Meet our September Member of the Month: Robert Friedman!

Tell us about your experience in the Talent Development space including places you've worked, roles you've held, and organizations you're a part of. 

I’m currently an Instructional Designer at symplr, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company. I’m an active member of both ATD Nebraska and ATD International. My work centers around a strategic product called Smart Square, which supports hospital staff planning and scheduling.

I’m passionate about my role and the impact I have on organizations. My position is unique—I’m known as the Release Educator. Whenever a new feature or update is introduced in the software, I’m the person who learns it, documents it, and trains both internal teams and clients so they feel confident using it. Whether it’s a bug fix or a brand-new feature, I’m your go-to resource.

I collaborate closely with our product team, developers, and every operations team across the organization. In addition to release education, I’m responsible for knowledge management and continuing education for our client system administrators. No two sessions I lead are alike, and I like it that way!

I love what I do and believe that other SaaS organizations could benefit from having a role like mine. ESPECIALLY in the AI age we live in. My long-term goal is to lead a team of Release Education Designers and Trainers to help organizations navigate change more smoothly.

What are some of your interests, strengths, and unique qualities that would help others get to know you better?

Playing with my corgi, going out to trivia, religious involvement, playing Nintendo, going to the park with my corgi, going on cruises for vacation, and all things Disney.

What "work related" accomplishment(s) are you the most proud of?

Knowing that the content I've built and the trainings I've delivered have made an impact. In industry wide reports, our clients have mentioned that the webinars I provide on a monthly basis are a strategic reason they stay with our organization.

Favorite quote

It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness. That is life. - Patrick Stewart playing Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Are there specific people in the Talent Development space you follow and why?

Brandon Carson for his insightful content on instructional design and digital transformation.

Do you have a lesson you’ve learned in your career you’d like to share with others?

Change is inevitable. While it is built into the core of what we do at Talent Development professionals, the more you think about the learner experience and how they will experience a change, the better your programs and content will be.

Do you have any favorite books or resources that you think others would find helpful?

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday. It's not L&D directly related, but it's helped me think every day about how I can be a better version of myself and motivates me to do hard things every day.

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-friedman-aptd-ba83a021/

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