Each year, the leaders of  SEWI-ATD and our Professional Development Networks (PDNs) create more than 20 learning and networking events for our members. At the heart of every SEWI-ATD event is a commitment to growth. Whether it’s a workshop, panel discussion, or facilitated learning session, these experiences create space for professionals to exchange insights, explore new ideas, and challenge their thinking.

Why do in-person events still matter? 

The answer is simple yet powerful—it’s about creating real connections and being part of something bigger. Virtual platforms have made professional development more accessible than ever. Yet, they often fall short in cultivating the authentic relationships that emerge when people share a physical space. Conversations and ideas spark organically, and connections become lasting professional relationships.

Why host an in-person SEWI-ATD event? 

Hosting an in-person SEWI-ATD creates a unique opportunity to bring people together in a meaningful way – positioning your workplace as a hub for connection, collaboration, and innovation.

What is needed:

• Seating for 35-60 people, preferably in small table groups, though not required
• Sufficient parking
• LCD projector and screen
• Coffee and water
• A table for food and drink set-up
• If you want to additionally sponsor the breakfast or light dinner, we’ll be happy to accept and give you acknowledgement!

What you receive:

• Up to 5 of your employees may participate free of charge (beyond any members already attending free)
• Two-minute introduction before the program for you to explain what your organization does
• If you want to showcase your business physically, we will include in our advertising a tour before or after the program
• Exposure to our chapter members
• An opportunity to “test drive” the group to see if it is a fit for you
• Goodwill and advertising of your location with program announcements

To further discuss this partnership, please contact programming@sewi-atd.org.

By Sara Strohschein

A 2025 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) report provided data, gathered in January 2025, regarding the status and perception of mental health in the workplace. Results indicate that workers continue to experience burnout, and women, caregivers, and LGBTQ+ employees are the most vulnerable to mental health issues and the associated stigma. Additionally, a third of employees polled indicated they had taken time off from work for mental or physical health-related reasons (the two are inextricably tied), while an equal amount reported supporting a coworker going through a mental health crisis.

CONTINUE READING

Congratulations to our Bob Van Der Linn Outstanding Volunteer Service Award Winner - Nathan Sheets

Nathan was recognized for his strong commitment to our chapter and service to our members. He is currently a leader of the Talent Development PDN and served on the SEWI-ATD Board as Vice President of Membership for over three years.

Nathan is the Claims Training Manager at West Bend Mutual, where he leads a team of designers and trainers in building a high-impact training function. He is a talent development leader with 15+ years of experience driving leadership growth, engagement, and strategic learning—turning challenges into opportunities. He shares his knowledge and experience with our members to help them develop and polish their skills.

Thank you, Nathan, for sharing your time and talents with SEWI-ATD! We appreciate you!

Ready to make an impact in the Southeastern Wisconsin talent development community? Join us for a casual Coffee Talk to explore upcoming Board and volunteer opportunities.

Event Details

• When: Tuesday, June 9th | 8:30 am – 10:00 am

• Where: Ally’s Bistro - Menomonee Falls

• Perks: Complimentary coffee and breakfast provided!

Why Join the Board?

Serving as a leader in our chapter is a powerful way to give back while leveling up your own career.

• Grow Your Network: Build invaluable connections within the SEWI talent community.

• Lead the Industry: Stay ahead of emerging trends and help shape our member-led organization.

• Develop Skills: Strengthen your leadership, strategic planning, and collaboration muscles.

• Time Commitment: Typically 10–15 hours per month.

What to Expect

Whether you are ready to step into a role now or are just curious about the future, this is a low-pressure environment to:

1. Meet current board members.

2. Hear firsthand about their experiences.

3. Learn how these roles drive the success of our chapter.

Can’t make it on June 9th? We’d still love to hear from you! Please reach out to our President-Elect, Melissa Braun, to express your interest or ask questions.

Written by: Gina Arinyanontakoon

As a leader, how often do you hear, “How can we get our employees productively quickly and keep them performing at their best?” It’s a question that keeps coming up, and for good reason. One way to address this is to align your content development function – technical writing and learning & development – to work collaboratively. After all, technical writing is a form of documenting knowledge.

Understanding how these disciplines complement each other can transform your approach to employee development and performance while delivering measurable business results.

Let’s take a deeper look at how this works.

Supporting Learning in the Flow of Work

According to Forbes, 41% of employees say they don’t have time for learning. That’s a real challenge.

So rather than requiring employees to step away from their tasks to attend training or dig around for information, properly integrated documentation allows them to access what they need without breaking their workflow.

Embedded help systems, contextual tooltips, and searchable knowledge bases let employees find answers in seconds rather than minutes or hours. AI-powered search capabilities are making this even more effective. Employees can now ask questions in natural language and the relevant documentation appears instantly! This immediate access not only saves time but can increase the likelihood that employees will actually use the resources available to them.

Keep in mind, AI-enhanced access only highlights the importance of high-quality, human-authored documentation. While AI can help employees find information faster, well-crafted technical writing develops the critical thinking and judgement employees need to apply that information effectively. Clear explanations, thoughtful examples, and properly contextualized procedures help employees understand not just what to do, but why and when. That’s how you build authentic human skills that can’t be automated.

Accelerating Time to Productivity

When you have the right documentation strategically integrated with learning initiatives, you can reduce the time it takes for employees to become fully productive. When learning programs incorporate well-crafted documentation, employees don’t just learn concepts in a classroom or via an eLearning module; they have immediate access to practical references they can use on the job.

This integration means employees spend less time searching for answers and more time applying what they’ve learned. A technical writer who understands learning principles creates documentation that reinforces training objectives, using consistent terminology and examples that mirror the learning experience. This leads to a seamless transition from learning to doing.

Streamline Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer

For new hires, the combination of structured learning and comprehensive documentation can make a difference between a smooth onboarding experience or a frustrating one.

Documentation serves multiple critical functions during onboarding:

• Reduces repetitive questions: New employees can reference standard operating procedures (SOPs) and policies as they learn their role, reducing the burden on managers and colleagues who would otherwise need to answer the same questions repeatedly. This frees up experienced team members to focus on higher-value mentoring activities rather than basic information sharing.
• Captures institutional knowledge: Documentation preserves knowledge that might otherwise exist only in the minds of long-term employees. When that  knowledge is documented, it becomes transferable and sustainable. New hires gain access to collective wisdom of the organization, not just the individual who happens to be training them.
• Creates consistency and self-paced learning: Building documentation into the onboarding process creates a consistent experience for all new hires while allowing them to learn at their own pace. They can revisit complex procedures as many times as needed without feeling embarrassed about asking the same question twice.
• Improves retention and culture: A well-thought out onboarding process doesn’t just improve productivity; it can also impact retention and organizational culture. When employees feel supported from day one, they’re more likely to stay, align with company goals, and contribute to profitability.

Documentation as Performance Support

Technical writing is not just about creating user manuals or work instructions that sits on a “virtual shelf” within your intranet. Modern documentation serves as essential performance support tools that employees can access whenever they need, for just-in-time learning. 

These tools include:

• Job aids that provide quick, at-a-glance guidance for specific tasks
• User manuals offering comprehensive product or system information
• SOPs that ensure consistency and quality
• Policies and procedures that clarify organizational expectations
• Online help systems integrating directly into software applications
• Knowledge articles that provide institutional knowledge
• Quick reference guides for frequently performed tasks
• Process flowcharts that visualize complex workflows
• Video tutorials demonstrating step-by-step procedures
• FAQs addressing common questions and troubleshooting

Each of these resources serves as just-in-time learning tools, available on-demand when employees need answers in the moment.

Documentation as the Foundation for Learning Assets

Learning and development professionals know they don’t need to create every resource from scratch. High-quality documentation serves as excellent foundation for building learning assets:

• User manuals can be repurposed into technical or product training modules
• SOPs form the basis for onboarding curricula and process training
• Job aids become quick reference materials and course supplements
• Process documentation can be transformed into interactive simulations
• Troubleshooting guides support problem-solving exercises and scenarios

This approach no only saves time but also ensures consistency between what employees learn in training and what they reference on the job. When the same core content informs both learning and performance support, employees develop stronger mental models and retain information more effectively.

Technical writers and instructional designers working together can identify which content works best as formal training and which serves better as reference material. This collaboration ensures that neither group duplicates effort and that all resources work together cohesively.

Measuring Real Business Impact

The integration of technical writing and learning delivers benefits that extend beyond traditional training metrics like completion rates.

For example:

• Reduced time-to-productivity: New hires who have access to integrated learning and documentation reach full productivity weeks or even months faster than those relying on informal knowledge transfer alone.
• Decreased support costs: When employees can find answers in well-organized, searchable documentation, support ticket volumes decline. Each resolved question represents time saved for both the employee and the support team.
• Improved quality and compliance: Clear SOPs and procedures reduce errors and ensure consistent adherence to quality standards and regulatory requirements. Fewer mistakes mean less rework, lower costs, and reduced risk.
• Higher retention rates: Employees who feel supported with accessible resources and clear guidance experience less frustration and greater confidence. This contributes to improved job satisfaction and lower turnover.
• Increased sales and performance: For customer-facing roles, quick access to product documentation and troubleshooting guides during customer interactions lead to faster problem resolution, higher customer satisfaction, and increased sales conversion.

By tracking these metrics, you can demonstrate ROI of investing in quality technical writing and its integration with learning initiatives. The shift from measuring training completion to measuring business outcomes reveals the true value of this strategic partnership.

Creating a Synergistic Approach

The integration of technical writing and learning isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about creating a better employee experience. When these functions work in isolation, gaps emerge. Training might teach concepts that aren’t reinforced in documentation. Documentation might use different terminology than training materials. Employees get confused and frustrated trying to reconcile conflicting information.

When technical writing and learning work together right from the beginning, you create a unified ecosystem of support. Employees know where to find information. Content is consistent across all touchpoints. Learning objectives align with the realities of job performance and business goals. The result is faster onboarding, higher productivity, better employee satisfaction, and measurable business outcomes.

Ready to Optimize Your Documentation and Learning Strategy?

Integrating technical writing with your learning and development initiatives can transform how quickly your employees get up to speed and how effectively they perform once they’re there. By ensuring your documentation is designed with both learning and performance support in mind, you create resources that deliver real business value for years to come.

If you’re looking for a partner to help ensure your documentation is ready to leverage for learning, get in touch. We have solutions you need to give your employees the support they need, right at their fingertips.

Are you seeking a meaningful leadership opportunity and a way to make a greater impact within SEWI-ATD? This board position focuses on nurturing relationships with our current sponsors while proactively identifying new opportunities for strategic partnerships in the talent development community.

The vision of SEWI-ATD is to build a skilled, competitive Southeastern Wisconsin workforce. Our mission is to empower local talent development professionals by providing hometown opportunities to expand their knowledge, skills, and abilities, helping them reach their full potential. Our board is made up of 10 dedicated volunteer professionals in talent development, supporting one of the largest and most successful chapters in the nation.

The VP of Sponsorship collaborates with the board and an Associate VP to enhance sponsor engagement, design sponsorship packages, identify potential partners, and foster relationships that create mutual value for both sponsors and chapter members. We seek a candidate who exemplifies leadership, excels at building relationships, and has been a member of our organization for over a year.

This role is currently in the 2nd year of its term, meaning the selected individual would serve through the remainder of the year and have the option for re-election in the fall. As an added benefit, board members receive membership in the national ATD organization.

If you or someone you know is interested in this position, please contact any board member or reach out to me directly.

We look forward to hearing from you,

Kari Bogdan, President of the Board of Directors

Thanks to everyone who voted for our new members for the Board of Directors last fall.  This year has already gotten off to an incredible start. I am excited about the group of people who will continue developing and executing a strategy that will achieve our vision and mission this year:

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world’s largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations. Our Southeastern Wisconsin chapter provides local talent development professionals with hometown opportunities to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to help them achieve their full potential. 

Our vision: Create a skilled and competitive Southeastern Wisconsin workforce.

Our mission: Partner with individuals and organizations we serve to develop highly skilled and talented professionals.

Here are 2026 Board of Directors:

• Kari Bogdan, President
• Melissa Braun, President Elect
• Michelle Dable, Past President
• Nicholas Nook, VP of Finance
• Megan Cardenas, VP of Membership
• Kati Schuda, VP of Marketing and Communication
• Katerina Ekonomou, VP of Professional Development
• Valarie Bartelme, VP of Professional Development
• Kayla Thompsen, VP of Community Relations
• Christine Haas, Board Advisor

Click here if you would like to learn more about this talented group of individuals. We look forward to serving you,

Kari Bogdan, Board President

It is time for our annual board elections!

Sherry Anderson once wrote, “Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless.”

There are four open positions for the 2026 SEWI-ATD Board of Directors: President Elect, VP of Finance, VP of Marketing and Communication, and VP of Community Relations. The current board is already such an incredible team. I look forward to seeing what new opportunities and resources we will be able to give our members in the coming year.

The Nomination Committee has approved these candidates who now put forth to the entire membership. They include Melissa Braun (President Elect), Nicholas Nook (VP of Finance), Katie Schuda (VP of Marketing and Communication) and Kayla Thompsen (VP of Community Relations). In addition to the nominated individuals, members may vote for write-in candidates.

Chapter members will receive a direct email invitation to vote. The election will begin on Monday, September 15^th and end Friday, September 26^th. All members in good standing are eligible to vote. Renew or join to be eligible to vote. If you do not receive a direct election invitation email, or experience any difficulties while submitting your vote, please contact our chapter administrator at admin@sewi-atd.org.

Thank you for your time,

Kari Bogdan

President-Elect 2025

Written by: Andrew C. Marris, CPTD for MRA, Lead Learning & Development Instructor | Northern IL & WI

When someone uses the word "brainstorming," what comes to mind? Perplexity AI defines it as "a creative thinking technique used to generate a large number of ideas and potential solutions to a specific problem or question." This sounds wonderful in theory, but too often a well-intentioned brainstorm quickly degenerates into much more of a light drizzle, ironically generating few ideas. Once again, the age-old axiom has proven true: "The road to hell is paved by good intentions."

Regrettably, creative-killing phrases such as, "That will never work," "That's a dumb idea," or "You can't be serious" are commonplace when brainstorming. Comments of this nature shut participants down, potentially causing what could have been some of the best ideas to remain unspoken. In addition, introverted contributors tend to keep their ideas to themselves, lacking comfort to share when risking such a rebuke. Desperate for a solution, the group ends up adopting a mediocre idea because it was the best of a small list of options, while participants leave feeling unheard and disrespected. Sound familiar? There is a better way!

Enter the Nominal Group Technique (NGT)—"a structured method of brainstorming that ensures all members have an equal opportunity to contribute ideas and prioritize them." (Google AI) NGT has been around since the 1960s, but it's astonishing how many professionals are unaware of its existence. As the famous scientist Linus Pauling once said, "The best way to have a great idea is to have lots of ideas." NGT does just that. 

Here are the simple (yet profound) steps:

1. The leader appoints someone (the scribe) to capture all the ideas on a notepad, flip chart, marker board, or (when online) an annotated whiteboard or meeting chat. 

2. The leader describes the question to be solved/opportunity to be taken. 

   Example: "What programming topics should SEWI-ATD offer to maximize member value this year?"

3. The leader gives participants 2 minutes to ponder the question and write down any/all ideas that come to mind, with a few crucial ground rules:
   • No talking during the 2 minutes—just thinking and writing/keying the ideas as they come
   • No self-limitation of ideas—record every idea that comes to mind no matter how absurd or difficult to implement it may seem
   • Take the full 1230 seconds (many of the best ideas come when there is no pressure to perform—think Archimedes in his bathtub...Eureka!)
4. Once time is up, the leader asks each participant to simply read the top line item from his/her list one at a time in a round (a small task even for the most introverted of participants)—with a few more essential rules:
   • No commenting in any way, or face removal from the group; even an encouraging "Good idea" tells participants who didn't hear such praise that their ideas were not as valuable
   • The leader contributes last each time around the circle, discouraging the potential for "group think" (especially if the leader has positional authority)
5. The scribe records every idea, pausing only to offer his/her own idea when it's his/her turn in the round.
6. The leader continues until every participant's list has been exhausted; each saying "pass."
7. The leader reads the scribe's list back to the group, allowing participants to hear all the generated ideas once more.
8. The leader gives the group 2 additional minutes to capture any new ideas triggered when the group list was read (sometimes the best idea comes on the heels of another idea that would have been labeled "stupid" in a traditional brainstorm).
9. The leader and scribe repeat steps 4-7, continuing the moratorium on commentary.
10. Each group member anonymously multi-votes on what he/she thinks are the three best ideas (giving 5 points to the best idea, 3 points to the second, and 1 point to his/her third choice).
11. When the votes are tallied, the best ideas rise, like cream, to the top while participants feel valued as they were each heard and given ample time to think, judgment-free. 

There are several reasons NGT works so well. First, it truly values everyone's ideas and contributions. It also eliminates the killer phrases that shut down well-intentioned brainstorming sessions. People who need time to process have it, and those who would have traditionally shouted their quick answers are still allowed to offer them (writing their ideas rather than blurting them out). Giving the process a second round usually produces fewer answers, but those few end up being some of the best ideas the group was able to generate. Try it at your next "brainstorm," and be blown away by the whirlwind of great ideas from which you'll have to choose. 

Written by: Dr. Peter Stewart

With over $366 billion spent annually on leadership development programs across the globe, it makes sense that executives, board members, and shareholders would want to see concrete results for their investments. But measuring the effectiveness of a leadership development program doesn’t always look like a direct increase on the bottom line. Often, the return on investment shows up in areas that are tougher to measure.

6 Steps to Measure Program Impact

1.Establish Program Objectives

Before you even consider what your leadership training program will look like; you need to establish your objectives. Do you want to improve sales? Create more robust employee engagement? Focus on improving diversity and inclusion across the company?

Your goals should drive both the program you implement and the way you measure results. Improving sales leadership may translate directly to increased sales, but employee engagement may show up as improved retention.

2.Define Success

Once you decide on your objectives, you can determine what success will look like and how long it will take to show up. Decide what metrics you will measure, how and when you will collect data, and how you will analyze your data to determine the program’s success.

A model can help keep you organized and on track as the leadership training program progresses. The Kirkpatrick Model uses four levels to gauge the success of a program—Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results. By breaking down your measurement into these four levels, you can better see where you can improve your program.

3.Collect Data Throughout

Only after you’ve determined objectives and defined success can you start collecting and measuring data. A simple grid can help you track your measurement efforts and results and clarify obstacles or challenges in measurement. For instance, if you send surveys to program participants and only half of the participants complete the surveys, you may need support from program leaders or executives to provoke responses. Or, if your survey responses don’t provide the data you need, you may need to adjust your questions.

Be sure to collect data before you start your program to establish baselines for comparison. Include both subjective and objective measurements wherever possible. Employee engagement and satisfaction may be subjective, but if they improve, they should translate into retention, which is an objective measurement.

4.Tie Measurements to Individual Participant Goals

Looking at the overall success of your leadership development program is important to establish a foundation for measuring business results, but remember that your program is about people, too. The leaders and future leaders who participate in your initiatives should also have individual goals.

Participants should each have Individual Action Plans that include goals and objectives to measure before and after the program. Results from assessments and performance reviews can help establish goals as well. Measuring individual baselines and impacts can help identify high-potential people who might excel in a program that has otherwise mediocre results. It can also help pinpoint areas of notable success or potential improvement for future programs.

5.Analyze and Adjust

As you collect data throughout the program, put it into your measurement grid and analyze incremental results. Keeping a close watch on the program throughout can help you see where you need to make adjustments to maximize the return on investment.

While you may need to make minor changes to how you’re gathering results or the program itself, some of your adjustments could include driving better participation or getting senior leadership support. Of course, it’s tough to drive behavioral change, but revealing it in near real-time can help determine what behaviors need changing.

6.Celebrate Wins

At the end of your program, when you have collected and analyzed all the data, be sure to publicize and celebrate successes. Go back to the beginning of your program and review objectives, and then compare baselines to final results. Did you increase sales? Are employees more engaged? Are your DEI initiatives having an impact on the business?

Pinpointing your wins and celebrating them with senior leadership can bolster your efforts to increase frequency, size, and participation in your leadership development programs. When leaders see the impact these initiatives have on the business, they will be more likely to back future endeavors.

While measuring leadership development results doesn’t always mean a direct dollar-for-dollar return on investment, that doesn’t mean the programs aren’t important. Good leadership from the top down drives business results and people results. By measuring before, during, and after your programs, you’ll be better able to see—and celebrate—those results.

Stewart Leadership offers a wide range of leadership development programs designed to drive your long-term business goals. To learn more, contact us.

Self-check:

1. Do we have any leadership development initiatives upcoming? Why or why not?
2. What is one obstacle or business challenge that we could address with a leadership development program?
3. Is there an executive or senior leader who will champion leadership development in our organization?

About the Author

Dr. Peter Stewart is an experienced business psychologist specializing in leadership consulting, coaching, and training. Peter’s unique background combined with a pragmatic, skills-focused application make him ideal to partner with organizations and individuals to bring sustained improvement through talent management and leadership development strategies.