Instead of setting career goals for myself in 2014 I’ve decided to give myself challenges or “homework.” I opted for challenges over goals because I want to solve problems. I think annual career goals can run the gamut from promotions and pay raises, to achievements and accolades which doesn’t always amount to any impact on your career in a meaningful way. Challenges, however, I think are about problem solving which has the potential to not only impact me but also my peers. So this year instead of career goals, I am going to work to solve three problems that challenge me most in my career.

For each challenge I plan to research, experiment, and blog throughout the year which hopefully will culminate in an epic blog post or publication that explains how to overcome the challenge. So without further adieu here are my 3 challenges for 2014:

Challenge #1: What is the best proof reading system for editing your own work?

Challenge #2: What are the best tool and/or systems for story-boarding elearning content?

Challenge #3: What are the best tools and/or systems for time and project management?

Each of these challenges are an area where I sometimes struggle as an instructional designer. I plan to work on each challenge for at least four months at a time, starting with challenge #1. If you have any insights or methods you would like to share please post them in the comments.