Bridging the Gap:
How to Design Materials That Make Learning Stick

This post is part of our Bridging the Gap series on how associations can modernize professional development to better match what members are looking for. When the process needs more definition, these tips for bridging the gap: how associations can reimagine professional development can help spotlight the tradeoffs behind planning decisions, workflow priorities, and rollout considerations.

In the first post, we looked at how to rethink professional development for today’s learners. The second post showed how repurposing content can save time and reach more people.

Now, we’re focusing on design and how small, thoughtful changes can make learning more inclusive, engaging, and easier to retain.

Design That Helps Every Member Learn Better

Associations are trusted learning providers. Today’s tech-savvy professionals demand more. They want flexible, interactive experiences designed for modern learning styles.

The Momentive “Bridging the Gap” study shows a clear disconnect.

Career development is key: Nearly half of members rank it “very important,” but only one in four association professionals agrees.

This gap extends to learning delivery. Members want formats that are relevant, modern, and inclusive.

The good news? Associations already have the trust and expertise members are looking for. With a few design updates, materials can be more effective, engaging, and accessible.

Why Design Makes a Difference

Learning design isn’t only about what you teach; it’s also how that information looks, flows, and feels. If materials are hard to follow or packed with dense text, members may tune out, no matter how valuable the content is.

Today’s learners are busy. They’re used to short videos, clean layouts, and content that adjusts to their needs. If learning feels outdated or difficult to navigate, they’re less likely to stick with it. Design helps bridge that gap.

What Inclusive Learning Really Looks Like

Inclusive design isn’t only about accessibility checklists. It’s about making every learner feel welcome, seen, and supported.

That means:

• Writing in clear, plain language.
• Offering content in different formats such as video, audio, or text.
• Using clean layouts with clear headings and space to breathe.
• Letting learners control their pace. Pause, skip, or replay as needed.

These shifts help make learning more effective, whether on the page or on screen.

Designing for Younger, Digital-First Learners

Younger professionals, especially Gen Z, bring new expectations to professional development. They want content that’s fast, visual, and interactive. They’re not interested in sitting through an hour-long recording to find one key takeaway.

To meet those expectations:

• Break content into 10-minute microlearning chunks.
• Design with mobile use in mind.
• Use visuals like icons, infographics, and animations.
• Add quick quizzes, polls, or reflection prompts to keep things active.

Real examples and inclusive visuals go a long way toward building trust and relevance.
(See Are Your Educational Programs Ready for Gen Z?)

Designing with Neurodiversity in Mind

Every brain works a little differently. Designing for neurodiverse learners helps everyone stay focused and engaged.
(For more ideas, see Designing for Neurodiversity: Making In-Person Education Events More Inclusive for All Learners.)

Here are a few tips:

• Keep layouts consistent and chunk content into small sections.
• Avoid clutter or flashing graphics that overwhelm the senses.
• Use predictable navigation and simple visual cues.
• Offer quiet ways to engage, like note-taking prompts or reflection pages.

It’s not about building separate experiences; it’s about giving people options for how they learn best.

Make Learning Stick

Design choices also impact how much people retain. Small changes can lead to stronger results:

• Highlight key ideas using icons, spacing, and color.
• Mix formats such as videos, print summaries, checklists, and guides.
• Add action steps or reflection prompts after each section.
• Use QR codes to connect print to digital extras like quizzes or video demos. For inspiration, read
  3 Reasons to Use QR Codes in Your Training Course.

When the scope widens, print training manuals can help maintain control over training material production, version control, and distribution (Also see Creating Printed Training Materials That Support Bite-Sized Learning and Making Training Materials Work: The Case for Handwritten Engagement.). That same need for clarity also applies to course material printing, especially when teams need a dependable approach to adjacent submission, review, and communication processes.
(Also see Creating Printed Training Materials That Support Bite-Sized Learning and Making Training Materials Work: The Case for Handwritten Engagement.)

Accessibility Isn’t a One-Time Fix

Accessibility needs to be part of your process, not an afterthought. To make it part of your workflow:

• Add alt text for all images.
• Caption every video and provide transcripts.
• Choose easy-to-read fonts and strong color contrast.
• Test materials with assistive tech when possible.

Automated tools can help, but feedback from real users is even better. Ask members what’s working and what’s not.

Print, Digital, or Both: Keep It Connected

Your materials don’t have to live in one format. In fact, the best learning often blends print and digital.

As we shared in How Repurposing Content Helps Associations Save Time and Engage More Members, you can easily reuse great content:

• Turn printed guides into mobile-friendly PDFs.
• Convert transcripts into blog posts or summaries.
• Clip long sessions into short learning paths.

A unified design approach makes the learning experience feel smooth, whether it starts in a booklet or on a phone screen.

Meeting Learners Where They Are

Members will keep changing. Their learning needs will too. But your mission stays the same: help professionals grow.

By designing smarter, more inclusive materials, you guarantee that every member can succeed. You remove barriers regardless of their background, learning style, or device.

Design is just one piece of the puzzle. The real magic happens when you combine thoughtful materials with smart technology.

Next in our “Bridging the Gap” series, we’ll explore how associations can use AI to make learning more personal and scalable—without losing the human touch that makes your programs unique. Read How Associations Can Use AI to Personalize Learning