Four Key Takeaways from DevLearn 2025

Another year, another trip to Las Vegas for DevLearn. This year's event (November 12-14) brought together over 4,000 learning professionals at the MGM Grand to discuss key trends in authoring tools, scenario-based training, and accessible eLearning development.

Despite lighter attendance than previous years, DevLearn delivered valuable insights. Here are four key takeaways that directly impact learning content development, management, and distribution.

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1. AI as Content Accelerator, Not Replacement

AI was everywhere at DevLearn again this year, but the conversation has matured. Last year's common question was "does it have AI?" This year the focus shifted toward problem-specific queries: does AI genuinely improve this outcome? Even at DemoFest, the emphasis moved from "AI was used to do X" to "Y was accomplished with AI assisting in specific aspects."

DevLearn's pre-conference AI sessions, including the AI for Learning Summit and AI 101 for L&D Professionals workshop, went beyond the hype to focus on practical implementation. Dr. Keith Keating's opening keynote emphasized transforming learning into a strategic powerhouse, while Yulia Barnakova from Accenture explored how L&D can lead in the age of AI. The consistent message was clear: AI isn't here to replace learning professionals. It's here to amplify what we do.

Practical Applications for Content Development

First Draft Generation: AI produces structured outlines, initial course drafts, and assessment questions, which can accelerate eLearning development significantly. This also improves collaboration with subject matter experts. Draft versions based on SME materials provide a focused starting point for review, reducing time and effort across teams.

Scenario Building: Creating realistic branching scenarios has always been challenging for instructional designers. AI excels at brainstorming options and fleshing out scenario-based training simulations, which designers then refine to ensure organizational objectives and culture are properly reflected.

Content Analysis: AI-powered tools summarize and analyze source materials, helping instructional designers distill information, map it to learning objectives and skills, and tag content for easier retrieval later.

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The Human Element Remains Essential

Industry practitioners are finding success by balancing AI-assisted generation with human oversight and SME review. This approach maintains efficiency while preserving quality and building organizational confidence in AI adoption.

When looking at AI solutions, some things to make sure are clear include:

• What LLMs are used to support their AI offerings?

• Request a copy of their AI security and privacy policies.

• How do they reduce hallucinations and bias, and if any are identified, how are they reported and addressed

• How is the AI feature priced, and are different AI features priced differently? What are the limits within that pricing?

• How are they or the partner they are working with assessing the quality of the AI results, and is this being done on an ongoing basis?

• Can the AI be turned off completely and/or for individual features?
  

2. Performance Support Over One-Off Training

A major theme emerged around shifting from episodic training events to embedded, continuous performance support delivered at the point of need — a focus reflected in conference tracks and pre-conference workshops.

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The One-and-Done Problem

Traditional training relies on learners remembering everything from a single course experience. Conference sessions reinforced what is probably clear to most: people also need support when they're actually performing tasks, not solely weeks earlier in a classroom or LMS.

Performance-First Design Approaches

DevLearn sessions explored strategies grounded in the 5 Moments of Need framework, developed by Bob Mosher and Conrad Gottfredson. This framework identifies five distinct moments when workers require learning support: New (learning for the first time), More (expanding knowledge), Apply (using skills in workflow), Solve (troubleshooting problems), and Change (adapting to new conditions).

Key approaches discussed included:

Performance-Driven Strategy: Organizations are implementing Digital Coaches that provide real-time guidance within workflow and deliver measurable business impact.

Workflow-Integrated Learning: Learning content embedded directly in workplace tools (Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Zoom) creates contextual microlearning modules and job aids aligned with daily business activities.

AI-Enhanced Microlearning: Generative AI is transforming microlearning creation, enabling faster development of bite-sized content that addresses specific workflow needs.

These sessions reinforced industry trends showing that performance support solutions can reduce onboarding time by 40-50%, decrease task execution time by 43%, and reduce errors by up to 97% when properly implemented.

AI-Powered Performance Support

AI chatbots embedded directly in workflow tools like Slack, Teams, or Salesforce are becoming more common. These tools answer questions, guide decisions, and deliver learning snippets without requiring learners to leave their work environment.

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Why This Matters for dominKnow | ONE

dominKnow | ONE's multi-format publishing, reuse capabilities, and audience targets support this layered, multi-channel approach. Job aids, simulations, and full courses can be maintained from a single source, ensuring consistency while supporting diverse use cases.

3. Accessibility as Foundation, Not an Afterthought

Refreshingly, accessibility continued moving past the "add on" approach. Sessions reflected the industry's recognition that accessible design is both a legal and business imperative.

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The Regulatory Context

Industry awareness around upcoming accessibility deadlines was prominent throughout the conference. The European Accessibility Act requires compliance by June 28, 2025, while U.S. Department of Justice ADA Title II rules require WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance by April 24, 2026 (for larger public entities) or April 24, 2027 (for smaller entities). But the conversation extended beyond compliance to inclusive design as a competitive differentiator.

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Core Principles and Practical Strategies

DevLearn sessions covered both foundational principles and hands-on strategies. Sessions addressed how to identify and fix the 10 most common accessibility mistakes that cause courses to fail accessibility standards. Others explored designing inclusive eLearning experiences that foster proactive educational inclusivity.

The conference also highlighted how to design for neurodiversity using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles — practical strategies for supporting learners with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning differences. Additionally, sessions covered how to create accessible virtual training experiences that work for diverse audiences.

Whether you were new to accessibility or already experienced, these sessions provided solid, actionable foundations.

Implementing Accessibility from the Start

There was a big emphasis on accessibility implementation from the beginning of content development rather than treating it as a post-production fix. This aligns with the POUR framework, which represents the four core principles of WCAG:

• ‍Perceivable: Information must be presentable through multiple sensory channels.
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• ‍Operable: Interface components and navigation must work for all users, including via keyboard and assistive technologies.
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• ‍Understandable: Information and interface operation must be clear, predictable, and easy to comprehend.
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• ‍Robust: Content must work reliably across different browsers and assistive technologies.

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AI as an Accessibility Assistant

AI is providing concrete assistance with accessibility tasks like generating alt text, checking color contrast, and creating closed captions and transcripts. However, human review remains essential. Think of AI-generated accessibility solutions as starting points, not final deliverables. This ensures your content is truly accessible to all users.

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Built-In Accessibility in dominKnow | ONE

dominKnow | ONE is equipped with advanced built-in accessibility features. The platform supports ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and patterns, enabling developers to create experiences that work reliably across assistive technologies. Accessibility isn't an afterthought or add-on—it's baked into the authoring experience from the start. Learn more at Accessible eLearning Content with dominKnow | ONE.

4. The Migration Challenge Nobody Talks About

This takeaway emerged from floor conversations about a growing industry challenge: learning content and system migration.

Organizations are often locked into their current learning ecosystems. Large amounts of data and content represent significant investments. At conferences like DevLearn, teams discover authoring platforms and learning content management systems that would be tremendous steps forward. But they face the daunting challenge of migrating all that data. Too often, teams stay the course because the price of change seems too high.

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Three Emerging Solutions

LMS Platform Migrations: Cornerstone OnDemand is deprecating multiple LMS platforms they've acquired, forcing organizations to migrate. While companies like Bluewater and Accenture have helped with migrations for years, the process is often long and problematic. Fortunately, specialized providers like Tavio now offer powerful APIs and migration services designed specifically for this task. They're turning painful processes into efficient ones.

Content Intelligence: MetaLark.ai from OnPoint Digital, launched during DevLearn week, addresses how organizations can effectively utilize content stored across various formats: SCORM packages, PDFs, videos, audio files, and documents. Their AI system extracts and classifies content, identifies skills and competencies, and enables learners to access it via an AI agent.

Authoring Tool Conversions: dominKnow provides content migration solutions that turn content created in other tools into fully editable dominKnow | ONE projects. Like Google Docs users utilizing Microsoft content, teams can switch authoring tools without losing work. Using their conversion engine, dominKnow | ONE converts content from Articulate Rise, SAP Enable Now, Oracle UPK, Inkling, Kenexa LCMS, and more.

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Questions to Ask Vendors

1. Can you assist in migrating content or data to your solution?  

2. Do new capabilities justify the migration effort?

3. Can I see migration examples with similar content types or with my own data?

4. Who owns the migration work? Your team or mine?

5. What format will migrated content be in? Are there restrictions on using or editing it?

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What These Takeaways Mean

DevLearn 2025 confirmed several shifts that learning content teams must address.

Integration Over Isolation: Standalone tools are ending. AI, accessibility, performance support, and migration point toward integrated ecosystems where content flows seamlessly across platforms.

Collaboration Over Creation: Human-AI collaboration, accessibility reviews, and vendor partnerships are replacing the solo content developer model.

Continuous Over Episodic: Everything points toward continuous content lifecycle management. From performance support to AI-assisted updates to ongoing accessibility improvements, it's a continuous process.

Strategic Over Tactical: Organizations need content strategies accounting for long-term flexibility, not just immediate publishing needs.

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Final Thoughts

DevLearn 2025 may have felt quieter on the floor, but conversations were substantive. The industry is moving from "experimenting with AI" to "implementing AI workflows." From "accessibility compliance" to "inclusive design foundations." From "one-time training events" to "embedded performance ecosystems." And from "content lock-in" to "strategic migration pathways."

For learning teams, the question isn't whether to embrace these shifts. It's how quickly you can adapt your content strategy to leverage them.

If you're evaluating authoring tools, LMS platforms, or content strategies and want to discuss these takeaways, reach out. We're happy to share what we learned.