At DevLearn 2025 we asked attendees to share their current biggest challenge. Their answers weren’t about trends or buzzwords. They were practical, immediate, and human.
Across industries and roles, clear themes emerged, and they paint a picture of what learning professionals are navigating behind the scenes today.
Doing More with Less
Capacity was the most common challenge. Small teams are supporting entire departments, sometimes entire states. Many are expected to increase output without increasing headcount.
One attendee summed it up perfectly: “I need to clone myself.”
The pressure isn’t just about speed. It’s about maintaining quality while scaling production and finding smarter ways to work without burning out.
Getting More from the Tools You Already Have
For some, the challenge isn’t access to technology, it’s fully leveraging it. One attendee came to DevLearn specifically to deepen their skills in Articulate Storyline so they could unlock more of what the tool can do.
When teams don’t have time to master their platforms, efficiency suffers. Investing in skill development isn’t optional anymore, it’s essential to keeping up.
Supporting the Field Without Pulling Them off the Job
Field-based teams present a different kind of challenge. Learning leaders are trying to keep frontline employees refreshed on critical content without taking them away from their work.
Microlearning and short learning bursts are becoming essential strategies. For some attendees, conversations at DevLearn revealed options they didn’t even realize were possible. The need for learning in the flow of work is only growing.
Aligning with Stakeholders
Not every challenge is operational. Many are organizational.
Several attendees pointed to stakeholder alignment as their biggest hurdle. Learning teams are often handed solutions rather than being included in defining the problem. Gaining buy-in, getting on the same page, and clarifying what effective learning actually requires remains a constant effort.
The Bigger Picture
Across every conversation, one question sits at the center: How do we move faster, do more, and prove impact without compromising quality?
Today’s learning professionals are balancing efficiency with effectiveness, production with strategy, and stakeholder demands with learner needs.
The challenges are real, but so is the commitment to solving them. That’s exactly why these conversations matter.
