4 Things to Mention in ID Project Email to Boss

Why do some people grow quickly in instructional design… While others stay stuck for years? It’s rarely about intelligence. And it’s not usually about degrees. More often, it’s about how people learn the craft. One of our students, Megan Diffey, described it this way: “IDOL combines learning modules with hands-on practice and an amazing community that helps you grow.” That combination matters more than most people expect. Because instructional design isn’t just knowledge. It’s a practice-based profession. You can study learning theory for months. But the real growth happens when you: • design learning experiences • test your ideas • get feedback • revise your solutions Again and again. That cycle—practice, feedback, improvement—is how designers actually develop expertise. And the community piece makes that process even stronger. Because when you’re surrounded by other designers, you gain: • new ways to approach design problems • feedback that improves your work • encouragement when projects get challenging That’s how people move from learning about instructional design… To actually thinking like instructional designers.

I think there’s a mode a lot of Instructional Designers slip into, but we don’t really talk about it. It's called the "Survival Mode". It happens when deadlines are tight, expectations are all over the place, and you simply need to get the work out. You end up making choices you would normally question. You lean on familiar methods and it's not because they are always the best, but because they help you move. And honestly, it's understandable. But somewhere along the line, that very work starts feeling different. You’re no longer thinking deeply about how people will learn. You’re now thinking about reviews, approvals, and deadlines. The question quietly becomes:“Will this help people perform better?”or“Can this be delivered on time?” That’s where survival mode becomes dangerous and can slowly turn design into production. And maybe, just maybe the answer is not to completely avoid survival mode but to recognize when you’re in it, and not stay there longer than necessary. #InstructionalDesign #LearningExperienceDesign #Elearning #LearningAndDevelopment #DigitalLearning

Most instructional design portfolios focus on the final product, showcasing polished projects without revealing the thinking behind them. But in today’s hiring market, that’s often not enough to stand out. In this new video, Peck Academy graduate and instructional designer, Daniel Guimont, shares what hiring managers are really looking for when they review your work. Instead of just presenting outcomes, he shows how to communicate your value through the story behind your decisions—starting with the problem, walking through your process, and making your thinking visible. He also breaks down practical ways to use visuals, simplify your write-ups, and highlight growth so hiring managers can quickly understand how you solve problems. The result is a portfolio that doesn’t just look good, but clearly demonstrates how you think, adapt, and contribute. If you’re trying to gain traction as an instructional designer, this is a powerful shift in how you present your work. Watch the video using the link in the comments, and let us know: how are you showing your thinking in your portfolio?

I’ve seen a lot of debate lately about templates— specifically, the idea that using them isn’t “real” instructional design. I disagree. In my experience, templates exist for a reason: they make development work more efficient without sacrificing quality. Many templates are already: well-structured clean and visually sound flexible enough to support different types of content And honestly—my clients have loved them. Not because they’re generic. But because they’re effective. I also use templates as a starting point for inspiration. Over time, I’ve become an expert at customizing them— applying branding, adjusting layouts, refining interactions— To the point where the final product looks completely different. And more importantly, it meets the client’s need without starting from scratch every time. Because sometimes the goal isn’t to build something flashy. It’s to deliver something: clear functional on time Especially when timelines are tight and the ask is straightforward. Using templates doesn’t make you less of a designer. If anything, it means you understand when to work smarter, not harder. Where do you stand on using templates in learning design? #InstructionalDesign #Elearning #LearningAndDevelopment #DesignThinking #WorkplaceLearning

Perfection stops more aspiring instructional designers than lack of skill. People wait until their work feels ready. Until their portfolio feels polished. Until they feel confident. That moment rarely comes. One of our students, Holly Backus, said something simple that captures what actually works: “Do it messy and participate in the community. The connections and support you get will make a difference.” That advice is more powerful than it sounds. Because learning instructional design isn’t just about reading books or watching courses. It’s about practice and feedback. You design something. It’s imperfect. You share it. You get feedback. You improve. Then you repeat the cycle. Again and again. This is how instructional designers actually develop their skills. And the community piece matters more than most people realize. When you participate in a learning community, you gain: • feedback on your design work • exposure to different design approaches • encouragement when things feel difficult • professional connections that last beyond the program Many instructional design careers start with something simple: Someone sharing their work. Getting feedback. Improving. Then doing it again. So if you're trying to break into instructional design, here’s the practical advice: Don’t wait for perfect. Start messy. Because messy work you share and improve will take you much further than perfect work you never show.

Perfection stops more aspiring instructional designers than lack of skill. People wait until their work feels ready. Until their portfolio feels polished. Until they feel confident. That moment rarely comes. One of our students, Holly Backus, said something simple that captures what actually works: “Do it messy and participate in the community. The connections and support you get will make a difference.” That advice is more powerful than it sounds. Because learning instructional design isn’t just about reading books or watching courses. It’s about practice and feedback. You design something. It’s imperfect. You share it. You get feedback. You improve. Then you repeat the cycle. Again and again. This is how instructional designers actually develop their skills. And the community piece matters more than most people realize. When you participate in a learning community, you gain: • feedback on your design work • exposure to different design approaches • encouragement when things feel difficult • professional connections that last beyond the program Many instructional design careers start with something simple: Someone sharing their work. Getting feedback. Improving. Then doing it again. So if you're trying to break into instructional design, here’s the practical advice: Don’t wait for perfect. Start messy. Because messy work you share and improve will take you much further than perfect work you never show.

An instructional design concept that may at first seem small on the surface: Acronyms. I’ve worked on projects where SMEs hand over content that looks like alphabet soup. Every department has its own shorthand. Every process has a three-letter abbreviation. And everyone close to the work assumes the learner already knows what they mean. Learners often don’t…and even when they do, constant acronym overload creates friction. So one of the quieter decisions instructional designers make is: Do we keep the acronym? Spell it out? Or remove it entirely? Unfortunately, there is no universal rule, and sometimes the acronym is essential because employees use it every day on the job. Other times, spelling everything out can improve clarity. And sometimes the best choice is simplifying the language altogether. I’m sure we can all agree that the goal isn’t to impress learners with terminology, but rather it is to reduce unnecessary cognitive load so they can focus on what actually matters. When people are mentally decoding vocabulary every few seconds, they’re spending less energy understanding the learning itself. Tiny design decision. Big impact. Curious how other designers approach this: Do you tend to preserve organizational terminology (and acronyms), or aggressively simplify them?

There is rarely one right answer in instructional design. There are tradeoffs, and there is the answer that fits your priorities. Take a manual. You can fill it with screenshots and step-by-step details, which is a gift to a nervous first-time user. But every time the interface changes, someone has to re-shoot every screenshot. Easy to use in the moment, harder to maintain over time. The leaner version flips it: faster to keep current, more demanding for the reader. Neither is wrong. They serve different priorities. The same fork shows up in course design. A thorough course covers everything. A short one actually gets finished. For staff doing professional development on top of a full teaching load, the most complete course is often the one nobody completes. So which matters more to you, coverage or completion? There is a real answer, but it is yours, not mine. This is most of the work. Not chasing a perfect course that exists in no one's budget or calendar, but naming what you are trading and choosing on purpose. There is one exception. Accessibility is not a tradeoff. Whether your content works for the people who need it is a baseline, not a preference to weigh against convenience. Part of my job is knowing which decisions are genuine tradeoffs and which ones are not. The rest is alignment. The right design is the one that fits your constraints, your people, and what you are actually trying to change. #InstructionalDesign #K12Education #eLearning #Accessibility

A lot of people ask what instructional designers actually do… Here’s what that looks like in my work 👇 ✔️ E-learning modules ✔️ Interactive scenarios ✔️ Microlearning experiences ✔️ Learner-centered design It’s not just content—it’s designing how people learn.

Two of the most used instructional design models. But a lot of people treat them like they are interchangeable. They are not. ADDIE is structured and sequential. You complete each phase before moving to the next. It works beautifully when you have time, complexity and high stakes involved. SAM is iterative and agile. You build fast, get feedback fast and improve fast. It works beautifully when deadlines are tight and you need to course correct early. The question is never which model is better. The question is always which model fits this project. The best Instructional Designers do not pick one and stick to it forever. They understand both and choose wisely. Save this for your next project. 👆 #InstructionalDesign #ADDIE #LearningDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #LDProfessional #ElearningDesign #LXDesign #IDinsights #LDCommunity #CourseDesign #TrainingAndDevelopment #CorporateLearning #eLearning #IDtools #FutureOfLearning