Dr. Keith Keating

This paper provides original insights and reviews newly published studies regarding relationships between the training function and chief financial officers, the development of workplace training valuation approaches, the associated challenges faced, and proposed solutions. This paper will be of value to human resources, learning and development, and finance, assisting practitioners in thinking differently about approaches to quantifying the value of workplace training.

This article is part of Wharton's series on Nano leadership tools. Accelerated digital transformation and the shift to remote work have widened the gap between the skills your workers currently have and the ones they will need in the future. Companies often end up with an either/or approach: it’s either all on employers to provide training, or employees must figure out which skills they will need and how to build those skills themselves. A more effective solution for both sides involves a… Show more

This article is part of Wharton's series on Nano leadership tools. Accelerated digital transformation and the shift to remote work have widened the gap between the skills your workers currently have and the ones they will need in the future. Companies often end up with an either/or approach: it’s either all on employers to provide training, or employees must figure out which skills they will need and how to build those skills themselves. A more effective solution for both sides involves a collaborative approach, where leaders empower, encourage, and enable talent to close anticipated gaps and take control of their own future. Show less

This article explores the impact of COVID-19 on the higher education crisis and its implications for workforce preparedness and the future of work. It takes an integrative look at the evolving role of three primary actors involved in higher education: traditional universities, corporate universities, and educational technology companies, before, during, and after the pandemic. We conclude with recommendations for reframing discussions about higher education and workforce preparation to achieve… Show more

This article explores the impact of COVID-19 on the higher education crisis and its implications for workforce preparedness and the future of work. It takes an integrative look at the evolving role of three primary actors involved in higher education: traditional universities, corporate universities, and educational technology companies, before, during, and after the pandemic. We conclude with recommendations for reframing discussions about higher education and workforce preparation to achieve a better balance between the workforce needs of the corporate world and those of society. Show less

You’ve probably heard about design thinking—maybe you’ve read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it’s a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 2 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, walks you… Show more

You’ve probably heard about design thinking—maybe you’ve read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it’s a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 2 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, walks you through a detailed design thinking case study for an initiative he led in 2018 for a Fortune 500 company. Keith will address activities in each of the five phases, sharing best practices and lessons learned that helped his team uncover the voice of the learner and readjust their learner experience strategy based on the results of the initiative. Whether you are new to design thinking or an experienced practitioner, this webcast will benefit you as he illustrates successes that can result as well as pitfalls and challenges. Understanding case studies will help you jump-start your transformative journey from being a theoretical learner to a design thinking practitioner.In this webcast, you will learn about:
- best practices for preparing and conducting successful empathy interviews
- best practices for a successful ideation session
- five visual thinking tools used to support the case study
- five lessons learned from the case study
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You've probably heard about design thinking—maybe you've read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it's a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 1 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, shares a… Show more

You've probably heard about design thinking—maybe you've read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it's a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 1 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, shares a thorough look into the principles of design thinking in an easy-to-understand format. Using practical examples and stories, this webcast will provide you with a solid foundational understanding of design thinking and ideas for ways you can apply it within your own organization. Keith has taken his theoretical design thinking education from MIT and brought it to life with Fortune 500 companies to help create learner-centric experiences, products, and processes. He will help you jump-start your transformative journey from being a theoretical learner to a design thinking practitioner.In this webcast, you will learn about:
- the value of design thinking and why more companies aren't using it
- practical design thinking stories from Fortune 500 companies
- top five design thinking best practices for you to drive business results
- five L&D ideas for applying design thinking. Show less

Design Thinking is not, in and of itself, a guarantee of success. Before you sign on to the open-ended, meandering journey that is true Design Thinking, consider some of its inherent risks.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has begun and the stakes are high for businesses, workers and society as a whole. The very concept of work is being redefined as different generations enter and exit the workforce. Digital technologies are demanding that employees acquire new skills to adapt to new ways of working, otherwise they’ll get left behind. L&D leaders now have a call to action: Ensure employees are relevant and adaptable so they can rise to the challenge of this new revolution.
… Show more

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has begun and the stakes are high for businesses, workers and society as a whole. The very concept of work is being redefined as different generations enter and exit the workforce. Digital technologies are demanding that employees acquire new skills to adapt to new ways of working, otherwise they’ll get left behind. L&D leaders now have a call to action: Ensure employees are relevant and adaptable so they can rise to the challenge of this new revolution.

The task may seem daunting but here’s the good news: Drawing on insights from the disruptive technology landscape over the past 20 years, we can proactively address the complex workforce challenges we face. There may never have been a better opportunity to get ahead of this issue, and never a greater risk of inaction. Our directive is clear: Create the future workforce, now.

Drawing on theory and research, this session will focus on helping you prepare and take action for the future of workforce development. Keith Keating will discuss the concept of building the connected learner, share actionable advice on ways you can identify the skills needed for the future in your organization and how to foster a learning culture that will motivate employees to develop those skills. You will explore ways to utilize human-centric design to support accelerating the reskilling of our workforce, encouraging you to remain mindful to put our people first. Show less

L&D professionals are often faced, in short order, with finding new or unique ways to present information so that learners not only take in the information but apply it on the job. This is where design thinking—a collective, human-centered problem-solving approach to achieving goals—can help. Design thinking focuses on the creative and innovative. But is this valuable to L&D professionals, or does it distract from their core efforts?

You’ve probably heard about Design Thinking, whether you’ve read an article, watched a video, or even took an online course. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying Design Thinking and what business results come from it? Listen to this episode with Keith Keating and Britney Cole to learn why Design Thinking is more than a buzzword, but a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.

Knowing what words to use in any given situation is a common element of leadership, but the greatest leaders understand that greater power resides in the space between words.

Adaptive Leadership is a practical leadership framework that helps individuals and organizations adapt and thrive in challenging environments. This article discusses 3 key traits of Adaptive Leaders and actions that can be taken to enhance your skills as an adaptive leader.

LXD is the perfect evolution in the field of instructional design to ensure we remain focused on the experience of our learners.

In a recent webinar I shared tips on how to apply the 5 stages of Design Thinking in real-world settings. If you missed the webinar, a recording is now available for you to watch online. My goal is to help you jump-start your transformative journey from being a Design-Thinking theoretical learner to a Design-Thinking practitioner.

If there was a method we could use to uncover the voice of employees, improve the learner experience, and drive business results, we’d use it. Right? Well, that method is design thinking, but most of us working in learning and development (L&D) aren’t fully adopting or embracing it. Why not?