The Future of LxD is Data-Driven. But Not Like You Think.

Why corporate LxD needs a smarter approach to analytics if it wants to stay relevant.

There’s an elephant in the room of LxD. We’re surrounded by data, but we don’t always know what to do with it.

Every quiz score. Every post-course survey. We collect the data diligently, but we often struggle to make these data points connect to a meaningful story. 

This is where LxD is ripe for transformation.

Why “What Happened” Isn’t Enough

If you’ve worked in corporate LxD, you’ve seen the dashboards. You’re familiar with all the metrics: completion rates, test scores, and satisfaction surveys. It looks so neat and in-depth, but it’s misleading.

Sure, these metrics tell us generally what happened and who showed up. Who passed a quiz and gave the course a 5 on the post-course survey. But they definitely don’t tell us what we really should be focusing on; whether the learner changed behavior or made better decisions. Whether it actually contributed to business goals. 

The problem is more than just the dashboard. Data often lives in various places collecting dust. The LMS, a CRM, or a performance review only given two minutes of review. The systems don’t actually communicate with each other to create a full story.

Because of this, most LxD professionals only understand on a surface level what their learning experiences are achieving. They assume that people are learning… something. But maybe not the right thing or maybe it didn’t stick.

It’s not because we aren’t skilled. The tools we’ve been given and the expectations we’ve been given aren’t evolving to match the changing, complex world and the strategic role learning plays.

The Data Revolution Isn’t Coming. It’s Here.

Fortunately, we’re starting to see a shift.

The industry is starting to change and forward-thinking LxD teams are experimenting with more meaningful data strategies. SCORM and spreadsheets are giving way to systems that are more insightful.

xAPI unlike its predecessor SCORM, which only tells you if someone completed a course, can track a wide range of learner behavior. It takes tracking outside of the LMS by monitoring things such as opening a PDF or asking a question in Slack. When paired with a Learning Record Score (LRS) it gives us the full story of how learners actually learn.

We are also seeing the rise of AI-powered analytics which can detect patterns in learner behavior and offer real-time insights. This can help us to predict if a learner is at risk of falling behind, recommend next steps, and flag when a training program isn’t producing the results needed. Enabling LxD professionals to know whether a program is resonating or not,before a learner finishes, and being able to adjust it.

But the tools are only one part of the story, it’s also about how we use them. More LxD professionals are designing with data in mind from the start. They’re starting to ask more important questions. What do we want this training to achieve? How will we know if it’s working? What does “impact” really mean for our organization?

These are questions that demand more than just a multiple-choice quiz.

What the Future Looks Like and How to Get There

The most exciting part? We’re just getting started.

But we have to go further than just tracking data. We need to use that data to create experiences that adapt, respond, and evolve to the changing world. For example: a newly hired manager starts a leadership training program. While going through the program, the AI-powered analytics has found that they are excelling at communication scenarios, but struggling with financial decision-making. Instead of allowing the learner to keep going through the program the same as everyone else, it adjusts. It starts to offer additional resources or maybe a live session focused on budgeting.

If AI-powered analytics can do this for this learner, it can do it for all learners across the organization. Personalized learning for all individuals in ways that would take years to manually make. It’s not a perk. It’s a core function.

We’re also on the cusp of predictive analytics that can help organizations identify skill gaps early so they can be resolved early. When we’re able to analyze trends across performance data, learner engagement, and business outcomes, future systems will help LxD professionals determine what their learners need next and how we’ll build it.

Companies are already experimenting with these systems and seeing real results. Improved retention, faster onboarding, stronger performance, and more meaningful data that stakeholders care about. 

So, What Now?

Now it’s up to us, LxD professionals, to stop treating data as an afterthought.

Instead, treat it like a co-designer. 

We can all start by looking at the data we already are collecting. We need to make sure our data is tied to business goals, not just course logistics. We need to start looking for feedback throughout the learning, not just at the end. We need to start seeing how our systems can communicate with each other so we don’t have to pull data from five systems.

From there look towards upgrading our tools, processes, and even your own data fluency. This doesn’t need to happen overnight. It can happen one step at a time with a pilot program or a better dashboard. Just keep it moving towards the future. 

In the years to come, we won’t be judged by how many hours of training we provide, but by what that training helps people do. The only way to know that is through smarter and more strategic data. 

Final Thought

We’re not designing for data. We’re designing with it.

It’s not about metrics. It’s about meaning.

And when we do it right, data doesn’t just prove learning works. It helps to learn to work better.