Meet Ramona Ayala | Instructional Design and Learning Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ramona Ayala and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ramona, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
As an Instructional Designer and Learning Strategist, who has worked in the Learning and Development industry for about 15 years, I can’t tell you how many time my friends and family have asked What do you do again?”. 

Instructional designers are trained in andragogy – which is the art and science of teaching adults or helping adults learn. Using psychology and other factors, I create effective learning experiences for employees with behavioral goals of knowledge retention and new skills adoption. We also strategize about balancing interactivity, the user experience (UX), what a seamless learning platform feels like, and whether the program or course is on company brand. Our process can be a bit similar to product development.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Along the way in my career, I attended the Master’s program at NYU’s Steinhardt, School of Culture, Education, and Human Development focused on Digital Media Design for Learning and Education. I did this because technology was changing around us and continues to evolve. The way we all learn information that impacts us and what we retain is different. We receive information in 140 characters, 3-5 minute videos, in short reels and Top 5 CNN newsletters in our inbox. That translates into needing to keep up-to-date on the newest research around adult learning pretty continuously.

What I learned most in this program is that trends in the learning industry continue to shift, and you can’t be stuck in one way of doing things – you have to change with it. Adult learning is not linear and I’ve found great success in positioning myself to be able to take on several role functions if needed. This has helped me really grow my career, to now a very fulfilling role at Microsoft.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First I’d stop at Barcelona Wine Bar for some delicious tapas and wine, after taking a quick walk on the Beltline.

I’d also bring us to the Red Phone Booth and indulge in some of the most delicious cocktails.

Attend a live concert at the Atlanta Symphony Hall, refinery at it’s finest. After the show. I’d head to El Valle for late-night dinner and drinks. THE BEST FOOD with a Mexican twist.  Their braised short rib is one of the most delicious food I’ve ever had.

We would stop at Rooftop LOA for a pool day with cabana experience. Always have to relax during vacay. Speaking of relaxing, the Spa at the Four Seasons is a must.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve been fortunate to have a few different mentors in my career – at the companies that I’ve worked at and externally. When I was located in New York I was an active member of New York Women in Communications, and through their reverse shadow program, I was paired with a mentor and a mentee in technology. 

Having high-level, successful, female mentors enabled me to see that the strengths that came easily to me that I didn’t consider to be real strengths – turned out to be exactly what my colleagues throughout the years have found most valuable about our partnerships. Today, work often feels both easy and challenging, but it feels like an extension of ME.

Now, I embrace my biggest strengths and turned it into a full-time career where I’ve often been able to take part in shaping my role. The most important thing I learned while being mentored is – authenticity and stepping into your power unapologetically is where you can find workplace satisfaction.

When your passion aligns with who you are, other people can feel that. Bringing value is about bridging the gap between who you are and who you show up as. Shake off this imposter syndrome!

Website: www.ramonaayala.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayalar/