The Creative Leader: Betsy Barrett, Instructional Designer
Betsy Barrett is a Senior Instructional Designer with a background in education policy, strategic internal communication, and UX design, holding a Master's degree in international studies from the University of Washington. An experienced learning and development consultant, Betsy has taken on leadership roles in Prime 8 engagements for various global technology clients. Committed to delivering excellence for every client, every time, Betsy is a creative and analytical problem solver who excels at communicating clearly about complex topics and is known in her field for her attention to detail and commitment to accessibility.
A native of Seattle, Betsy has followed her husband’s military postings and in recent years has lived in New York, California, and Georgia while successfully working remotely. A casual but enthusiastic birder and ceramicist, Betsy also enjoys training her adopted border collie, baking bread, reading, yoga, and rock climbing. We chatted with Betsy about her role, how digital learning has changed in 2020, and how she stays inspired.
Walk us through a day in the life of a Senior Instructional Designer.
As an instructional designer, I primarily develop and design training content for our Prime 8 clients. On a day-to-day basis, this can include a wide array of tasks, including building interactive online trainings, interviewing subject matter experts, researching and synthesizing key information about training topics, designing engaging learning activities, producing tutorial videos, recording voiceover narration, and writing and editing scripts, training guides, and client reports.
What’s your favorite aspect about working with Prime 8?
Prime 8 consultants work with many different clients and often work remotely, but there’s always a sense of community and connection, from company parties, to virtual happy hours, to handwritten birthday cards from Drew and Nicolette (Prime 8 owners and founders).
How would you describe your working style?
I enjoy that my work involves both creativity and precision. The ideation and design phases of every project are a fresh opportunity to problem-solve and find the right solution for the client, and the iterative process of revising, testing, and refining is rewarding as we hone in on how to best bring that solution to life. On a more micro level, this means my workdays include a balance of focused design and development time and opportunities to collaborate with teammates, partners, and SMEs.
What makes Prime 8 unique and valuable for a consultant that might be considering applying?
Prime 8 is a great place for young consultants to gain experience and experienced consultants to find opportunities. The company is constantly growing and very plugged into the local business community, so if you’re motivated and have a versatile skill set there’s always a new challenge to take on.
What makes Prime 8 unique and valuable to organizations that might be considering hiring a consulting company?
Prime 8 is client-focused, or, as the company values statement puts it, "client-obsessed." We live this on a daily basis and try to anticipate client needs, exceed expectations, and deliver innovations without being asked. For example, with my team's long-term project for Microsoft Retail, we are constantly refreshing our training strategies and materials to wrap in feedback from the field, optimize the experience for the learners, and align to industry best practices.
Talk a bit about how Prime 8’s digital learning services have evolved in 2020.
Because of the pandemic, many companies, including some of our current clients, have had to make a quick pivot to virtual trainings and events. We’ve been drawing on our practice’s expertise in digital learning strategies to support that transition. With one of our clients, this has meant a shift from in-person to virtual events for everything from personalized customer trainings to large-scale corporate onboarding sessions. The shift from instructor-led training (ILT) to virtual instructor-led training (VILT) has been essential due to the circumstances but of course has its challenges. On a detailed level, this includes developing best practices for using platforms like Microsoft Teams to deliver modern, engaging experiences that don't feel like a traditional webinar. At a higher level, it means helping clients strategize about how to deliver a mix of synchronous and asynchronous trainings that provide a great experience for the learner while deploying training staff efficiently.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by learning new things. I try to build in time to explore my professional interests, like UX/UI design. And in my free time, I like to learn about the subjects that interest me on a personal level, such as world history, astronomy, and filmmaking.
How do you recharge outside of work?
I read, play with my dog, hang out with my husband, and watch cooking videos on YouTube. I also try to spend as much time as possible outside.
What’s your favorite season and why?
In most places, I’m all about fall. But summer in Seattle is the best.
What is your favorite thing about living in Georgia?
This year I’ve gotten into birdwatching and Georgia has lots of amazing species, including a few that you can only find in the American Southeast. The downside is that the marshes that the herons and egrets love are also home to alligators!
What advice do you have for young businesswomen?
Think about growing your network not in the sense of who you know, but in terms of who knows you. If you continually build a reputation for being reliable, highly competent, and a pleasure to work with, opportunities will come your way.
Learn more about why our consultants love being a part of the Prime 8 family. Want to join us? We’d love to hear from you. Tell us about yourself here.
