Empathy might be one of the most essential skills for learning designers, and there's no better place to learn it than design thinking. That's why, in this episode, I am joined by Sheryl Cababa, a design researcher and strategist, and the Chief Strategy Officer at Optimistic Design, to give us some insight into her process.

She clarifies what design thinking is and what it entails, how it can help us design better learning solutions and navigate stakeholders in the decision-making process, and three principles that will get you a level deeper in the analysis phase.

▶️ Key Points:

03:37 How Sheryl is helping clients reimagine education with design

08:31 Design thinking or human-centered design in a nutshell

12:20 The significant benefits of using a design thinking approach in L&D

17:52 Understand everyone's incentives

19:42 Always center the end user in your work

20:45 Think about your most extreme users

24:28 Valuable resources to get started with design thinking

Nonprofits often pour precious time and resources into training programs only to discover that staff don’t use them, or that the solutions miss the mark. The problem isn’t the effort or the intent. The problem is designing in isolation.

In episode 153 of Learning for Good, I sat down with Sheryl Cababa, author of Closing the Loop, to explore how nonprofits can apply design thinking and systems thinking to create learning experiences that actually lead to change.

Why Training Fails

Too often, training is built around what leaders think staff need or what stakeholders assume will work. The result? A rollout that looks good on paper but falls flat in practice.

Sheryl explained it this way: when we skip listening to the people we’re designing for, we miss critical insights, and we risk creating something irrelevant.

If we want effective training, we cannot design in isolation.

The Power of Design Thinking in Training Initiatives

Design thinking flips the script by focusing on the end user. For nonprofit learning and development, that means:

Involving learners early – through interviews, focus groups, or observations.
Testing ideas before investing – using lightweight prototypes to see what resonates.
Iterating as you go – refining based on feedback rather than waiting until launch.

As Sheryl put it: “When you involve the people you’re designing for from the very beginning, you uncover insights you never would have thought of on your own.”

Design thinking principles for Learning Pros

Inclusive Learning Design

One of the most powerful ideas from our conversation was Sheryl’s reminder to design for the people at the margins.

Think of the “curb cut effect.” Sidewalk ramps were designed for wheelchair users but ended up benefiting parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, delivery drivers, and so many others.

The same is true for L&D. When you design training that works for the staff facing the biggest challenges, you create solutions that help everyone.

And this is made possible by design thinking.

Why Nonprofits Should Use Design Thinking

For nonprofits, resources are always limited. Every hour and dollar spent on training should move the mission forward. By applying design thinking, you:

Reduce wasted effort and money.
Build programs staff actually engage with.
Align learning to real organizational needs.
Strengthen trust between leadership and staff.

The biggest risk in training isn’t doing too little; it’s building the wrong thing.

Design thinking gives nonprofit leaders and L&D pros the tools to avoid that trap. By listening, testing, and designing with staff, you create learning that doesn’t just check a box, it fuels real change.

To learn more about using design thinking, tune into episode 153 of the Learning for Good podcast.

Additional Resources Just for You

Other Helpful Podcast Episodes:

Subscribe to the Nonprofit L&D Insiders.

Join the Nonprofit L&D Collective.

Support the Learning for Good Podcast

Become a sponsor.

Ask a question or suggest a topic.

We love hearing from listeners!