Designing Learning That Actually
Improves Performance | Clark Quinn of Quinnovation

In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Clark Quinn, a cognitive scientist who has spent his career translating decades of learning research into practical guidance for organizations. He is the founder of Quinnovation and co-director of the L&D Accelerator. His work is grounded in a simple conviction: most organizations are leaving enormous potential on the table — not for lack of effort or care, but because the science of how people actually learn has rarely made it into the room where learning decisions get made.In most AEC firms, learning and development didn’t start with a formal strategy. It emerged organically. Executives responsible for talent came up through practice. L&D leaders stepped into their roles because they wanted to make their firms better, not because they were trained in the discipline. Subject matter experts shared what they know without ever having been taught how to teach.As a result, most learning organizations in the AEC industry were largely built by accident rather than by design. And in that gap lies a significant opportunity: to create learning that doesn’t just inform, but actually improves capability and performance.That is what this conversation is about.Clark walks us through the science that most accidental L&D leaders never had access to. He explains why training so often stops at information transfer, what it really takes to design for performance rather than content delivery, and what the research says about learning design that actually moves the needle. We explore the shift from content-heavy training to practice-led learning, how to identify the root causes behind critical performance gaps before reaching for a training solution, and how to determine whether learning is even the right intervention.We also step back and look at what a true learning ecosystem requires: not just courses, but performance support, job aids, communities of practice, mentoring, and the cultural conditions where learning compounds over time. Where knowledge is shared openly. Where failure is discussed. And where leadership sets the tone.Finally, we go deep on one of the most important dynamics in any AEC firm: how to effectively work with busy and highly billable subject matter experts by drawing out what they know, pairing them with skilled learning designers, and building a coaching culture that makes expertise transferable at scale.If you lead an AEC firm, build learning programs, or teach others what you know—and you’ve largely been figuring it out as you go—this conversation offers a foundation for doing it smarter. By design.GuestClark Quinn, Executive Director of QuinnovationClark Quinn, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Quinnovation, learning science advisor to Elevator 9, and Co-Director of the Learning Development Accelerator. With more than four decades of experience at the cutting edge of learning, Dr. Quinn is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and author of seven books. He combines a deep knowledge of cognitive science and broad experience with technology into strategic design solutions that achieve innovative yet practical outcomes for corporations, higher-education, not-for-profit, and government organizations.CreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher ParsonsEditor: Coe HoeksemaTheme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The ParentsResourcesFor a full list of episode references and resources, see:https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/designing-learning-that-actually-improves-performance-clark-quinnChapters(00:00) Introduction(03:26) Clark Quinn's Journey into Learning Science(06:00) The Biggest Surprise About How People Learn(09:21) Why School Is a Bad Model for Organizational Learning(13:41) People Don't Know How to Learn or Teach(17:15) How Effective Self-Directed Learners Operate(22:03) The Performance Ecosystem: Courses, Job Aids, and Community(28:23) Building a Learning Culture(33:50) L&D's Role in Facilitating Innovation(39:51) Accidental vs Intentional Learning Organizations(47:13) Diagnosing Performance Gaps Before Reaching for Training(53:04) Why L&D Still Gets Course Design Wrong(55:10) What Good Course Design Actually Looks Like(01:01:32) What Experts Need in Order to Teach Well(01:08:29) Working Effectively with Subject Matter Experts(01:19:34) Partnering Experts with Learning Designers(01:27:17) Resources for Becoming a Better L&D Professional(01:29:19) The Learning Development Accelerator (LDA)(01:33:05) Bridging the Gap Between Training and the Workplace(01:38:33) Closing and Where to Find Clark Quinn