Instructional Design COMPANION
The information you need, when you need it!
The Ultimate Reference for Every Stage of Your Project
With mind maps that visually guide you through each phase and practical questions tailored to your project’s needs, Instructional Design COMPANION ensures you’re never without the right tools. Elevate your projects with step-by-step guidance, comprehensive models, and innovative strategies that keep your deliverables relevant and effective.
Eating Your Own Dog Food
from the Author
When considering this book, my ultimate goal was to create a resource that I would use myself. As a seasoned instructional designer, I am already using this book for my instructional design projects, ensuring that I am quickly and correctly following the process steps, asking the right questions every step of the way, and maintaining consistency.
– Chuck Nealis
Below you will find some of the ways I use this book daily. Click on each screenshot to expand.
Consistent Page Layout:
The consistent layout in each chapter of the Instructional Design COMPANION enhances my workflow. With a mind map on the left showing my exact location in the instructional design process, I stay oriented and focused. On the right, detailed descriptions, real-world examples, and key questions guide me through each step, making this book a practical tool that I rely on repeatedly to keep my projects clear, actionable, and effective.
Targeted Guidance In the ADDIE Process
When starting a new training project, the Analysis portion of the ADDIE process guides me in asking the right questions to stakeholders and SMEs, ensuring that I cover all essential aspects like identifying business needs, understanding the target audience, and defining clear learning objectives. I can quickly find the information I need based on where my project is currently at in the ADDIE process, ensuring that I’m not overlooking any critical factors that could impact the effectiveness of the training.
Iterative Training Design with SAM
The Successive Approximation Model (SAM) sections in the book offer a practical, iterative approach to instructional design. This framework allows me to quickly prototype, test, and refine training materials, making it easier to adapt to changes or feedback during the development process. By following the SAM approach, I can ensure that the training is aligned with current needs and is continuously improved based on real-world input. This is especially valuable for projects that require flexibility, such as those impacted by regulatory updates or technological advancements.
Curriculum Design
This book includes a complete chapter dedicated to curriculum design, which outlines each step of the design process in detail. It provides clear guidance that helps me create or revise curricula, ensuring alignment with both business and educational objectives. This chapter is an essential resource for streamlining my curriculum development process. Additionally, the Curriculum Mapping section, found in the Appendices, walks me through creating a curriculum matrix, making it easier to visualize and organize the components of my curriculum.
OCM Training Lead Role
When leading training efforts in a change environment, this resource will help me immensely. The mind maps and detailed guidance will enable me to engage effectively with stakeholders, ensuring that I ask the right questions and gather crucial information to support change adoption. This structured approach will not only clarify my role but also enhance my ability to design training that minimizes disruption and maximizes the impact of the change initiative.
The Appendices
In addition to the comprehensive coverage found in the main chapters of the book, the appendices provide equally valuable resources that extend and enrich the content. These appendices are designed to complement the core material, offering practical tools and deep dives into specialized topics. Here’s a brief overview of what you can find:
- Appendix A: Overcoming Resistance for Instructional Designers — Strategies and insights to help instructional designers effectively manage and mitigate resistance in training environments.
- Appendix B: Integrating SAM and ADDIE in a Change Project — Guidance on blending the SAM and ADDIE models to enhance flexibility and effectiveness in change-driven projects.
- Appendix C: OCM Training Lead Case Study — A detailed case study that illustrates the real-world application of OCM strategies in training.
- Appendix D: Sample Curriculum Matrix (Mapping a Curriculum) — Tools and examples for creating comprehensive curriculum matrices that align learning objectives with instructional activities.
- Appendix E: More About Pilot Testing — Additional insights into conducting effective pilot tests to refine training programs before full-scale implementation.
- Appendix F: Checklists — Over 25 invaluable checklists that cover every aspect of the instructional design process, ensuring thorough preparation and execution.
- Appendix G: Bloom’s Taxonomy — A detailed exploration of Bloom’s Taxonomy to aid in the development of learning objectives that foster higher-order thinking.
- Appendix H: Mind Maps — Nine additional mind maps that offer visual representations of complex processes and concepts.
- Appendix I: Introducing the Next-Gen Learning Design (NGLD) Framework — An introduction to a forward-thinking framework designed to meet the needs of modern learners.
- Appendix J: Resources — A compilation of additional resources that instructional designers can leverage to further their knowledge and skills.
- Appendix K: Bibliography — A comprehensive list of references that provide the foundation for the methodologies and theories discussed throughout the book.
@ 2024 Charles Nealis