The Accidental Instructional Designer

1. Embrace your accidental journey into instructional design

I am a walking accident. Generally a happy one, but an accident nonetheless.

Accidental beginnings are common. Many instructional designers stumble into the field from diverse backgrounds, bringing unique perspectives and skills. This diversity enriches the profession, allowing for creative problem-solving and innovative approaches to learning design. Embrace your unconventional path and use it as a strength.

Intentional growth is key. While you may have started accidentally, commit to becoming an intentional practitioner. Continuously learn about learning theories, instructional strategies, and emerging technologies. Connect with peers, attend conferences, and stay current with industry trends to evolve from an accidental to an intentional instructional designer.

2. Master the four slices of the learning pie

There are four slices in a big pie, with each piece representing a critical part of the profession: learning, creativity, technology, and business.

Balanced expertise is crucial. To be a well-rounded e-learning professional, develop skills in all four areas:

• Learning: Understand adult learning theories and instructional strategies
• Creativity: Craft engaging content and visually appealing designs
• Technology: Stay current with e-learning tools and platforms
• Business: Align learning solutions with organizational goals and measure impact

Identify your sweet spot. Recognize your strengths and areas for improvement within the learning pie. Focus on developing your expertise in one area while maintaining a working knowledge of the others. This T-shaped skill set allows you to specialize while collaborating effectively with experts in other domains.

3. Design with intention, not just information

Design is not solely about making things aesthetically pleasing, although that is part of it. Design, at its core, is about solving problems.

Solve performance problems. Start by identifying the root cause of performance issues and determine if training is the appropriate solution. Use Cathy Moore's action mapping approach to focus on business goals and desired behaviors rather than simply conveying information.

Create meaningful experiences. Design learning solutions that:

• Provide context and relevance to learners
• Offer opportunities for practice and application
• Encourage reflection and integration of new knowledge
• Support transfer of learning to the workplace

Avoid the "CBT Lady" approach of information dumps and focus on designing experiences that drive behavior change and improved performance.

4. Craft engaging learning experiences through storytelling

Humans are primed for stories. As parents we tell our children stories at bedtime. For entertainment, we watch movies and read books and sit around campfires and water coolers and regale each other with tales from the trenches.

Harness the power of stories. Use storytelling techniques to make learning content more relatable, memorable, and impactful. Craft scenarios and case studies that:

• Feature relatable characters
• Present realistic conflicts or challenges
• Demonstrate consequences of actions
• Provide opportunities for decision-making

Elicit stories from subject matter experts. When working with SMEs, ask questions that uncover meaningful anecdotes and examples. These stories can provide valuable context and make abstract concepts more concrete for learners.

5. Develop visual appeal to enhance credibility and engagement

People use look and feel as their first indicator of trust.

Invest in visual design. A well-designed learning experience not only engages learners but also enhances the perceived credibility of the content. Pay attention to:

• Layout and organization of information
• Color schemes and typography
• Use of relevant images and graphics
• Consistency with brand guidelines

Avoid visual pitfalls. Steer clear of common design mistakes that can undermine the learning experience:

• Overuse of stock photos or clip art
• Cluttered or confusing layouts
• Inconsistent design elements
• Poor contrast or readability

If graphic design isn't your strength, consider partnering with a designer or investing in visual design skills to elevate the quality of your learning solutions.

6. Leverage interactivity for cognitive engagement, not just clicks

Cognition is way more powerful than clicking.

Focus on meaningful interactions. Instead of adding pointless clicks or "clicky-clicky bling-bling," design interactions that promote cognitive engagement:

• Get them feeling: Evoke emotions through powerful stories or scenarios
• Get them doing: Provide relevant practice opportunities
• Get them reflecting: Incorporate moments for self-assessment and contemplation
• Get them connecting: Facilitate peer-to-peer learning and real-world application

Avoid interaction pitfalls. Be wary of:

• Overusing drag-and-drop exercises without context
• Creating quizzes that only test recall, not application
• Adding unnecessary animations or effects that distract from learning

Design interactions that challenge learners to think critically, apply knowledge, and make decisions relevant to their work context.

7. Measure impact and continuously improve learning solutions

Proving the ROI (return on investment) for learning solutions is kind of the holy grail of a learning and development team.

Develop a comprehensive evaluation strategy. Go beyond smile sheets and simple knowledge checks to measure the true impact of learning solutions:

• Use Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation or Thalheimer's Learning-Transfer Evaluation Model (LTEM)
• Collect data on behavior change and business impact
• Leverage learning analytics to gain insights into learner engagement and performance

Continuously improve. Use evaluation data to:

• Refine existing learning solutions
• Inform the design of future programs
• Demonstrate the value of learning initiatives to stakeholders

Partner with data analysts and business leaders to connect learning outcomes to organizational performance metrics and showcase the ROI of learning and development efforts.

Last updated: November 14, 2024