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Respectfully provocative.

The L.I.Y. Lab: Frameworks for Experimentation

Going deeper into the approach and tools introduced in the book.

The L.I.Y. Method

The Core Idea

L.I.Y. stands for Learning Is Individual, You. It recognizes that meaningful learning requires individual agency and self-direction—not passive consumption of pre-packaged content.

This method shifts the fundamental question from "How do we train people?" to "How do we create conditions where people choose to learn?"

The Philosophical Shift

Traditional Training assumes:

  • Learning happens through information transfer
  • Groups can learn the same thing at the same time
  • Content delivery drives behavior change
  • The learner's role is to receive and retain

The L.I.Y. Method proposes:

  • Learning happens through activated curiosity
  • Each person's learning journey is unique
  • Emotional ignition drives self-directed discovery
  • The learner's role is to explore and apply

This isn't about making training "more engaging." It's about fundamentally rethinking what the learning function does—from content curator to curiosity architect.

The SPARK Approach
S
SURFACE
P
PROVOKE
A
ACTIVATE
R
REVEAL
K
KICK-START

The SPARK Approach

What It Is

SPARK is a five-stage choreography for designing compressed learning experiences that activate curiosity rather than deliver content. It's one possible framework for putting L.I.Y. principles into practice.

The Five Stages

S – SURFACE
Expose existing assumptions, cognitive debt, and unconscious beliefs. Make the invisible visible so learners recognize what they're currently working with.

P – PROVOKE
Introduce carefully calibrated disruption that creates productive discomfort. Challenge the assumption in a way that generates emotional urgency—not just intellectual interest.

A – ACTIVATE
Connect the concept to the learner's immediate personal context. Make it emotionally relevant so they feel the cost of not changing and the benefit of exploring.

R – REVEAL
Show the new mental model, framework, or approach that resolves the tension created by provocation. Provide just enough structure to enable self-directed exploration.

K – KICK-START
Provide a clear first step for immediate experimentation. The goal is to launch self-directed discovery, not complete the learning journey.

What SPARK Is Not

  • Not a training template to follow rigidly
  • Not guaranteed to work in every context
  • Not a replacement for all forms of learning design
  • Not the only way to activate curiosity

It's a starting point—a framework that has shown promise in specific contexts and is offered as one possible approach for experimentation.

The L.I.Y. Method White Paper

White Paper Feature

This detailed document explores the mechanical "how" of curiosity-driven design. It includes the theoretical foundation of L.I.Y., the complete SPARK framework with examples, and guidelines for when this approach might (and might not) be appropriate for your context.

What's inside:

  • The shift from content-centric to curiosity-centric design
  • Detailed breakdowns of each SPARK stage with examples
  • Design principles for activating autonomy
  • When to use SPARK (and when not to)
  • Measurement approaches that respect individual learning journeys
Download White Paper