What’s the difference betweenan instructional designer (ID) and a lead or senior instructional designer? It’smore than simply having more knowledge of design principles and learningtheory!
In reviewing job listings forsenior IDs, I observed that some of the additional skills that hiring managersrequire are the operational and business aspects of instructional design including:
- Workingcollaboratively with the team and across the business
- Workingon complex, multi-deliverable projects
- Providingconsultative services and leadership
- Contributingto an environment of innovation and overall excellence
These skills aren’t typicallypart of an instructional design graduate program but are critical toprogressing to the top of the field. In this article, I’d like to offer sometips on developing these business skills, specifically as they pertain toinstructional design.
Collaboration
Collaboration is critical tocreating a stellar learning program. A design culture of spontaneousbrainstorming, quick stand-up meetings, and cross-pollination of ideas is idealfor innovation. Organizations like Citrix, Proctor & Gamble, McKinneyAdvertising Agency, and others have dedicated valuable office real estate tocreating open work spaces for teams to brainstorm. These unconventional, flexspaces may contain movable seating and whiteboards, markers, flipcharts,post-its, pipe cleaners for fidgety hands, construction paper, crayons, andmore. Fun virtual environments like Google Hangouts work effectively as well.
Learning-project teams arecreative and are eager to contribute to a project as early as possible in thelife cycle. A lead ID is in a good position to set the stage for this kind ofcollaboration and to cultivate it.
Complexprojects
The most extensive eLearningprojects have a high value to the organization and a high number of learners. Managersoften task lead instructional designers with these top-tier projects. Complexprojects require a big-picture focus on outcomes as well as the ability to zoomin on project details, so effective communication skills are vital.
Consider creating a formal pitchcommunicating your proposed learning solutions (after team brainstorming ofcourse) to your supervisor, stakeholders, and subject matter experts (SMEs).Include data to support your ideas, as well as visuals, maps, and prototypes thathelp explain the creative concepts. Provide a road map that shows how thesolution will enhance motivation and how you will measure effectiveness (e.g.,usability testing, pilots, observations). Post-pitch, collect feedback andrevise. Collaboration with and agreement from multiple parties at keymilestones is the best way for the entire team to feel ownership and to set theproject up for success.
Consultativeleadership
What is a consultative leader?Jim Hornikel, director of training and development for Bold New Directions, states:
- Thereare two main sides to this practice: incoming and outgoing. To be consultativeinvites the incoming. You are aware your team members have lots of experienceand knowledge that, if you garner it, you get lots more information to workwith in making your critical decisions. A consultative leader also consults.That is, you have important information to give to your team members, and theywill be more effective if they have your information to work with.
Instructionaldesigners who exhibit consultative leadership:
- Maintaina focus on the greater good—on the learner, and on how well the learningprogram will help achieve the organization’s business goals
- Developrelationships with stakeholders as well as internal project teams
- Embodya can-do attitude and practice creative problem-solving
- Sharewhat they have learned with others through formal or informal mentoring
- Askimportant questions that no one else does
- Setexpectations and provide role clarity
Innovation
At Weejee Learning, we liketo spark our internal brainstorming meetings by asking, “Wouldn’t it be awesomeif…?” Wouldn’t it be awesome if this initiative was driven by user-generatedcontent? Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could build an entire campaign aroundthis program including movie-trailer videos and incentives? Wouldn’t it beawesome if we could produce an interactive video? Wouldn’t it be awesome if wecreated an augmented-reality game using transmedia storytelling? Today’stechnologies enable unlimited possibilities for innovation and fun. Seek outways you can make learning engaging. Look not only within the training industrybut also to other fields such as film making, music, and advertising. Staycurious!
(Tracy Bissette is teaching a six-week Guild Academycourse beginning February 26, The Business of Instructional Design. To learnmore or to register, visit https://www.elearningguild.com/content.cfm?selection=doc.3170)
