FROM THE PRESIDENTLaura Last
Not long ago, personalization in learning felt like a “nice to have.” It was something we talked about as a future aspiration — an idea we would get to once we had the time, the tools or the budget.
That mindset has definitely changed — the future is here.
I’m hearing it consistently from members and learning leaders across our community: Field and home-office teams now expect the same level of personalization in learning that they experience everywhere else in their lives.
Consumer technology has reshaped our expectations. We’re all used to content that is tailored, relevant, efficient and available exactly when we need it. When learning doesn’t meet that standard, it doesn’t just feel outdated — it feels disconnected from reality.
And that expectation gap is growing.
The challenge is that many of our content ecosystems were not built for customization at scale. They were designed for consistency, compliance and coverage. In life sciences, those priorities are still critical, but a “one size fits all” approach is no longer considered good enough.
The environment our learners operate in today is far more complex and we need to have ecosystems that continue to meet compliance needs while offering flexibility and personalization.
Field execution requires agility. Medical decision-making demands nuance. Design needs to be more specific. Roles are increasingly specialized, and time is more limited than ever.
Organizations can no longer rely on dense, linear curricula and assume learners will simply find the time to engage. That approach doesn’t reflect the realities our teams face every day — and it risks disengagement, underperformance and attrition.
That’s why I believe personalization is no longer a luxury. It’s an expectation tied directly to both retention and performance.
What encourages me is that I’m also seeing real progress. Across the industry, learning teams are rethinking how content is designed, delivered and experienced. The conversation is shifting from “How much training did we deliver?” to more meaningful questions: “How relevant was the training to the individual learner?” and “What impact did the training have on the learner?”
That shift shows up in several important ways.
I see growing momentum around adaptive learning pathways — experiences that respond to role, experience level, skills and performance rather than forcing everyone through the same sequence. I also see learning teams embracing modular content design, creating smaller components that can be assembled and reassembled to meet different needs without starting over each time. This is critical when working with global teams, allowing regions and countries to use different components of learning that can be customized as needed.
Microlearning, when done well, has moved beyond a buzzword. Short, targeted learning moments that fit into the flow of work are far more likely to be used, remembered and applied. For field teams especially, this kind of design acknowledges reality instead of fighting it. Technology today is making it much easier and less expensive to design and deliver in a personalized manner.
None of this is easy. I know that firsthand from the conversations I have every day.
Personalization at scale requires new thinking, new skills and utilization of new technology. It also requires stronger partnerships — between learning, commercial, medical and analytics teams — to ensure learning is aligned with real-world performance expectations.
I also believe the biggest shift is philosophical.
Personalization forces us to design learning around the learner, not the curriculum. It challenges us to prioritize relevance over volume and impact over activity. It pushes us to rethink how we define success — moving beyond completion rates to confidence, capability and skills of the learners.
We don’t need to have all the answers right now, but we do need to be asking better questions:
Are our learning experiences designed for the realities our teams face every day?
Are we making it easier for learners to get what they need?
Are we building systems that can evolve as expectations continue to rise?
Are we customizing learning to the unique needs of each learner?
Are we focused on building skills and competencies of our learners?
I see personalization as one of the defining learning challenges — and opportunities — of this moment. It’s where technology, instructional design and leadership mindset intersect. It’s also where learning has a powerful opportunity to demonstrate its value to the business.
The path forward isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. Every step we take toward more relevant, responsive and personalized learning brings us closer to experiences that truly support performance — and to a profession that continues to lead with purpose and impact.
As always, I invite you to be part of this conversation. Share what you’re experimenting with, what’s working and where you’re still searching for answers. Our community is strongest when we learn from one another. Together, we can continue to shape learning experiences that meet the moment and move our industry forward!
Laura Last is executive director, head of global talent development and enterprise learning for BeOne Medicines USA (formerly BeiGene USA), and president of the LTEN Board of Directors. Email Laura at laura.last@beigene.com or connect through linkedin.com/in/lalast.
