Category: Design

Every January, something interesting happens in the world of workplace learning.

Logins climb, course completions jump, and suddenly everyone seems just a little more open to upskilling. It’s not magic – it’s mindset.

The new year gives people a natural “reset button,” and that fresh-start energy spills straight into how they approach their development. While budgets might be tight and teams stretched, January is hands-down one of the most powerful windows to re-engage staff with training and set the tone for the year ahead.

If you’ve ever wondered why LMS engagement peaks right after the holidays, or how to make the most of it?

Here’s the science, the strategy, and the simple wins that can turn January into your strongest learning month of the year.

1. The fresh start effect

Psychologists have been banging on about this for years:

People are way more likely to set goals, start learning, and commit to self-improvement immediately after a temporal landmark – New Year, birthdays, quarter-ends, etc.

Research on the Fresh Start Effect (Wharton School) by Katy Milkman found that people are 2-3 times more likely to commit to new development goals in the New Year.

Learning platforms consistently report their highest logins, course starts, and completions in January–February.

This is the moment when your team wants to do better. All you have to do is point them to the learning.

2. Quiet(er) inboxes, fewer competing priorities

The first couple of weeks of January tend to be:

• Fewer meetings
• Project cycles restarting
• Lower operational pressure

Perfect conditions for focusing on training.

LMS logins typically increase 10–30% in January compared to December.

3. Managers are in planning mode

Leadership is doing:

• Annual objectives
• PDPs
• Appraisal follow-ups
• Skill-gap mapping

Learning fits naturally into this rhythm. When managers are planning, training recommendations feel timely rather than tacked on.

4. Employees are actively looking for development direction

For years, translating e-learning was slow and complicated. You had to rebuild or manually edit each In January, people are asking themselves:

• Where am I heading?
• Do I want a promotion?
• A new skill?
• A better role?
• What should I be improving this year?

That mindset is rocket fuel for LMS engagement.

Curiosity + ambition + clarity = logins and completions

In fact, completions often rise 15-25% in Q1 across corporate training.

5. Training helps set the tone for the entire year

Rolling out learning early:

• Signals that development matters
• Reinforces culture
• Boosts motivation post-break
• Creates early wins

Organisations that set training goals in January maintain higher year-round engagement.

Don’t let the best month for learning pass you by

Build with intention, invest in your people, and give your organisation the kind of start that lasts.

When you start the year with clarity, confidence, and well-designed learning experiences, you set the tone for everything that follows.

And that’s exactly where a digital learning design partner like Eggu can help.

Whether you’re refreshing outdated modules, launching new capability programmes, or setting ambitious training goals for 2026, you don’t have to do it alone. Together we can turn January’s fresh-start energy into genuine performance gains all year round.

If you’re ready to make 2026 your strongest learning year yet, Eggu would love to help you get there.

Get in touch to discuss your New Year learning goals.

Digital learning has opened doors across the world. Today, organisations can reach learners in every region, time zone, and language – all with the same course.

But here’s the catch. If that course only speaks one language, or doesn’t reflect the learner’s culture, the experience can quickly lose impact.

Learning hits harder in your own language

True learning happens when the content feels like it was made for you – in your language, using examples you understand, and visuals that feel familiar.

Research shows people learn better in their native language. When learners can read, listen, and interact in words that feel natural, they stay engaged longer and remember more.

And it’s not just about understanding the content. When training feels local but still clearly reflects the organisation’s brand, it also sends a powerful message: you belong here. It builds trust and a sense of inclusion.

More than words – it’s about culture

Mighty gives Rise a creative boost – more flexibility, more polish, same simplicity. Localisation isn’t just translation. It’s about making learning fit the learner’s world.

That means thinking about things like:

• Local sayings, examples, and references
• Colours, imagery, and people that feel familiar
• Regional rules or compliance differences
• Accessibility and reading direction (like right-to-left languages)

When learning looks, sounds, and feels local, it’s far more likely to land with impact.

Why localisation is now essential

In some industries, delivering training in a local language isn’t just nice to have – it’s a legal requirement. But even beyond compliance, localisation shows care. It’s about inclusion and accessibility – making sure every learner, everywhere, gets the same quality of experience.

An English-only course might once have been acceptable, but in a global workforce, it now feels outdated. Localisation tells people: we see you, and this is for you.

The technology has finally caught up

For years, translating e-learning was slow and complicated. You had to rebuild or manually edit each version. A nightmare for global teams!

Now, AI-powered tools are changing that. Our current favourite on the market is Articulate Localization (part of the Articulate 360 suite) and modern workflows like XLIFF export/import, you can:

• Translate courses instantly into 80+ languages
• Keep a glossary so brand terms stay consistent
• Let reviewers check and approve translations right in the platform
• Manage all language versions as one single project
• Publish all languages together in a single package

It’s faster, smarter, and crucially affordable. If you already use Articulate 360, you can even update your translated courses at no extra cost within the same subscription.

Built for modern learning teams

Articulate Rise 360 has always been known for its simplicity and speed. Now, with built-in localisation, it’s even better suited to global learning projects.

Courses automatically adjust layouts for different text lengths and support right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew. That means less time fixing formatting and more time focusing on great learning design.

Sure, AI translation isn’t perfect. Complex or technical topics still need that human eye – but for most learning content, it’s an excellent starting point.

How other tools compare

From our research, Gomo stands out as another strong player in this space, supporting over 160 languages. It’s great for very large-scale global rollouts.

That said, its design options are a bit more limited compared to Articulate Rise, especially now that Rise can be enhanced with custom design tools like the Maestro “Mighty” plugin, which gives teams more freedom to match their course design to their brand style.

So, if you need wide language coverage, Gomo is powerful. If you want a balance of translation efficiency and beautiful, brand-aligned design, Rise is hard to beat.

The impact of getting it right

When localisation is done well, everyone benefits:

• Learners engage more and complete more courses
• You save time and money by avoiding rework and support calls
• Global teams roll out training faster and more consistently
• Compliance standards are easier to meet
• Your brand feels strong and connected across every region

The bottom line

In today’s connected world, localisation isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. It transforms digital learning from a one-size-fits-all broadcast into a personal, meaningful experience.

At its heart, localisation is about people. It’s about making every learner feel seen, valued, and included, no matter where they are in the world.

When training speaks a learner’s language and reflects their culture, it shows respect and builds connection. That’s when digital learning stops being just information delivery and starts becoming real communication.

The future of learning is global, and global learning only works when it feels local.

As experts in Articulate 360 (Rise and Storyline) elearning design and development, Eggu are the perfect partner to support you in creating affordable, branded learning experiences, delivered in multiple languages.

Get in touch with Eggu about your next localised Rise project.

If you’re already building your elearning in Articulate Rise 360, you probably love how quick and simple it is to use.

But maybe you’ve also wished you could do just a bit more – a little extra polish, a little more personality, a little closer to your brand. That’s exactly where Mighty comes in.

So, what is Mighty?

Mighty is a Chrome browser extension created by Maestro Learning that plugs straight into your normal Rise 360 workflow. It’s not made by Articulate (the company behind Rise), but it works right alongside it, adding extra design options, new content blocks, and more creative control.

Think of it as a set of design “power-ups” that unlock features Rise doesn’t include out of the box. You still build your course in Rise, but now you can adjust things like typography, colours, transitions, and layout with far more flexibility.

And the best part? You don’t (always) need to know any code.

What does Mighty add?

Mighty gives Rise a creative boost – more flexibility, more polish, same simplicity.

Here’s what it brings to the table:

• Extended typography controls: Fine-tune font size, spacing, and line height so your text looks perfectly balanced.
• Custom colour palettes: Save and reuse your brand colours across every element of your course.
• New visual and interactive blocks: Add reflection prompts, custom buttons, multiple choice variations, transitions, and other engaging layouts.
• Enhanced transitions and animations: Create smoother, more dynamic movement between sections.
• Quick styling tools: Adjust spacing, alignment, and backgrounds directly in Rise.
• Quick sort: Faster, more effective means of relocating sections within your course.

No extra software is needed. It all runs inside your normal browser.

In short, Mighty turns Rise from a rapid authoring tool into a brandable design environment, giving you the creative freedom to make your learning look uniquely yours.

Why does it matter for brand?

Your brand doesn’t stop at your website or brochures, it should shine through in every learner experience. When people open your training, they should instantly recognise your look and feel.

Mighty helps you achieve that consistency. With its extra control over fonts, colours, and layouts, you can design learning that feels professional, polished, and unmistakably connected to your organisation.

For learners, that familiarity builds trust. For your brand, it adds credibility. And for your team, it proves that quick-build learning doesn’t have to look “off the shelf.”

How it works in practice

• Install the extension in Chrome (or Edge).
• Open Rise 360 – You’ll see new “Mighty” blocks and tools right alongside the standard Rise ones.
• Build your course as normal, using the extra controls to tweak typography, colours, and transitions.
• Publish your course – Learners don’t need the extension; all the custom styling is baked into the final output.

You still get all the speed of Rise’s rapid development, but with a much higher design standard.

Why do designers love it?

Mighty gives you the kind of creative flexibility that used to require a developer. You can:

• Match your exact corporate fonts and colours.
• Add elegant transitions between sections.
• Use reflective or interactive blocks to increase engagement.
• Bring a sense of motion and flow that standard Rise sometimes lacks.

It’s simple enough to use, yet powerful enough to make a noticeable visual difference.

Things to keep in mind

Like most good tools, Mighty isn’t free. It’s a paid extension (around $47/month or $337/year per user, with discounts for annual plans).

If your subscription ends, your published courses will still run fine, but you won’t be able to edit Mighty-specific elements until you renew.

And while it simplifies design tweaks, it still relies on good design judgement. Colour balance, accessibility, and clarity still matter just as much as new features.

Always evolving

One thing users appreciate about Mighty is how actively it’s being developed. New features roll out regularly, often every few weeks or months rather than once a year.

The current version (6.6.3) was released in November 2025, and Maestro even runs an Early Access programme so users can test and give feedback on upcoming tools before they’re public.

Sign up for early access

What to keep an eye on

While the team hasn’t published a full public roadmap, here’s what’s likely on the horizon:

• Advanced scripting and “Power-ups” for more custom behaviours.
• New block types for branching, scenarios, and more animation options.
• Improved collaboration tools for teams sharing templates or reviewing builds.
• Better localisation and accessibility options (such as right-to-left layouts).
• Enhanced analytics and tracking for deeper learner insights.

The takeaway

Mighty gives learning teams a practical way to make Rise courses look modern, branded, and engaging, all without slowing down the build process.

For anyone who loves Rise but has ever thought, “I wish I could just tweak this one thing,” Mighty is that missing piece.

It’s a simple, powerful way to elevate your design, turning quick courses into custom, on-brand experiences that truly stand out.

As experts in Articulate 360 (Rise and Storyline) elearning design and development, Eggu are the perfect partner to roll out your custom-created branded learning experiences, or support to enhance the work of your in-house digital learning teams.

Get in touch with Eggu about your next Rise project.

In digital learning, one of the biggest challenges has always been finding the sweet spot between speed, creativity, and brand identity.

We all want courses that look great, feel consistent with our organisation’s style, and are quick to build and update. But in the past, those goals didn’t always go hand in hand.

Tools like Articulate Rise 360 made course creation fast and accessible, but often at the cost of design individuality.

You could build great learning quickly, but it sometimes looked like, well… everyone else’s.

Thankfully, that’s now changing – and fast.

Over the past year, Rise has introduced a wave of new design features that give learning teams far more creative freedom. You can now build digital learning that doesn’t just work beautifully on any device, but also looks and feels like your brand.

More freedom to make it your own

One of the biggest and most exciting changes is custom themes. Rise now offers stylish layouts like Apex and Horizon, which you can tweak to match your organisation’s colours, fonts, and navigation style.

It means your courses can finally look like your brand — not just generic templates. With just a few clicks, you can align buttons, headers, and menus with your visual identity, so learners instantly recognise who the course is from.

And best of all? You don’t need to touch a single line of code.

A smoother, more polished look

Small design details make a big difference. Rise’s improved font and text controls make it easier to apply your chosen typefaces consistently across the whole course – keeping everything neat, readable, and on-brand.

It’s a subtle upgrade that helps courses look more professional and cohesive – the kind of polish that learners might not consciously notice, but absolutely feel.

More ways to bring content to life

Rise also gives you more creative control over how content appears on screen. You can now use:

• Background images and colours to break up sections
• Different header styles to create emphasis
• Gentle animations to add flow and visual interest

All of this adds personality to your learning without slowing down production. You can create courses that are clean, modern, and visually engaging — without needing a graphic designer or developer to get involved.

Designed for global teams

If you’re rolling out learning to people across different regions, you’ll love Rise’s improved translation and localisation features.

You can export your text for translation and easily import it back in – no rebuilding required. Rise even supports right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew and automatically adjusts layouts to suit different text lengths.

That means your course design stays consistent, no matter what language it’s in.

Easier editing for busy teams

Behind the scenes, Rise has also improved its text editing tools, making formatting faster and more reliable. It’s the kind of behind-the-curtain upgrade that makes everyday authoring smoother, especially when you’re juggling multiple modules or working with several contributors.

Why do these updates matter?

Learners might not always think about why a course looks professional or polished, but they definitely notice when it doesn’t.

A well-designed, brand-aligned learning experience builds trust and keeps people engaged. It tells your audience, this matters – and so do you.

These updates mean that learning teams can now:

• Build faster without sacrificing creativity
• Keep every course visually consistent with the wider brand
• Deliver a more polished, engaging learner experience
• Spend less time fixing formatting and more time creating great content

A new era for learning design

What’s exciting about all of this is that the gap between “template-based” and “custom-built” learning is closing.

With the new Rise 360, teams no longer have to choose between beautiful design and quick turnaround. You can have both – scalable learning that looks as good as it performs.

In short, Rise now makes it possible to build learning that’s fast, flexible, and unmistakably yours.

And with new tools like Mighty – a Chrome browser extension created by Maestro Learning that plugs straight into your normal Rise 360 workflow – you can add even more design options, new content blocks, and take more creative control.

Looking ahead

As digital learning continues to evolve, design quality is becoming just as important as content quality. Learners expect engaging, visually appealing experiences. And now, tools like Rise make that easier than ever to deliver, in multiple languages too.

It’s a big win for L&D teams, designers, and learners alike. Courses that are faster to build, easier to manage, and a whole lot more enjoyable to experience.

As experts in Articulate 360 (Rise and Storyline) elearning design and development, Eggu are the perfect partner to roll out your custom-created branded learning experiences, or support to enhance the work of your in-house digital learning teams.

Get in touch with Eggu about your next Rise project.