Design for learners: Interactive elements boost engagement

Instructional design isn’t about content—it’s about transformation. Use the Double Diamond to make sure you solve the right problem, the right way: - Discover: Understand your learners before designing anything. - Define: Clarify the real learning gap, not just the topic. - Develop: Prototype learning experiences, not slides. - Deliver: Measure behavior change, not completion rates.

The Tip of the Iceberg in Instructional Design We often hear the phrase “Tip of the iceberg,” meaning what we see is just a small part of something much deeper. As an Instructional Designer, I feel this phrase perfectly fits the way we create storyboards. When I design a storyboard, I put a lot of thought into creating onscreen text that aligns with the narration, keeping it content-based, visually appealing, and well-supported with infographics and interactivities. But the two slides where I pour in the most thought and creativity are the Learning Objectives and Summary slides. Learning objectives slide This usually appears at the beginning of a course. The objectives are written as short, crisp lines, often not even full sentences. Yet, these few words represent the depth of the entire course. Each objective is like the tip of the iceberg, hinting at the larger ocean of knowledge that lies beneath. Summary slide At the end of the storyboard, we highlight key learning points again, just a few lines. But behind those short sentences lies everything the learner has absorbed, understood, and connected throughout the course, the vast part of the iceberg that remains unseen. In both cases, what the learner sees on screen is simple and clear, but what lies beneath is hours of analysis, design thinking, and creative effort. That’s the beauty of Instructional Design: It’s not just what’s visible on the surface, but what’s thoughtfully built underneath. #ID #Instructionaldesign #elearning #Learningobjectives #summary #keylearningpoints #tipoftheiceberg

3 Questions Every Instructional Designer Should Ask Before Starting a Project Before jumping into design, we always pause to ask a few simple—but powerful—questions: 1️⃣ What’s the real performance gap we’re solving? Or do we need to? It’s easy to assume every issue needs training—but sometimes, the solution lies elsewhere. Also sometimes, the course that is created just fill the knowledge gap, not the performance gap in the company. 2️⃣ Who are the learners, and what do they already know? Understanding the learner’s context helps us design experiences that feel relevant, not redundant. Always keep in mind that a lot of information, lot of videos and voiceovers, does not translate to good eLearning. Compact, and straight forward will do the job most of the time. 3️⃣ How will we know if this worked? Every learning experience should have a measurable goal—because good design isn’t just about content, it’s about impact. At Thinklab, we believe great Instructional Design starts with curiosity and purpose. Know what is you solving or helping, know you audience and know the goal(s). Asking the right questions early leads to learning that actually makes a difference AND make sense! What other questions do you ask before starting your projects? We’d love to hear your thoughts below. 👇 #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #LXD #LearningStrategy #PerformanceImprovement #ThinklabInsights #eLearning

Ever felt like you’re juggling 10 ideas while your SME keeps saying, can we just make it look fun? Welcome to the Design phase of Instructional Design — where structure meets creativity. Here’s what goes on behind the scenes: 1️⃣ Learning Objectives – Defining what learners should achieve 2️⃣ Instructional Strategy – Choosing how they’ll get there 3️⃣ Content Sequencing – Organizing info like a story, not a dump 4️⃣ Assessment Planning – Designing proof of learning 5️⃣ Media & Visual Design – Turning ideas into engaging experiences Actionable Tip: Before jumping into visuals, write a single line: After this module, learners will be able to… If you can’t fill that confidently, your design isn’t ready yet. The Design phase is where logic meets magic — plan well, then let your creativity flow. #InstructionalDesign #LXD #eLearning #ADDIE #LearningStrategy #IDTips

In the ed publishing channels in which I work, I do see consistent use of accessibility features as well as appropriate use of sources of data. But I agree that the rush to produce courses is a problem. As a development editor, I have found myself fighting for three things: 1) more time for quality content development; 2) design elements and interactives that support content, rather than being designed solely for aesthetics or interactivity; 3) more collaborative planning between content development and tech teams so that tech teams better understand essential elements of content and content teams better understand tech limitations.

I've seen this from all sides and perspectives as both an instructional designer, trainer, learning architect, and instructional design leader. "Speed does not equal professionalism. Output does not equal quality." Sometimes speed is necessary to prototype or to meet urgent needs. But speed at scale often leads to poor learning products...and a lot of them. As an instructional design team leader or even a learning architect, you need to focus on frameworks, skill transformation, your team's processes, and a scalability strategy to be able to produce at higher speeds, at scale, with quality. And the reality is, at different times you're pulling different levers to meet the needs of your customers, stay relevant, provide some value now, and that's necessary. But make sure you're aware of what you're focusing on and how long until you bring yourself back to a sustainable, scalable strategy your team can execute for a long time. That builds your reputation, it build results, and it's builds wisdom. Ask yourself, are we building it fast and at scale, only to revamp this a year later? What success criteria are we leading this project with? Can we break development into phases to get quality results at each phase but avoid rework and burnout for our team?

Yes, Totally agree with this! Instructional design requires strategy, empathy, and a deep understanding of how people learn not just aesthetic skills. Creating meaningful learning experiences takes time, collaboration, and a lot of invisible effort that often goes unnoticed. Being an instructional designer is so much more than just “making slides pretty.” It’s about navigating undervalued roles, endless scope creep, broken tools, disengaged learners, and the constant pressure for “innovation” that misses real learning goals!

🎬The Power of Storyboarding in Instructional Design In this video, we see a fascinating sequence, a kid carefully bouncing a ball from one pan to another, each time adding a new pan to guide the ball’s path until it finally lands perfectly in a cup. ⚓ This simple act beautifully mirrors what happens in instructional design. Every effective educational material, whether a video, infographic, or lesson plan, needs a clear storyboard. ⚓ Just like the ball’s journey, a storyboard helps us plan the flow of learning , step by step, frame by frame. We decide where to start, how each part connects, and where we want learners to “land.” Without a storyboard, ideas may bounce in random directions, losing focus and impact. ⚓ A good storyboard ensures that every “bounce”, every visual, line of text, and transition, moves learners closer to understanding. It’s the invisible structure that turns creativity into clarity. 💭 Question to reflect on: If a ball can’t reach its target without a planned path, how can our learning content reach the learner without a storyboard? #InstructionalDesign #Storyboarding #LearningDesign #EdTech #TeachingInnovation #VisualLearning #DigitalPedagogy #Educators #LearningExperienceDesign

This is fantastic advice. It's that quiet understanding that really makes a difference. Her take on design reflects the heart of a truly learner-centered experience. This insight is a good reminder to have thoughtful reflections throughout the entire process, which should always point back to the learner, their experiences, feelings and understanding.

As time has gone by and I continue to work in the instructional design field, this statement resonates more and more to me day by day. 👩💻Design of a course is integral. Yes, you hope learners go away with something, but it is how they apply what they learn and not check a box. 💸Development of learning takes time. It also takes money. Investing in great learning (even if it may take a little while to develop) is what is going to land your organization the profits needed to keep moving on. 💪Learners need the knowledge of skills they will be applying to tasks in their roles. These skills constantly change to become better and better. Updated technology. New process of completing a task. It is a never ending cycle of needing to develop more training to enhance these learners to perform at their highest capability. Lela S. brings up some more great points she has discussed that apply also to this quote. These 3 points I mention above are mine. What do you think about this quote? What resonates with you in contemplating it? #LearningandDevelopment #Design #Networking