The Dao of Learning
How content strategy supports learning on the web.
by @TylerTate
Illustration by Kevin Cornell via A List Apart

Photo by David Woo

Photo by Paul Robertson

Photo by Mark Hillary Photo by Paul Robertson

?!
Surely there’s a better way?!

Optimising for conversions is tactical.

Optimising for conversions is tactical.
Optimising for learnability is strategic.

We must develop content strategies that
help users learn.

Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Comprehension
Knowledge

The learning process
1 2 3 4 5 6

uncertainty
apprehension
The learning process
1 2 3 4 5 6

Selection
optimism
The learning process
1 2 3 4 5 6

Selection Exploration
confusion
uncertainty
doubt
The learning process
1 2 3 4 5 6

Selection Exploration Formulation
confidence
The learning process
1 2 3 4 5 6

Selection Exploration Formulation Collection
The learning process
1 2 3 4 5 6

Selection Exploration Formulation Collection
The learning process
1 2 3 4 5 6

The company that best supports the
user throughout the entire process has
the upper hand in converting that loyal
user into a paying customer.

Explore

Flexible filtering

Flexible filtering

Flexible filtering

Personalised Recommendations

Good Content

Refind

Organise

Annotate

Compare

Monitor

Saved Searches

Co"aborate

Companies that help users throughout
the entire learning process are more
likely to:
Create passionate, devoted users
Benefit from the resulting transaction

Users aren’t just conversion metrics.
They’re people who need empathy.

“When the teacher has the ability to
understand the student’s reactions
from the inside and has a sensitive
awareness of the way the process of
education and learning seems to the
student... the likelihood of significant
learning is increased.” – Carl Rogers

Learning Styles on Johnny Holland
http://johnnyholland.org/2011/06/16/learning-
styles-the-cognitive-side-of-content/
Cognitive Styles on UX Magazine
http://uxmag.com/design/cognitive-styles
Novices Orienteer, Experts Teleport on B&A
http://boxesandarrows.com/view/
novices-orienteer

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The Dao of Learning
How content strategy supports learning on the web.
by @TylerTate
Illustration by Kevin Cornell via A List Apart