What is Instructional Design?

Main ideas / lessons conveyed

• Instructional design (ID) is a rewarding, fast-growing field focused on helping people learn.
• At its core, instructional design is the process of designing and developing learning experiences and learning resources.
• ID is interdisciplinary, drawing from:
  • learning science
  • human-computer interaction
  • educational psychology
  • systems theory
  • and related areas
• Instructional designers create learning so people can:
  • bridge knowledge or skill gaps
  • reach specific performance or business outcomes
  • undergo transformations (e.g., helping clients or audiences become capable of something)
• Instructional designers work across contexts such as:
  • corporate training
  • education (including higher ed and K–12)
  • independent entrepreneurship / consulting
  • nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations

What instructional designers do (job function)

• Create learning experiences and resources
• Help learners (or employees/clients) improve effectiveness by:
  • enabling them to learn what they need
  • sometimes also reducing the need to memorize through performance support

Common deliverables / outputs mentioned

1. Interactive e-learning experiences

   • Self-paced, slide-based e-learning
   • Typically built with tools such as:
     • Adobe Captivate
     • Articulate Storyline 360
   • Delivered to large audiences via systems for remote workforces

2. Learning management system (LMS) courses / experiences

   • Examples of LMS platforms mentioned:
     • Blackboard
     • Canvas
   • Courses and learning content are created and assigned directly in the LMS

3. Video-based courses

   • Common in the creator economy
   • Often include video + worksheets and other materials
   • Tools mentioned:
     • Teachable
     • Thinkific
     • Kajabi

4. Face-to-face learning / virtual instructor-led learning (VILT) materials

   • Facilitator slide decks
   • Facilitator guides (what to say and when)
   • Participant handouts / worksheets
   • Job aids / performance support tools
     • e.g., PDFs for reference during tasks
     • internal knowledge base support/resources accessible on demand

Instructional design process (ADDIE-based methodology)

Most ID projects follow a similar process derived from ADDIE, with five elements:

1) Analysis

• Learn about:
  • the audience
  • the problem
• Use methods such as:
  • interviews
  • observation
  • reviewing relevant data
• Purpose: confirm both what the problem is and who the solution serves

2) Design

• Perform additional research and/or collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs)
• Plan and write:
  • learning objectives
  • learning solutions (the instructional plan)
• Deliverable examples:
  • storyboards
  • scripts

3) Development

• Convert design outputs into the final learning assets
• Use necessary tools/technology to produce materials such as:
  • videos (e.g., recording speakers)
  • self-paced e-learning
  • animated video components

4) Implementation

• Deliver the learning to the audience:
  • face-to-face: facilitator presents it to the group
  • online: upload it to an LMS and assign it to learners

5) Evaluation

• Measure effectiveness using data such as:
  • surveys
  • other results/impact measures
• Update the program if needed based on findings

Additional concept: “eliminating learning” / performance support

The speaker introduces the idea that instructional design doesn’t always mean “build a course.” Sometimes the more effective approach is eliminating learning by providing resources that reduce memorization needs.

This approach aims to provide:

• performance support
• tools so people can access information at the moment they need it

Examples given:

• GPS navigation (turn-by-turn guidance so you don’t memorize routes)
• Google search as a “second brain” for quick answers
• Job aids for work processes (people don’t memorize all steps—they reference instructions when needed)

Skills needed to succeed as an instructional designer

The video lists several key skill areas:

• Applying instructional design theory and learning science
  • ensure learning is effective when learning is the solution
• Writing skills
  • clear and concise copy
  • writing scripts and storyboards
  • technical writing and/or creative writing can help
  • storytelling is emphasized for engagement
• Development / technical skills
  • building or programming e-learning / using authoring tools
  • tools mentioned as examples:
    • Articulate Storyline
  • note: specialized coding isn’t necessarily required for everyone
• Visual/UI design skills
  • designing layouts and visually appealing interfaces
• Communication and collaboration
  • working with stakeholders is highlighted as important (likely critical for most roles)
• Analyzing data
  • interpreting survey/measurement results
  • drawing valid conclusions about whether solutions work
• Problem-solving
  • identify whether learning is the right part of the solution
  • design the appropriate intervention if learning is needed

Getting started / call to action (as presented)

• The channel emphasizes helping viewers become instructional designers and build ID skills.
• Mentions there is a “how to become an ID” video and playlist, linked in the description.

Speakers / sources featured

• Devlin Peck (speaker/host)
• Nick Shackleton Jones (source credited for the phrasing/concept “eliminating learning”)