The Visual Lounge

Ever clicked play on a learning video that looks polished and professional, only to finish it and think, “Wait, what did I just learn?”  

In this episode, we’re revisiting a conversation with Patti Shank, an internationally recognized learning designer, researcher, and author who has spent years studying how people really take in information. Patti knows that effective learning isn’t about the video itself, it’s about how the viewer processes it. 

She unpacks the hidden reasons instructional videos fall short, why cognitive overload is more common than we think, and how simple design choices can make or break viewer understanding. 

You’ll hear Patti explain the critical role of learner control, the pitfalls of combining text, visuals, and narration, and why background music (even the relaxed kind) can silently derail understanding. Plus, she shares practical ways to design video, so it supports effective thinking, processing, and learning. 

Learning points from the episode include:  

• 00:00 - 01:12 Introduction 
• 01:12 - 01:59 The difference between reading and listening 
• 01:59 - 02:57 The importance of learner control 
• 02:57 - 04:28 Why background music usually hurts learning 
• 04:28 - 05:07 Why video is powerful when designed well 
• 05:07 - Outro 

Important links and mentions: 

Imagine logging in next month to find your bill for the AI tool you use has doubled, or that you've run out of credits halfway through a critical project.

The explosion of AI video tools has brought incredible capabilities to content creators, but alongside these innovations comes a new challenge: complex pricing models that make it difficult to budget, explain costs to your boss, or know if you're getting sustainable value from your tools.

Joining us in this episode is Daniel Foster, Director of Monetization at TechSmith, who studies the evolution of software pricing and has been closely watching how AI tools are being packaged and priced.

Daniel shares practical advice for evaluating AI tools beyond just their features, looking at the "whole product" including support, documentation, and pricing sustainability. He explains how to navigate credit-based systems, and why bundled solutions might save you both money and headaches.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:38 - 01:52 Introduction to Daniel
• 01:52 - 03:06 Daniel's tip for using images and video in work
• 03:06 - 05:05 Why pricing decisions matter as much as features
• 05:05 - 07:51 Current AI pricing models emerging in the market
• 07:51 - 10:56 The complexity of credit-based systems
• 10:56 - 13:47 Alternatives and features to look for in pricing
• 13:47 - 19:54 Evaluating all-in-one vs. specialized tools
• 19:54 - 22:29 Support and documentation considerations
• 22:29 - 23:23 The most popular AI feature: Voice generation
• 23:23 - 27:56 Speed round questions
• 27:56 - 28:53 Daniel's final take
• 28:53 - 30:14 Outro

Important links and mentions:

What happens when everyone can create AI videos with just a text prompt?

We’re entering the “watch bait era” where AI-generated short clips may start dominating social media feeds, making it harder to distinguish between AI content, misinformation, and reality.

The technology is improving but still has real limitations. While AI avatars and lip-sync are getting better, we’re still dealing with 8-second clip restrictions, consistency issues (your character might lose their glasses between scenes), and the ongoing challenge of writing effective prompts.

Joining us is Myra Roldan, Founder and Chief AI Officer at UnDesto AI, who’s been working in the AI space for 12 years. She shares practical insights on what AI video can actually do today, why you need authorization before using these tools with company data, and why storyboarding remains essential.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 02:45 Introduction to Myra Roldan
• 02:45 - 03:41 12 years in AI: pushing limits and finding considerations
• 03:41 - 05:18 Current state: better avatars, but still limited
• 05:18 - 06:58 Understanding the "watch bait era"
• 06:58 - 08:52 Corporate AI use: authorization and strategy first
• 08:52 - 10:11 Cheap, fast or good, pick two
• 10:11 - 12:38 Consistency challenges with AI characters
• 12:38 - 16:00 Writing effective short prompts and accepting waste
• 16:00 - 17:05 Generation costs and platform caps
• 17:05 - 18:08 The "drunk intern" analogy
• 18:08 - 20:14 Moving from experimentation to everyday use
• 20:14 - 23:45 Why video editing skills still matter
• 23:45 - 29:12 Speed round questions
• 29:12 - 29:19 Myra's final take
• 29:19 - 31:04 Outro

Important links and mentions:

We've all sat through presentations that feel like a performance, polished, professional, but somehow disconnected. The speaker hits every point perfectly, yet we walk away feeling nothing. So, what's missing?

For this episode, we're revisiting a conversation with Leslie Chamberlain, Head of Customer Success at Gibbs Smith Education. Leslie knows that great presentations aren't about perfection, they're about connection.

She shares why infusing your personality into presentations matters more than hitting every bullet point, and reveals the secret to keeping audiences engaged through authentic delivery.

You'll hear Leslie's approach to making presentations "sense-rich," her take on scripting versus speaking naturally, and practical tips for condensing information without losing impact. Plus, she reveals why being authentic beats being polished every time.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 02:49 Introduction
• 02:49 - 05:13 How Leslie became involved in customer success
• 05:13 - 06:49 Making learning presentations successful
• 06:49 - 09:04 Leslie's tip for using videos and images in presentations
• 09:04 - 10:43 Brand vs individual in your presentations
• 10:43 - 16:14 The first steps towards a great presentation
• 16:14 - 19:06 Making your ideas sense-rich
• 19:06 - 24:54 Where people get stuck making presentations
• 24:54 - 26:47 Should you script presentations?
• 26:47 - 31:40 How to condense information and keep things short
• 31:40 - 35:57 Hear Leslie's Speed Round answers
• 35:57 - 36:36 Leslie's final take
• 36:36 Outro

Important links and mentions:

What if your carefully crafted training course could become a content campaign that actually drives behavior change? Most L&D professionals create amazing content that gets consumed once and forgotten. But what if that single course could spawn dozens of touchpoints that reinforce learning over time?

We're seeing a shift where smart L&D teams are borrowing from marketing playbooks, and it's working. The secret isn't creating more content; it's strategically repurposing what you already have.

Joining this episode is Mike Taylor, Learning Consultant at Nationwide and co-author of "Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro."

Mike's been pioneering the campaign approach to learning, and shows us how one webinar recording can become email sequences, infographics, GIFs, and micro-learning moments.

He explains why thinking in campaigns rather than courses changes everything, introduces the SURE model for creating content that sticks, and shows how to overcome the "we don't have time" objection with smart repurposing strategies.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 02:22 Introduction to repurposing and spawning multiple content pieces
• 02:22 - 05:15 Why repurposing isn't more work and how to expand your reach
• 05:15 - 06:56 Think campaigns not courses: the hero content pyramid
• 06:56 - 09:19 Leaving breadcrumb trails across multiple channels
• 09:19 - 11:51 Setting hooks and the SURE model for relevant content
• 11:51 - 12:39 Why content creates feelings whether you know it or not
• 12:39 - 14:23 Turning annual compliance into year-round micro-learning
• 14:23 - 16:37 Using AI and A/B testing data to sell repurposing internally
• 16:37 - 17:58 Finding small experiments to build credibility
• 17:58 - 21:13 Visual repurposing: webinars to GIFs, polls to graphics
• 21:13 - 23:13 Using Camtasia for Microsoft Office tips and animated GIFs
• 23:13 - 25:00 Why even simple content benefits from repurposing
• 25:00 - 26:53 Making subject matter expert content digestible
• 26:53 - 31:15 Outro

Important links and mentions: