Design in Instructional Design
I’ve been putting in a several very long weeks at work recently. My job encompasses many responsibilities around the coordination of assessment center and L & D initiatives. But of late, it seems the major demand on my time is in the creative work around designing engaging materials for training and development. Specifically, since making a TED-style presentation for my boss, my presentation design skills have increasingly been in demand by consultants across our company. Being in one of those “fast-paced” corporate environments, finding the time for creative design is difficult. And it got me thinking about the creative design aspects of instructional design.
For those instructional designers fortunate enough to be surrounded by a team of graphic designers who can tackle the creative production issues, this may never be a concern. However, in smaller companies like mine, one needs to wear many hats, including that of the “look and feel” architect, and creativity takes time!
I did a quick web search on “putting the design in instructional design” and was not surprised to see that other people have written on this. In particular, Kineo VP of Learning, Cammy Bean, who is a frequent conference presenter (featured at this winter’s ATD Tech Knowledge conference) and author of “The Accidental Instructional Designer,” notes that there are 3 components to design. Purpose suggests that every element of the design contributes to achieving a goal. Intention is the thoughtful consideration and placement of every element and all of the details. It’s why one selects the font, where buttons are located, the color scheme, etc. Rather than going about the design in a haphazard manner, it’s making each decision with a specific reason in mind. For training, it’s thinking how each piece engages the learner. Lastly, content, provides the framework or the lens through which the design is focused. What you’re communicated and why you’re including it.
I’m somewhat relieved to have read these tidbits. I can definitely use it in my defense when my boss is on my case as deadlines loom! Clearly I’ve been working with purpose on intentional content, and all of that takes a lot of time!
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