Chief Learning Officer recently had a conversation with Diane August, chief learning architect at Nationwide Insurance. August previously served as Nationwide’s director of IT learning and development and, prior to joining Nationwide, ran her own instructional design consulting firm for 15 years. Under her leadership, Nationwide was ranked as the No. 1 organization in the 2019 LearningElite awards program.
Chief Learning Officer: Where is your hometown?
Toledo, Ohio, but I claim Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as I spent most of my growing up years there.
CLO: What was your first official job in learning and development?
Assistant director of learning and development at Ohio Health, a hospital group, leading leadership development.
CLO: What lessons did you learn in 2020 that you’ve brought with you into 2021?
Pivot quickly and frequently, prototype and iterate, and design for a small operational footprint.
CLO: I read on your LinkedIn profile that you co-created your current role at Nationwide, “chief learning architect” — what was that process was like?
I came to Nationwide as a director in IT learning. We modeled the chief learning architect role to some degree after the IT architect. We had a couple different learning teams in IT, and many leaders creating learning. We wanted to establish a common learning strategy, architectural principles, levels of learning and solution types. This provided us with a methodology to have common learner experiences, reasonable total cost of ownership, effective learning design. Our team then became enterprise learning and development, and we migrated this approach to the enterprise. Today, we manage the learning architecture and technology framework though our Nationwide learning leader’s community.
CLO: How do you enjoy spending your time outside of work?
Traveling to see my kids and grand kids, or traveling with them. Reading, sharing TV series with family and trying to get some exercise in.
CLO: What book (audio or physical) or podcast has gotten you through 2020 and the pandemic?
I am a big audiobook fan as I drive a lot; primarily novels (nothing heavy). I enjoy the author Danielle Steel.
CLO: In your opinion, what are some components of a robust L&D program?
Business need and customer (learner) empathy, solution identification and user experience design, tracking and a metrics plan, communication and change plan, and a project plan.
CLO: What advice do you have for CLOs and learning leaders as they take on 2021?
Develop and implement an agile learning strategy. Prototype and iterate solutions, consider learning in the flow of work opportunities and stay as flexible as possible on learning solution investments as the landscape is changing so rapidly. Embrace digital learning and view learning as part of an integrated talent strategy. Finally, consider future of work implications.
