What you'll learn
- Why "Go-Live" isn't a success metric: How a go/no-go approach prevents last-minute content scrambles.
- Training 6X faster: How the went from 48 hours to 9 using a new SME process.
- Why you should train the help desk first: What happens when help desk training is left for later?
Meet our guest
Sara is a lifelong learner, wife to Steve, and proud mom to Krynn. She finds the greatest fulfillment in building strong relationships and supporting the career growth of others. As a Senior Instructional Designer at Border States — a 100% employee-owned company delivering supply chain services nationwide — Sara creates engaging, goal-driven learning experiences that empower both branch teams and corporate departments.
An active member and board member of the North Dakota ATD chapter, Sara thrives on projects that connect learning to strategic initiatives and emerging technologies.
How Sara Madsen 6X'd Training Speed at Border States
The system was still changing, the screens weren’t finalized, and the training content? Not even started.
🎤 "We did it, but it wasn't great. We made it work with some creativity and flexibility—but the experience suffered."— Sara Madsen
Since then, Sara has turned reactive chaos into proactive alignment, becoming a critical voice in software rollout planning. Today, project managers and execs ask for her input before the vendor is even selected."When it's an emergency, you don't create engaging content. You create the bare minimum."
Add a Go/No-Go Date
Most IT timelines forget about training. Sara fixes this with a simple move: she adds a Go/No-Go date to every project.
That date defines when training can begin—only once the system is stable. If the app is still shifting, training waits. It’s not a delay. It’s insurance. This prevents last-minute scrambles and ensures better learning outcomes.
🎤 "Even one button moving on the homepage can destroy learner trust. If what they see doesn’t match, they assume it’s all wrong.”— Sara Madsen
Trining 6X Faster
In 2024: An SME records 4 tutorials in 8 hours. L&D polishes in 1.
The difference? Equipping subject matter experts with tools like iorad.
🎤 “Now we go to market faster, the content is stronger, and our SMEs actually enjoy the process.”— Sara Madsen
Train the Help Desk First
Most teams train end users first. Sara flips it: start with the help desk.
They're your first line of defense. They need to be in the pilot. They need the tutorials. And they need answers before Day 1. When the help desk is confident, adoption issues drop significantly.
🎤 "If the help desk isn’t trained, L&D becomes the help desk. And we’re not the experts.”— Sara Madsen
Downloadable Resources
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Adoption Curve