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Analyze
Is a course the answer?
Before designing anything, I check whether we're changing behaviour or just sharing information. If people only need to look something up, a job aid or a well-organized reference may work better than a course. When training is the answer, I use action mapping to tie it to what people actually need to do.
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Design
Start from what they know
Adults bring experience to every course, so I build on it. I write objectives backward from the performance we need, make the "what's in it for me" clear from the start, and choose the format that fits: self-paced, blended or performance support.
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Develop
Learning that works without an instructor
Self-paced learning has to do the work a facilitator would. I use chunking, real-world scenarios, visuals that carry meaning, self-reflection and spaced practice, built to WCAG 2.2 AA in Storyline or Rise.
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Evaluate
Check it worked, then improve it
I use Kirkpatrick's levels, LMS data and pilot testing to see what's landing. On one project, the data showed people weren't reviewing key documents, so I turned them into activities tied to their daily work.
Learning people can actually use.
I'm Talisa, an instructional designer. I start with your learners and whether a course is even the answer, then design learning grounded in how people learn, and check that it worked.
- Articulate Storyline 360
- Rise 360
- H5P
- WCAG 2.2 AA
- ADDIE
- Action Mapping
- SCORM & xAPI
- Kirkpatrick
- Mighty
- NVDA tested
- Canva
- LMS platforms
- AI-assisted workflows
- 6 years freelance, end to end
- ADDIE & Action Mapping analysis to evaluation
- WCAG 2.2 AA from the first storyboard
- Graduate degree Distance Education Technology
- Open to all work contract, freelance or full-time, remote first
Client feedback
What clients say
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Talisa was wonderful from beginning to end! Always available for a quick chat or meeting, willing and eager to work, always met deadlines, and produced excellent work. I would highly recommend Talisa to anyone looking for someone that they can rely on for efficient and quality work.
The Learning DesignersLearning agency
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Talisa always added value at every opportunity. She was resourceful, and always communicated in a timely manner. She worked well with all team members. When another project arises we'll reach out to her.
Corporate client
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Talisa kept the quantity / quality aspect of the project well balanced. Her storyboarding was thorough and she quickly adapts to feedback. It is a pleasure working with her!
Nonprofit clientStoryboarding
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Talisa built a few training manuals for us. She did an awesome job, was very communicative and attentive. 10/10 and highly recommended.
Small business clientTraining manuals
Every project I build is relevant, usable, accessible and measurable.
Featured case study
AI Foundations
An evergreen AI course for a whole organization: consultation, storyboard, Rise build and two animated videos.
Read the case studySelected work
Case studies, not just screenshots
Each one covers the problem, the constraints, the decisions I made and how I worked. Client names are withheld for confidentiality.
AI Foundations
A Canadian pension and investment organization needed every employee to understand AI, prompt it well and follow its rules, in 20 minutes that would still be accurate a year later. I handled consultation, storyboard, Rise build and two animated videos.
Read the case studyCampus Explorer
A provincial post-secondary planning service wanted high school students to discover its website. I designed, illustrated and built an explorable campus with six buildings and twelve badges, then made the whole game work by keyboard and screen reader.
Read the case studyMental Health at Work
A branching scenario where learners work through realistic conversations with a struggling colleague. Choices change the conversation, and feedback explains the reasoning, not just the score.
Play the courseMore builds
Samples to download
How I work
Relevant, usable, and built on what people already know.
My process follows ADDIE, adapted to each project. Scroll through what that looks like in practice.
Grounded in
Where AI fits
I use AI tools to research, organize source material and draft first versions faster. That leaves more time for the parts that need a person: listening to SMEs, writing for real learners, checking every fact and testing accessibility. Confidential material never goes into an AI tool without approval.
Services
What you can hire me for
- 01
Needs analysis & learning strategy
Find the real performance gap and recommend the right solution, whether that's a course, a job aid or something else.
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Instructional design
Action maps, measurable objectives, design documents and storyboards built around what people need to do.
- 03
eLearning development
Interactive Storyline and Rise courses built on real-world scenarios, packaged for SCORM or xAPI and tested in your LMS.
- 04
Blended programs & performance support
Curricula, learning paths, job aids and quick references that support people where they need it.
- 05
Accessibility review
WCAG 2.2 AA audits of existing courses with a prioritized fix list, or accessible rebuilds.
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Evaluation & QA
Evaluation plans based on Kirkpatrick, pilot testing, and functional and content QA before launch.
About
Hi, I'm Talisa.
I've spent six years as a freelance instructional designer, taking projects from the first needs conversation through to evaluation after launch. I've designed for corporate teams in healthcare, finance and tech, government and public sector organizations, post-secondary institutions, nonprofits and associations, small businesses and learning agencies. I've also created learning for young learners, and I'm open to all kinds of projects.
Most of my work starts with material that's accurate but hard to learn from: a dense slide deck, a long policy, an hour-long SME recording. My job is to find what people need to do differently and make it relevant to them.
Remote work suits me. I'm self-directed, I manage several projects at once, and I communicate clearly and often, so you always know where things stand.
Accessibility is how I work, not a checklist at the end. I hold IAAP continuing education credits and test with a keyboard and the NVDA screen reader before anything ships.
- MethodsADDIE, Action Mapping, backward design, Kirkpatrick
- FormatsSelf-paced eLearning, blended programs, job aids, curricula
- ToolsStoryline 360, Rise 360, H5P, Mighty, LMS platforms, Canva, AI tools
- StandardsWCAG 2.2 AA, AODA, SCORM 1.2 / 2004, xAPI
- EducationGraduate degree, Distance Education Technology, Athabasca University
- CertificatesIAAP CAECs, Joining Forces with Your Brain (Lauren Waldman), Google UX Design, CELTA
- AvailabilityOpen to contract, freelance and full-time work. Remote first.
Tell me what you're working on.
Needs analysis, full course builds, storyboard reviews, accessibility audits, or a second opinion on training that isn't landing. I'm open to contract, freelance and full-time work, and I reply within two business days.