The L.I.Y. Lab:
Frameworks for Experimentation
Going deeper into the approach and tools introduced in the book.
The L.I.Y. Method
The Core Idea
L.I.Y. stands for Learning is Individual, You. It shifts the fundamental question of our industry:
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| How do we train people? | How do we create conditions where people choose to learn? |
It recognizes that meaningful learning requires individual agency and self-direction—not the passive consumption of pre-packaged content.
The Shift: From Content Curator to Curiosity Architect
This isn't about making training "more engaging." It is about a fundamental change in the learning function’s role.
| From | To | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mechanism | Learning via information transfer | Learning via activated curiosity | |
| The Schedule | Groups learn the same thing, same time | Each learning journey is unique | |
| The Driver | Content delivery drives behavior | Curiosity and Emotion drives discovery | |
| The Learner's Role | Receive and Retain | Explore and Apply |
This isn't about making training "more engaging." It's about fundamentally rethinking what the learning function does—from content curator to curiosity architect.
The SPARK Approach
A Choreography for triggering Curiosity and Emotional Relevance
SPARK is a five-stage framework for designing compressed learning experiences. It replaces the goal of "covering content" with the goal of activating the learner.
Make the invisible visible. Expose the assumptions, cognitive debt, and unconscious beliefs learners are currently working with.
Create productive discomfort. Introduce a carefully calibrated disruption that challenges those assumptions and generates emotional urgency.
Make it personal. Connect the concept to the learner's immediate context so they feel the cost of standing still—and the benefit of exploring.
Show the path. Introduce the new mental model or framework that resolves the tension. Provide just enough structure to enable self-directed work.
Launch the experiment. Provide a clear first step. The goal isn't to complete the journey here, but to launch independent discovery.
Note on Usage: SPARK is a starting point, not a rigid template. It is one possible way to operationalize L.I.Y. principles, designed to be adapted and tested in your specific context.
The L.I.Y. Method White Paper
Deep Dive: The Mechanics of Curiosity
This document explores the mechanical "how" of curiosity-driven design. It includes the theoretical foundation of L.I.Y., detailed SPARK breakdowns, and guidelines for application.
Inside the Paper:
- The shift from content-centric to curiosity-centric design.
- Detailed examples of SPARK in action.
- Design principles for activating autonomy.
- When it should not be used.