Perspectives Dallas Chapter of ASTD Membership Newsletter - October 2006 << Table of Contents <<

What?! There’s a Process for Designing Learning?!

by Ann Lovett Baird

Do you ever feel backed into a corner by a Learning Design project? Perhaps someone else threw it on your plate at the last minute. So you and your team just jump in and start writing. The fact is, that’s the slow way to do it! You’ve got to Make Your Own Plans if someone is pushing you to create a learning venue without the process!

Here’s the process I’ve been using for a number of years.

Understanding the client’s desired outcome entails doing a thorough needs assessment to determine the gaps between the current and desired state of employees’ abilities or performance. During this step, the design team gets a clear understanding of the learning objectives.
The Design Document is a blueprint for the learning solution and includes learning objectives, content areas and proposed flow and activities for the training, and delivery methods. Delivery methods might include: Classroom training, self-study or e-learning.
This Design Document is used to gain agreement between the client and designer(s) on how the learning objectives will be met. This is usually done through a design review meeting that includes representatives for the client and the learning designer(s). The designer agrees with the client at this stage on the format in terms of look and feel of the training materials.
The Designer creates a draft of the materials based on the design document and content reference materials or data gathering. This would also include a detailed description of e-learning portions of the training.
The Client team gives feedback and works with designer to revise materials before the pilot.
Designer revises materials for the pilot.
Materials, visuals, e-learning portions of the training are piloted to determine what changes need to be made. Materials, activities and e-learning parcels are revised based on pilot results.

Sometimes your job as a learning designer is to educate internal and external clients on the Design Process. When you help them understand the process, and stick the process that works, you create an “everybody wins” scenario.

About the Author: Ann Lovett Baird, principal of Lovett Consulting Group, has been involved in the training field since 1986, and a member of ASTD since 1989. She has served as an instructional designer, trainer and consultant to the Financial Services, Marketing Technology and Business Services industries. Ann founded Lovett Consulting Group in 1995. The firm is proficient at identifying and creating competency-based training for employee skill development. Ann can be reached at 214-350-1696 or ann@lovettconsulting.com .