No LMS? No Problem. Get Ready To Go Unplugged
By the time you've worked in Learning and Development (L&D) long enough, you'll eventually hear it.
"We don't have a platform for this."
"There's no LMS."
"We just need something simple."
"We don't really have the budget for eLearning."
And suddenly, every Instructional Designer and Learning Experience Designer in the room feels a tiny wave of professional panic. Because let's be honest: most of us were trained, socialized, and rewarded in environments where "good learning" was synonymous with technology. Authoring tools. Learning platforms. Interactive modules. Video. Simulations. Analytics dashboards. AI-powered everything.
So when a client—or leadership team—comes to us asking for low-tech, portable, offline, or "basic" training it can feel like we're being asked to build a race car with bicycle parts. But here's the secret most experienced L&D professionals eventually learn: Some of the most impactful learning experiences you will ever design won't involve a single login screen. And honestly? That's kind of beautiful.
In this article...
- The Quiet Panic Of The "Low-Tech" Training Request
- A Public Health Lesson In Experiential Learning
- When A PowerPoint Becomes An eLearning Module
- The Friend Who Builds Card Games For A Living (And Is Crushing It)
- Why "Unplugged" Learning Experiences Drive Engagement
- Common Myths About Low-Tech Corporate Training
- Core Learning Principles That (Still) Work Without Technology
- A Practical Framework For "Unplugged" Low-Tech Instructional Design
- Why This Matters More Than Ever
- Creativity Thrives Under Constraint
- We Are More Than eLearning Developers
- Final Thought: Don't Apologize For "Simple"
The Quiet Panic Of The "Low-Tech" Training Request
In theory, we all say we're learner-centered. In practice, many of us are tool-centered. We get excited about new platforms. We swap authoring tool recommendations. We debate LMS features like sports fans arguing about quarterbacks. We build road maps around technology upgrades. So when a stakeholder says, "We just need a PowerPoint," or "This has to work offline," or "Our facilitators will be doing this in parking lots and community centers," our brains short-circuit.
No branching scenarios? No tracking? (It would be at this point that my eye would start to involuntarily twitch.) No microlearning platform? No immersive experience? What are we even doing here?! But that reaction isn't really about quality. It's about comfort. We know how to design inside certain systems. We've built our workflows around them. We've mastered them. When they're gone, we're forced to rely on something scarier: Our actual learning design skills. 😳
A Public Health Lesson In Experiential Learning
Before I ever worked in corporate L&D, I worked in public health. And one of my main "training tools" was:
- A poster.
- Some fluorescent "germ powder."
- A UV light.
That's it. No LMS. No interactive module. No digital dashboard. Just me, a poster, fake germs, and a room full of kids (or adults) who thought they already knew how to wash their hands.
Here's how it worked...we'd talk briefly about handwashing; how long to wash your hands (just FYI it's 20 seconds minimum: sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Happy Birthday" twice for reference), all the places you need to scrub, etc. Most people would nod politely. "Yes, yes, soap, water, got it."
Then I'd put the "germ powder" on their hands. They'd go to the sink and wash them. They'd feel confident. Then I'd turn on the UV light. And suddenly? Chaos. Glowing fingerprints. Missed spots. Germs everywhere. Cue gasps. Laughter. Mild horror. That one moment did more to change behavior than any slideshow ever could.
Why? Because it used core learning principles:
- Immediate feedback.
- Emotional engagement.
- Visual reinforcement.
- Active participation.
- Real-world relevance.
No technology required. Just good design.
When A PowerPoint Becomes An eLearning Module
Years later, we worked with a large nonprofit in a major metropolitan city during the COVID pandemic. They needed to educate low-income tenants on their rights. But there were massive constraints:
- Limited internet access.
- Inconsistent access to devices.
- No reliable training spaces.
- Advocates working out of cars, pop-up booths, and community centers.
They couldn't rely on an LMS. They couldn't assume Wi-Fi. They couldn't deploy complex tools. What they needed was something:
- Portable.
- Reliable.
- Easy to update.
- Easy to run anywhere.
So we built… a PowerPoint. But not "just" a PowerPoint. We designed it like an eLearning module. It included:
- Clear learning paths.
- Scenario-based slides.
- Decision points.
- Embedded knowledge checks.
- Visual storytelling.
- Facilitator prompts.
- Modular sections.
Advocates could run it on a laptop, tablet, or kiosk-style setup wherever they were. No logins. No downloads. No tech support tickets. And it worked. Because again: the power wasn't in the tool. It was in the presentation design.
The Friend Who Builds Card Games For A Living (And Is Crushing It)
I also have a freelancer friend who specializes in in-person training. And his "authoring tools" are things like:
- Index cards.
- Game boards.
- Dice.
- Tokens.
- Sticky notes.
- Markers.
He builds custom learning games for clients. Sales simulations. Leadership challenges. Ethics scenarios. Communication games. People sit around tables. They argue. They negotiate. They collaborate. They fail. They try again.
And they remember it. Because play is one of the most powerful learning mechanisms humans have. We knew this as children. Somewhere along the way, we decided adults needed more software and fewer crayons. We were wrong.
Why "Unplugged" Learning Experiences Drive Engagement
When technology is removed—or limited—something interesting happens. Designers stop hiding behind features. We're forced to ask better questions:
- What do learners actually need to do differently after this?
- What misconceptions are we trying to break?
- What decisions matter most?
- Where do people get stuck?
- What emotions are involved?
- What real-world pressures exist?
Without flashy tools, we lean harder into:
- Story.
- Context.
- Practice.
- Reflection.
- Social learning.
- Feedback.
In other words: learning science. Low-tech training environments naturally encourage:
1. More Human Interaction
No screen buffer. No muted microphones. No passive clicking. People talk. They disagree. They collaborate. They learn socially. Which research has consistently shown is incredibly powerful.
2. More Focus
No notifications. No multitasking. No browser tabs. Just learners and the experience. A rare luxury in modern life.
3. Better Transfer To The Job
When learning happens in physical, social, contextual environments, it often maps more easily to real work situations. It feels real. Because it is.
Common Myths About Low-Tech Corporate Training
Let's clear up a few persistent myths.
Myth 1: "Low-Tech Training Means Low Engagement."
No. Low-effort means low engagement. A boring eLearning module is still boring, even if it has animations.
Myth 2: "Without Tracking, It Doesn't Count."
Learning happened before dashboards existed. I promise.
Myth 3: "PowerPoint Isn't 'Real' Learning."
PowerPoint is a container. So is an LMS. Neither teaches anyone anything by itself.
Myth 4: "Clients Only Want Digital."
Most clients want results. They'll happily accept analog if it works.
Core Learning Principles That (Still) Work Without Technology
Whether you're building:
- A game.
- A workshop.
- A printable toolkit.
- A flipchart (my personal favorite low-tech training alternative to anything screen-related)
- A slide deck.
- A role-play.
- A field guide.
The same principles apply:
- Relevance
Why does this matter to me right now? - Practice
Where do I get to try this safely? - Feedback
How do I know if I'm doing it right? - Spacing
How is this reinforced over time? - Emotion
What makes this memorable? - Simplicity
What can we remove?
These principles appear in both formal and informal learning, as explored in informal vs. formal learning models. Technology supports these principles. It does not replace them.
A Practical Framework For "Unplugged" Low-Tech Instructional Design
When you're handed a low-tech request, try this framework.
Step 1: Clarify The Real Outcome
Not "complete training." What behavior must change? What decisions must improve? What mistakes must decrease?
Step 2: Identify The Core Moments
Where do people struggle? Where do they hesitate? Where do they default to bad habits? Design around those.
Step 3: Choose The Simplest Delivery Method
Ask: "What is the least complicated way to deliver this effectively?" Not the most impressive. The most effective.
Step 4: Build Interaction In
No passive consumption. Ever. Use:
- Scenarios.
- Discussions.
- Sorting activities.
- Games.
- Role-play.
- Reflection.
Step 5: Support The Facilitator (Or Learner)
Low-tech often means human-led. Give them:
- Clear instructions.
- Prompts.
- Timing guidance.
- Adaptation options.
Set them up to succeed.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
Right now, L&D is obsessed with technology. AI. VR. Metaverse. Adaptive platforms. Predictive analytics. And yes—some of that is exciting and useful. But many organizations still face:
- Budget constraints.
- Infrastructure gaps.
- Access issues.
- Workforce diversity.
- Digital fatigue.
- Equity challenges.
If we only know how to design inside high-tech environments, we limit who we can serve. Low-tech learning is often:
- More accessible.
- More inclusive.
- More resilient.
- More scalable in crisis.
- More adaptable.
The pandemic taught us this. We shouldn't forget it.
Creativity Thrives Under Constraint
Some of the best designers I know do their best work when resources are limited. Constraints force clarity, prioritization, and innovation. When you can't rely on software, you rely on:
- Storytelling.
- Facilitation.
- Psychology.
- Empathy.
- Craft.
That's the heart of our profession. Not tools.
We Are More Than eLearning Developers
Many of us entered this field because we care about how people grow. Not because we love software interfaces. We are:
- Experience designers.
- Behavior architects.
- Translators of complexity.
- Builders of confidence.
- Designers of possibility.
Sometimes that looks like an immersive simulation. Sometimes it looks like a laminated card deck. Both matter.
Final Thought: Don't Apologize For "Simple"
When a client asks for something low-tech, don't apologize. Don't diminish it. Don't frame it as "just." Say: "We can absolutely design something impactful within those parameters." And mean it. Because you can. And when you do it well, you'll often surprise everyone—including yourself.
Sometimes the most powerful learning doesn't live in the cloud. Sometimes it lives in a poster, a game, a conversation, or a moment of realization under a UV light. And that's not a downgrade. That's mastery.
