If you’ve ever enjoyed a traditional banana leaf meal in South India, you know it’s not just about eating, it’s about intentional experience design.
Our ancestors had a clear logic behind how the meal was served:
Since most people eat with their right hand, the narrow end of the banana leaf is placed to the left, and the broader end to the right.
This thoughtful orientation ensures that items like pickles, salt, and sweets, which are consumed in small quantities, are placed on the left side, while vegetables, rice, and curries, the main components of the meal, are positioned to the right, where access is easier and more natural.
➡️ The result? A well-balanced, intuitive meal structure that delivers maximum benefit to the person enjoying it.
Instructional Design Works the Same Way
As Instructional Designers, we’re essentially experience designers for learners. Just as a banana leaf meal is thoughtfully arranged for nutrition and comfort, a learning module must be:
- Clear
- Balanced
- Engaging
- Purpose-driven
Here’s how the parallels show up in our work:
Structure matters
We don’t just throw information onto a slide. Like how each item in the meal has its place, we strategically place learning components, objectives, content, visuals, activities, and assessments so learners know what to expect and how to progress.
Content chunking is like portion control
Just as a meal doesn’t overload one item and neglect others, good instructional design breaks content into digestible, meaningful chunks. This improves comprehension and keeps learners from feeling overwhelmed.
The right strategies in the right place
Pickles aren’t served in the centre of the banana leaf, and neither should assessments appear before content is introduced. Instructional Designers know where to place animations, infographics, interactivities, or assessments for maximum learning impact.
Learner needs come first
Like the meal is designed with the eater’s comfort in mind, our designs revolve around learner personas, prior knowledge, cognitive load, and accessibility needs. We adapt, trim, add, and restructure not based on aesthetics alone but to ensure relevance and clarity.
Learning should be nourishing
In the end, we aim to create not just attractive content but experiences that are valuable, satisfying, and transformative, just like a fulfilling meal.
From Instructional Design to Well-being
At Write IT Solution, we believe that balanced learning starts with balanced minds and bodies. While we spend hours shaping meaningful learning experiences, we also understand the importance of staying active and healthy, especially in a profession where much of our work is done seated.
Just as a well-structured course benefits the learner, a well-cared-for creator brings clarity, creativity, and consistency to the design process.
Because when we feel our best, we design our best.
Post by Eswar MC,
Senior Instructional Designer, Write IT Solutions