What Instructional Designers Can Learn from Clutter-busters

Online Events Archive

Online Forums 2014 - August 14, 2014

Too much! This seems to be a recurring problem, whether we’re talking about the overwhelming amount of information coming at us each day, or the amount of stuff we accumulate in our homes. Instructional designers face the challenge of providing the right information without overwhelming learners. But while we acknowledge the importance of keeping our learning solutions lean and focused, this can be more difficult than it sounds. Too often, we (or our SMEs) get attached to information and dump in more content “because someone might need it someday.” This is similar to the way some of us approach clutter in our homes: it’s difficult to be objective and choose what to give up.

This session will help you understand some of the reasons we load on too much content; and practical strategies for reducing content. You’ll compare the temptation to load your learners with too much information with the similar temptation to hold on to too much- “stuff.”- You’ll examine techniques that clutter-busters use to help reduce stuff in our homes, and see how you can apply these techniques to the challenge of too much information.

In this session, you will learn:

• The underlying reasons for holding on to too much content
• Practical techniques for reducing less-useful content—borrowed from professional clutter-busters
• Techniques for the ongoing control of information clutter
• Strategies for convincing SMEs to reduce extraneous content

Audience:
Intermediate designers and others with experience in researching and developing content, and who face challenges in reducing content.

Handout(s)

Recording

 

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