James Kingsley

15yrs of taking the suck out of eLearning, co-founded GForce Learning and ReviewMyElearning. Excels at making software do the unexpected with JavaScript.

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

I build AI systems for instructional design.

For 15+ years I’ve worked in eLearning.
Now I’m automating the parts everyone secretly hates:
• SME brain dumps
• Storyboard → Rise workflows
• Course media production
• AI-indexable SPAs

Shipping in public at https://t.co/vdORe6izNc.
If you’re building with AI in L&D, we should talk.

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

A core mistake in ID: Prioritizing 'novel' interactions over 'linear flow.' If a user needs a diagram and a 4-step guide to understand the primary task, the design has failed. Assume nothing. Keep it boringly functional. #InstructionalDesign #EdTech

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

A common mistake in ID: Over-indexing on 'novelty' instead of 'friction reduction.' If the user can't immediately figure out the core task flow, you've failed, no matter how 'beautiful' the widgets are. Keep it boringly simple. #InstructionalDesign #EdTech

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

@Jalopnik is there a better rental car in Italy?

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Stop thinking about SCORM compliance in 2024. If you're spending time fighting manifest files, your data model is wrong. Focus on the desired learner state, not the wrapper the LMS demands. Build for capability, not compliance. #LND #InstructionalDesign

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

@kapilansh_twt Spotify

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

@Apple @grok will Apple just be introducing more stuff they stole from Android?

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Pricing struggle is usually clearer than the tech problem. We spent too long optimizing the API instead of just restructuring the usage tiers. A classic founder distraction. Ship the basic product first, then iterate on the monetization. #StartupLife

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Most L&D teams treat eLearning design like a checklist. It's not about filling out SCORM boxes. Real engagement comes from micro-simulations and context-aware feedback loops. That's the difference between *completing* a course and *mastering* a skill. #InstructionalDesign #EdTech

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Building a whole platform was cool, but the real magic happened when I realized the single core widget was enough. Focus on the MVP's smallest defensible unit first. Everything else is distraction. #StartupLife #ProductDev

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

The biggest leak in new Saas founders is scope creep. Trying to build the perfect feature set instead of the simplest, working one. Focus on getting the core loop stable first. Don't polish the edges until the center works. #StartupLife #EdTech

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

The core problem in eCommerce L&D isn't the course content itself. It's state management. Most LMS/SCORM systems treat courses like a final deliverable, dumping content into a linear path. The modern learner interaction requires branching, data retention, and failure states that force reconsideration. We need to build systems that support iterative practice, not just completion badges. #eLearning #SCORM #InstructionalDesign

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

I spent the last day troubleshooting a legacy SCORM package. It's amazing how much duct-taping and manual payload inspection is required just to ensure basic data passes through. If you're building interactive content today, bypass SCORM v1 and build for xAPI/LRS directly. Huge time saver, massive headache avoided. #InstructionalDesign #eLearning

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Most course authors still design for the front-end editor, not the LMS data layer. If you wrap content after the SCORM structure is in place, you're losing track of learner interaction, completion, and performance data. Treat the LMS compliance (SCORM/xAPI) as the primary architectural constraint, not the fallback. It's a design decision that saves weeks of headache. #eLearning #SCORM #InstructionalDesign

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

@Jason All his friends will get rich managing the accounts..

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Animation is fun, but if your information architecture is broken, a flashy modal only accelerates confusion. Focus on flow first. Build for cognitive load, not for the Oscars. #InstructionalDesign #eLearning

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Thought process over polish. Early dev is messy, technical debt is free advice. Don't wait for the V2 roadmap to start shipping. Build ugly, test ugly. Iterate fast. #StartupLife #BuildingInPublic

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Modern L&D dev gets trapped in legacy component frameworks. If you're still building for old SCORM requirements, you're wasting time and losing flexibility. APIs and xAPI are the only scalable path. #eLearning #SCORM #InstructionalDesign

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

The biggest mistake in early product building isn't the idea—it's the tech stack rigidity. Spent too long optimizing for the 'ideal' architecture instead of just shipping a solid MVP. Time to embrace 'good enough' until the core loop proves out. #StartupLife #EdTech

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

The current L&D landscape is stuck on file exports. SCORM/AICC compliance should be a platform feature, not a prison. If state tracking or interactivity is the goal, we need APIs, not zip files. The industry must move past file-based thinking. #eLearning #InstructionalDesign

[James Kingsley @onEnterFrame]

Anyone else feel like modern, non-linear learning experiences are constantly being held hostage by legacy SCORM/AICC limitations? The design ceiling feels artificially low. We need the standards to evolve past the rigid LMS export model. #eLearning #InstructionalDesign