What does it mean to be an Instructional Designer?

Created by Gemini AI

No one said instructional design was easy. Far from it. But a lot of people don't even know what this field entails. Some people may not have even heard of Instructional Design. I know I never knew it existed until a few years ago...

It all started with a rotation opportunity at work. They called it the "Training Experience". They taught us their corporate way of training facilitation and had us lead virtual instructor led classes to upskill and onboard various sales and service specialists. However, I felt the experience was lacking. There were certain things I wanted to know that weren't being taught. So I decided to research how I could increase my knowledge of Training and Development. I was thrilled to find some Graduate Certificate programs at my local university. As I completed certificates in Training and Development and in Teaching Adult Learners, I discovered it was only a hop, skip, and a jump away from getting a Masters, so I did that instead. But what has that Masters got me? Even with a Masters, it feels like there is so much left to learn. Tim Slade of The eLearning Designer's Academy explains what basic skills Instructional Designers need.



1. Learning Theory

Tim recommends Malcolm Knowles' Principles of Adult Learning, Merrill's Principles of Instruction, and John Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory. Those are all the gold standard of Instructional Design learning theories, for sure. You absolutely want to understand the basics of each one. But many people have designed their own models of instructional design - ADDIE is one you may have heard of. If you want to branch out a bit more to see what may fit your style the best, or what you could combine to work most effectively in your work flow, check out these additional models from the eLearning Industry blog - 10 Instructional Design Theories.

2. Data Analysis

As you can see in the graphic above, there are so many different industries that you could potentially work in. But what if you don't have any experience in the field in which you are developing training? That's where the data analysis kicks in. If you aren't a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in the field, working with stakeholders and SMEs helps you determine if training is even what is needed to resolve a business need. Being adept in needs and task analysis is key.

3. Project Management

I mentioned ADDIE earlier. That stands for Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. If you develop strong project management skills, you can be in charge of every step of the learning development process. You can be an advocate for change management, communicate within every level of the company to provide the best outcome for your clients.

4. Multimedia Development

This facet of instructional design has exploded over the last few years, especially since the pandemic. To have a solid toolbelt at your disposal, you have to become comfortable with so many different authoring tools. It varies depending on the organization you work with, but it could be Camtasia, Adobe Creative Cloud, video and audio editing, Articulate Storyline or Rise, H5P, Canva, and more.

5. Visual Design

Tying everything together is visual design. Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning helps you see the overall picture of what increases learning and reduces cognitive load.

Conclusion

You do not have to be a master at everything on this list. But you do need a basic understanding of all of it. As you learn, find the things that bring you the most joy and become and expert at that. Then you'll find a successful niche from which to thrive.

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