I came up in music. Rehearsal is where I learned what instructional design would later give me names for: break a whole into parts, sequence the difficulty, and put feedback close to the performance.
Three years in Sumatra, building a language and cultural exchange, taught me that shared words do not guarantee shared meaning. Twelve years in ministry followed—first as a worship pastor, then as a pastor of liturgy responsible for learning, communications, and team leadership—where progress depended on clarity, trust, and participation.
Today I work in insurance and train the agents beside me, which keeps me close to the frontline conditions I design for. Instructional design formalized what those settings had been teaching me all along.