Welcome to my blog! This blog will cover my experiences working in the real world as an instructional designer. My goal is to use this blog is to study instructional design practices in the real world. I plan to report accolades and/or shortcomings of the field. I want to use this study to determine my preparedness to face real world instructional design jobs, assignments, and issues.
I hope that this blog will provide some insight about me as an instructional designer and be a real revelation about the field of instructional design. Please note that this study only reflects my personal experiences in instructional design and may not be true for all. Please let me know if this information has been of help to you.
Introduction
When I tell people what I do, they first say, “What?” like the misunderstood me. Then, I tell them, I develop training courses. This answer usually satisfies them and they walk away. Some will go further and ask; “What is instructional design?” That is when I know they are interested. I base my answer on a definition I found once on Intelera.com. According to Intelera.com, Instructional Design is…
“A system of developing well-structured instructional materials using
objectives, related teaching strategies, systematic feedback, and evaluation”.
There are several systemic methods and models instructional designers use to do instructional design. I believe there is a direct correlation between what Instructional Designers have been taught to use in IST programs, such as Indiana University’s IST program, and what they actually do in the real world. The model that is most used and proven is “ADDIE”.
ADDIE
For the benefit of those who might read this blog who are not in the field of instructional design, ADDIE is an instructional systems model used in the development of training and educational courses. There are many definitions of ADDIE. According to Donald Clark, ADDIE is a systematic process used by instructional designers to solve problems. Donald Clark (1995). According to the IST program at Texas A&M University, ADDIE is…
“A generic systematic approach to the instructional process, which provides instructional designers with the framework to make sure their instructional products are effective and efficient.”
Each letter in ADDIE stands for one of the five phases in the instructional design process, Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.
A = Analyze. This phase analyzes the learner, the task, and determining the need for instruction. This phase determines the overall course goal, the learning environment, and identifies learner characteristics. Conducting a full analysis is important to help assess any risks or delays that may occur while developing the course. It is my opinion that this phase should never be skipped for any reason. It is important to fully grasp the intent of the subject matter expert (SME) and ensure the accuracy of the content. This attention to detail:
- improves the overall quality of a course,
- saves money and time doing the course right the first time, and
- eliminates the need to do course rewrites in the future.
D = Development. This phase highlights the actual creation or production and testing of training materials.
I = Implement. This phase concentrates on the presenting of the training or conducting the course.
E = Evaluate. This phase determines the success of the training. Different types of evaluations may be used to determine:
- If the learners liked the course,
- If the course was effective in actually meeting the intended outcomes,
- If the learner was able to transfer the new knowledge back to their job, or
- If the course was rewarding to the company.
Data collected from the evaluations help to justify the course, or it can be used to make modifications to the course.
ADDIE is a never-ending cycle. After evaluating the course, you go back to the drawing boards, conduct another analysis, design, or redevelop the course. You may start the entire process over again. Each phase of ADDIE relies on the next. In order for ADDIE to be successful, it must be conducted in order.
The diagram below is from Donald Clark’s Introduction to ISD website. It illustrates how each phase of the ADDIE (ISD) model is connected and that the evaluation phase can be conducted at anytime and that it is an on-going process. There is no start, nor is there an end.
ADDIE in the IU IST Program
ADDIE was the first instructional model I was introduced to in the IST program. As part of R511, my first IST course, I studied the ADDIE model. I think the main idea of introducing ADDIE early on in the IST program is to provide the students with a set of tools to help them build a solid foundation in instructional design. It is my belief that this is done to create some type of a general understanding about instructional design or to provide a guide to help IST students prepare for future courses and for the real world.
ADDIE was referenced in several of the courses I took either directly or indirectly. Personally, I used the ADDIE model in each course I took in the IST program in one form or another. In R511, I worked with a team of classmates on a PowerPoint assignment about ADDIE. In this assignment, my team and I summed up ADDIE as…“The five phases of ADDIE are on-going cycles of revisions and improvements, until good is better and the better is best.”
What I have learned is that this is so true! Using ADDIE is an on-going cycle. You must consistently continue to make improvements until the good becomes better, and the better becomes best.
ADDIE in the Real World
All instructional designers agree ADDIE is great! The real question: “Is ADDIE used in the real world?” As I said earlier, I can only speak from my personal experiences, “Not always.”
In the last five years, I have worked for three companies (A, B, and C). Two of the companies (A and B) I worked for passed over parts of the ADDIE model. The parts that are overlooked were the two most important parts: Analysis and Evaluation.
It was my job at Company A, to Design and Develop. The Implementation was conducted by someone else. I was brought in during the design phase. I believe the reason for this was due to critical factors, such as the cost and time involved with maintaining training, however, I strongly believe that training should take priority over everything else. Unfortunately, this often was not the case in my opinion.
At Company B, I was a training specialist. I was both an instructional designer and a facilitator. I only used two phases of ADDIE: Development and Implement. These phases were always rushed, usually happening almost on top of the other. My suggestions to improve the process went on death’s ear. There was never enough time. I strongly believe that better planning and organization could have prevented their downfall!
However, at Company C, the company in which I am now working, each phase of ADDIE is in use. All of the components of ADDIE are everywhere. At this company, the first phase of ADDIE, the Analysis phase, is the most important part of the design process. During this phase, the company develops a training plan using subject matter experts to identify the target audience, course goals, and the overall impact of the course with the company’s return of investment (ROI). The budget, dates, potential risk, and other critical factors are studied and written out in a detailed plan.
They have many resources, training, and templates all targeted towards conducting each phase of ADDIE, especially the analysis phase. A project manager (PM), who may also be the instructional designer, manages the entire project from A to E. A training plan is written before any development begins.
Company C surprised me with the help it provides their instructional designers with the entire ADDIE model. They provide a Web site called IDPro (Instructional Design Professional). IDPro provides such things as help with writing objectives, definitions, links, templates, and more. Because their courses are used to train larger audiences, the company expects their courses to meet measurable expectations. All five levels of the Kirkpatrick Evaluation plan are in use. IDPro also provides instructions and detailed training on using all five levels of Kirkpatrick’s evaluations.
Conclusion
Since I started working in the field of instructional design, I have worked at several distinctly different companies as an instructional designer. Although each company is different, each has a training and development department devoted to improving the performance of their employees. The similarities I have found are that each company recognizes all of the phases of the ADDIE process. However, whether each phase is actually conducted or not, is the real issue. Each company does actually conduct the development and implementation phase. In contrast, each company does not conduct the most important phases: Analysis and Evaluation.
My question at the start of this blog was if I am prepared to work within the real world of instructional design. My answer would have been no before I came to work at Company C. What I have come to understand is that even though well “intended,” the real world does not always have the time and/or budget to devote to fully following the ADDIE model. Each company I have worked for, with exception to Company C, just does not provide their instructional designers with the time and resources to conduct the entire model. I have tried to stress the importance that use of ADDIE can make a big difference, but too many companies are stuck in the same old rut. It is an endless process. I think the challenge we (instructional designers) are faced with today is how to conduct the full ADDIE model within the time and budget allotted to training. I think the lack of conducting ADDIE is influencing the bottom line. The result is being shown by poor corporate end-of-year reports. In fact, I believe the whole economy could improve by improving employee performance with better training.
My conclusion is that yes, I am ready, but the new question could be, is the world prepared to improve the way the train their employees. I think we must continue to fight to incorporate the use of the entire ADDIE model. I see it working successfully. Go ADDIE!
References
- Lloyd P. Rieber (1998), Professor of Instructional Technology at The University of Georgia, The Proper Way to Become an Instructional Technologist, retrieved from:
