Instructional Design is about creating learning with a purpose. This often includes developing efficient, smart, and purposeful workflows. In the Spring of 2025, I received my Advanced Yellow Belt certification.
In October 2024, I moved from the HR L&D team to the Clinical Learning team. To assist our new team in presenting a unified work process to those outside of the department, I created an Instructional Design work-flow process around the ADDIE* model. This improved our communication and outcomes with cross organizational departments (Operations, Clinical Specialties, HR, Utilitation Management, Marketing).
*Many in L&D see 'ADDIE' as a bad word, but to me it serves as a flexible, repeatable, cyclical work-flow process that many non-Instructional Designers can relate to.
Per the work-flow process, our team responds to each learning request with a scoping call. I have found that these scoping calls result in three types of outcomes:
The need is eliminated or refocused. By asking the right questions of the SMEs, I’m able to clarify and focus learning requests. In one instance, a leader chose to withdraw a training request after realizing it wouldn’t address the actual performance gap. In another case, I was able to refocus the department's request because their current materials did not address pain points. I am now creating new resources tailored to their specific needs.
The need is met, with plans for the future. Sometimes, the ask does not meet the overarching goal, but there is a need for immediate information. In these cases, I create an immediate deliverable, but work with the SMEs to determine future opportunities that will meet the goal and support adult learning through spaced learning and/or reducing cognitive load.
The need is met. Period. As an Instructional Designer / Educator, I enjoy creating learning pathways to meet goals. At times, this does not meet the needs of the organization. The requirement is simply to deliver. In two recent cases, I created what was asked of me to meet an immediate business need.
Late 2024, I noticed a surge in AI activity in L&D. I dabbled in it. Since then, AI's growth and impact on my daily work as changed dramatically! I work faster and smarter, contributing to our department's ability to deliver higher impact learning at a faster pace. I use it to create diverse and representative pictures and icons, to focus my writing, to create scripts and determine main ideas around clinical content, to ensure accessibility, and to develop content podcasts for my eLearning modules. The best part? No fancy technology needed! I currently use Articulate Storyline / Rise and Chatpt (for non- proprietary content).