The year was 1989, I was turning 14, and all I wanted for my birthday was an Apple Macintosh. Nothing else mattered. Why? Because I grew up with a best friend whose dad was an engineer, and they introduced me to technology at an early age.
From that point on, I’ve always wanted to be the first person to try the newest and most innovative technology. It was never about status or showing off, it was about curiosity. I wanted to see whether the technology truly lived up to the hype.
Given my personality and lifelong fascination with new innovations, I would place myself on Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation scale as either an Innovator or at least an Early Adopter.
Now, let’s fast forward to my career at American Express. As a 175-year-old company, we have sometimes faced system challenges in embracing new technology for various reasons. Whenever I’ve had the opportunity to be part of a development team implementing new technology into our processes, I’ve always welcomed the challenge.
Within my organization, my personal brand is built on integrity and a strong commitment to pushing the boundaries of what technology can achieve. I take pride in finding innovative ways to enhance the colleague experience, ultimately creating a more positive and seamless experience for our customers.
When our organization adopted a new CRM system, my initial reaction was, “Wow, this is going to be awesome!” However, as we began using it, we quickly realized its limitations. Implementing new technology often comes with challenges—bugs, usability issues, and integration problems with existing systems are common.
Being an Innovator comes with its own set of obstacles. It requires significant time, energy, and bandwidth, often in addition to my regular responsibilities. When a pilot or technology initiative doesn’t go as planned, it can feel discouraging. Yet, when a solution succeeds and is rolled out to 400+ colleagues—and I hear feedback like, “This will make a huge impact on how I do my job” the sense of accomplishment makes every challenge worthwhile.
Once a technology or idea proves effective, the next step is helping to shape and deliver training for the broader colleague base. This is where I often find myself stepping into the Early Adopter role as I want my colleagues to see me adopting the idea or technology into my daily work, especially when innovations emerge from other parts of the organization.
I’ve experienced rollouts where the early adopter phase didn’t go as smoothly as expected. One recurring challenge is bridging the gap between those with complex technical knowledge and those less familiar with the concepts. Translating that complexity into practical, accessible understanding is a skill I continue to develop and it’s essential to ensuring innovation truly takes root across the organization.
My current role gives me a unique perspective because I will be designing e-learning and training modules for my current peer base when I become an Instructional Designer so it greatly shapes my approach to learning design and technology. My 25 years of experience within the organization provide me with a deep understanding of how people learn best in a fast-paced customer service environment. This insight enables me to design learning experiences that are not only engaging but also practical and directly relevant to real business challenges.
Even as someone who loves to embrace new technologies, I’ve learned that innovation isn’t always the best fit for every organization or team. As an Innovator, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of exploring new tools, platforms, and possibilities. Being an Innovator means more than just adopting the latest technology; it also requires understanding when and how to introduce new ideas so they can be successfully adopted. Having that perspective helps ensure that innovation drives meaningful change rather than creating unnecessary disruption or resistance among colleagues.
For example, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) offer incredible advantages that can significantly enhance the learning experience. However, if an organization isn’t ready to support these technologies, the effort may not be worthwhile. You might develop an impressive case study that gets reactions like, “Wow, that’s cool,” but ultimately hear responses such as, “We don’t have the budget for that,” or, “Our colleagues are spread across the country—how would we implement this in a virtual Webex or Zoom environment?”
Because I’m often involved in testing and implementing new technology solutions, I approach learning design with a strong focus on usability, adaptability, and scalability. I’ve seen firsthand how tools can either empower or frustrate users, depending on how effectively they’re introduced and supported. As I continue developing my skills as an Instructional Designer, I plan to actively seek feedback from all types of adopters. Understanding their experiences will help me refine my training designs and provide the data and support they need to confidently engage and learn alongside their peers.
Embracing innovation has shaped not only how I approach technology but also how I design learning experiences that empower others to grow, adapt, and confidently navigate change.
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