The government moves slowly, until suddenly it doesn’t.

(Federal) L&D lives in this tension.

The tried and true is safe. Proven models deliver consistency, but they can feel stale.

The flashy new thing (AI, VR, or whatever acronym comes next) promises transformation. It excites, disrupts, and often outruns evidence and attracts skepticism.

Nowhere is this contrast sharper than in the federal space. Historically, adoption crawled under the weight of compliance and procurement. Yet today, some agencies are moving fast: piloting AI tools, testing adaptive learning, and experimenting with data-driven design at speeds unthinkable just a few years ago (h/t Megan Griffin—she and I experienced this firsthand from March through July this year).

For L&D leaders, the challenge isn’t picking sides. It’s balancing both: grounding innovation in rigor while keeping tradition open to disruption. That balance has always defined strong L&D leadership.

As DevLearn 2025 approaches, I’m excited to explore where steady foundations meet bold experiments, and how even the federal  government is rewriting the rules of learning faster than anyone predicted.