About
Hey there! I’m McKenzie Day, a voracious bookworm and instructional designer extraordinaire. With a Master’s Degree in Education, learning theory is my area of expertise and I’m ready to wield it like Aragorn’s sword Andúril in the Battle of Minas Tirith.
My career has led me to diverse communities of learners all over the planet- from Antigua to Quito to Hong Kong and back to the United States where I reside in Atlanta, Georgia. Outside of L&D, I am a dog mom and member of a women’s community chorus.
Why am I a great fit for your ID project?
You need a highly communicative instructional designer who is going to keep you in the loop. I check in regularly and send weekly progress updates. I am responsive and clear in my communication.
You need an organized project manager to wrangle all the moving parts. I thrive in the ambiguity of agile software development and am freakishly efficient so I can meet your deadlines.
What are my core professional values?
Authenticity is key. The learning experiences I design will speak personally to specific groups of learners and their contexts. Real scenarios are more engaging than abstract factoids.
Inclusivity is at the heart of my work. Did you know that people learn better when they feel valued? I take pride in developing training that connects to each learner’s lived experience by integrating diverse representation and multiple perspectives, and considers digital accessibility.
FYI, my visual aesthetic is grandma florals meets literary whimsy. But I’ll embrace your branding guidelines!
My Toolkit
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe XD
Articulate Storyline
Articulate Rise
TechSmith Camtasia
TechSmith SnagIt
Adobe Captivate
HTML/CSS/JavaScript
Twine
Audacity
xAPI
Project Management Software
Appearances
Guide: ATD “TD at Work”
03/01/24
-
I wrote a 20 page TD at Work guide for ATD called “Build a High-Value Credentialing Program.” It covers everything practicioners need to launch digital credentials at their organizations, including practical advice, a step-by-step project plan, and tips to cultivate business buy-in.
-
The Association for Talent Development is the professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees around the world.
-
The target audience is learning and development professionals seeking to build a digital credentialing program from the ground up.
Presentation: ATD (Kentuckiana Chapter)
09/26/23
-
I designed and facilitated the session “Building Strong Foundations: The Critical Role of Scope Documents in Instructional Design Projects” for a chapter meeting of the Association for Talent Development.
-
ATD Kentuckiana is a local chapter of the Association for Talent Development. ATD is the premiere talent association for instructional design practicioners.
-
Members of the ATD Kentuckiana chapter. These are experienced L&D practicioners, and this session targeted professionals in leadership roles who are managing projects.
Webinar: TPLD Presents Instructional Design Across Industries
04/12/23
-
For this webinar, I was a part of a panel. The purpose of the event was to show how instructional design varies across industries. I represented tech, and also spoke to my experience in the finance sector.
-
TPLD, or Teaching: A Path to Learning & Development. We are a professional community for former educations providing free resources for career transitions. I am a community manager for this group on LinkedIn.
-
Learning & Development professionals looking to advance their careers by exploring different industries. Transitioning teachers who want to hear about work ID work across sectors.
Conference: Preparing for a Smooth Transition (While Still in the Classroom)
01/25/23
-
This was a free digital conference called "The Road to L&D". My session focused on how teachers can successfully pivot to L&D while still in the classroom.
-
The Training, Learning, and Development Community, a community of practice for Learning and Development Professionals run by Luis Malbas
-
Learning professionals with a background in education looking to transition to Learning & Development
Podcast: Moving from ID to Senior ID
10/18/22
-
I discuss my journey from instructional designer to senior instructional designer and how I upskilled and leveraged my network to find a new role and a promotion.
-
Heidi Kirby and the BLOC podcast
-
Instructional designers looking to further their career and advance in their organizations