Designing for Learning, Not Just Completion: The Real Learning Design Checklist

Design learning that actually changes behavior.

This checklist distills years of experience in instructional design and delivery into one powerful resource. Use it to audit your eLearning, workshops, or microlearning assets to ensure they’re grounded in research (not just pretty slides).

Inside you’ll find:

• Cognitive load considerations and sequencing prompts

• Transfer and application checks (based in Bloom, Merrill, and Kirkpatrick models)

• Behavioral triggers to support retention and action

• Common traps that lead to “checkbox learning”

Rooted in evidence from cognitive science, adult learning theory, and implementation science. This is not a design trend list - it is a field-tested checklist derived from government, corporate, and community learning settings.