Amanda Hewitt: A Journey through Instructional Design Part 1

In this exclusive interview, we had the pleasure of chatting with Amanda Hewitt, a seasoned senior instructional designer at DaVita, who has an extensive background in supporting nursing and pharmacy students in higher education. Amanda shared with us her journey in navigating the learning management system (LMS) and virtual proctoring, which ultimately led her to pursue a career in instructional design. Her empathy for nursing students, who would often visit her desk to share their struggles with exams and navigating school, also played a significant role in inspiring her to become an instructional designer.

As a senior instructional designer, Amanda's role is multifaceted, requiring her to be adaptable and open to changes, with the needs of subject matter experts and clients taking priority over building a complete course. She emphasized that her company places a strong emphasis on work-life balance, allowing her to manage her time effectively. While she may occasionally work longer hours, her company discourages employees from overworking, ensuring that their well-being is a top priority.

Throughout our conversation, Amanda shared her insights on the instructional design process and her passion for designing learning solutions that meet the needs of both clients and learners. She emphasized that not every learning solution requires a complete course, and that a quick reference guide or job aid may suffice. We learned about the challenges that instructional designers face and how they tackle these obstacles with creativity and expertise.

Tune in to learn more about Amanda's work as a senior instructional designer and the exciting world of instructional design. Come back next week for this episode Amanda Hewitt: A Journey through Instructional Design Part 2.