning, AI, VR, AR, and more. It is easy to get swept up in the excitement of the latest trends in learning technology. After all, who wouldn’t want to be seen as cutting edge?
But here’s the reality: chasing trends without a clear understanding of our learners’ needs or the specific outcomes we’re aiming for often leads to flashy solutions that fail to deliver. Being technology-agnostic, focusing on the problem we’re solving rather than the trend we’re following, helps us choose the right tools for the job, not just the most popular ones.
As someone who embraces multimedia as a skillset, I see technology as an ever-expanding palette of tools. Generative AI is no exception, it’s just another brush in my collection. But here’s the key: creativity, even when prompted, inspired, or supported by AI, is only as rich as the artist creating it.
My experiences, expertise, and artistry remain essential to prevent what I call ‘The Beige Haze’ where generative AI’s output risks becoming bland, uniform, and devoid of the personal touch that makes creativity resonate. Much like ‘uncanny valley’ describes the unease we feel with lifelike but not-quite-human robots, ‘The Beige Haze’ captures the dullness of overly generic AI-produced content.
The antidote? Human creativity. A well-crafted AI output gains depth when infused with personal artistry, storytelling, and a clear understanding of the audience.
At the heart of every successful e-learning project is a deep understanding of the learner’s needs and the outcomes we want to achieve – these should always drive our decisions, not the allure of a trendy tool. For example,
If learners will truly benefit from being immersed in an environment, VR, AR and XR may be the best choice. By staying technology-agnostic, organisations avoid being constrained by the limitations of a single tool. Instead, they remain free to explore a range of solutions as technologies evolve. Training programmes that prioritise scenario-based or competency-focused learning such as building situational awareness, adaptability, and decision-making skills are better positioned to remain relevant over time. Whether using augmented reality today or AI-driven simulations tomorrow, this approach ensures that core competencies remain adaptable.
Shaping the future workforce means prioritising adaptive training strategies over product-focused solutions. Many training programmes run the risk of becoming tied to specific tools without fully understanding organisational needs. By shifting the focus to fostering adaptability, empathy, and collaboration, future professionals will be better equipped to grow with emerging advancements and global challenges.
Trendy tools often come with shiny promises but may not deliver practical results. For example:
These fancy tools might capture attention, but they risk being abandoned when they fail to deliver measurable impact.
New, trendy tools, often come with a hefty price tag, not just in money, but also in time and resources. Learning to use these tools, integrating them into workflows, and troubleshooting their quirks can quickly drain a team’s bandwidth. Alternatively, they might start off being offered for free, but then be subject to a changeable pricing model once there is a user base – often just after a lot of time has been invested in getting your team on board.
By staying technology-agnostic, we can assess tools based on their return on investment. What’s the simplest, most cost-effective way to achieve the learning objective? Sometimes, the best solution is one we already have in our toolkit or a more focused approach to using that tool. Maybe we only need one feature, rather than the full functionality.
Sometimes our hands can be tied by security needs or data concerns, especially in sectors like defence. These constraints can narrow the market of choice or drive up costs.
I always keep in mind that everyone wants to be paid one way or another – whether upfront in cash, by selling data, or as alpha testers for a product. Be mindful of what you are to them, as much as what the products are to you. Loyalty in software can become a habit, and we rarely take the time to step back and evaluate what else is out there when we're busy with the day-to-day.
When we focus on the problem rather than the tool, we build adaptability into our team’s DNA. This enables us to:
An adaptable mindset ensures we’re always using tools in service of the learning experience, not the other way around.
Stakeholders trust us more when our solutions align with learning goals rather than relying on buzzwords. This alignment builds credibility, positioning our projects as valuable investments, not risky experiments. I ensure learning objectives are clear in my storyboards so that every task has a defined purpose. Often, initial ideas evolve after client input, resulting in a more focused learning experience.
However, frustrations can arise when clients push for ideas based on something they saw at a conference or picked up elsewhere. While their intentions may be good, these ideas may not always be the best fit for either the learners' needs or the budget. This is where our expertise comes – in managing stakeholder expectations and guiding them toward solutions that deliver real value.
Here are a few principles I would recommend:
One of the things I love about working for CDS DS is our tech-agnostic approach. We focus on what truly fits our clients' needs, not just chasing the latest trends. It’s about balancing innovation with practicality to deliver solutions that genuinely make an impact. Staying technology-agnostic is not about ignoring innovation or resisting change – it’s about ensuring that every tool we use serves a clear purpose and delivers real value.
Let us commit to being thoughtful in our choices, because finding the right tool for the job will always outshine the chase after short-lived trends.