Instructional Design in eLearning

I scrapped an entire video yesterday. Not because the content was bad. The writing was clear. The visuals were polished. The delivery was energetic. But I realized it was solving the wrong problem. Our customers don't struggle with WHAT to do in our software. They struggle with WHEN and WHY to use certain features. Context is everything in learning design. You can create the most beautiful explanation of a feature, but if learners don't understand when to apply it in their workflow, you've failed. Great instructional designers don't just organize information—they organize relevance. They don't just deliver content. They deliver the situational awareness to make that content useful. This is why we need to stop obsessing over content creation and start obsessing over context creation. Ask yourself: Do your learners understand not just the "how" but the "when" and "why"? What's one way you've improved the context in your learning experiences?

Mastering an authoring tool does not make you an instructional designer. If you are going into the role of a digital learning developer, then having a sound knowledge of authoring tools is necessary. For instructional design you don't need to be the next Storyline whizz or Evolve expert, but having an awareness of authoring tools can help when mapping interactivity and understanding limitations. But... In my opinion, if you're looking to transition into the field of learning design I would focus more on the underlying skills you need, as opposed to acing a specific tool. Because don't forget that instructional design isn't limited to digital platforms. As an ID you need to have the necessary knowledge, skills and theory to create learning for a variety of methods. For example... Wearing my instructional design hat, I use these skills: ⭐ Client relationship management - to liaise with stakeholders and subject matter experts. ⭐ Project management - to manage timescales, milestones and keep everyone on track! (this is particularly crucial when it comes to gathering feedback and any necessary info from subject matter experts.) ⭐ Needs analysis - to identify the best method for the learning, based on the outcomes, audience and the client's current offering. ⭐ Creative copywriting - to ensure content delivers key messaging in a way that is clear, concise and keeps the learner engaged. ⭐ Content development - creating learning content, often in a storyboard format, based on key topics and learning outcomes. These are to name just a few... When I switch my hat to digital learning developer I use these skills... 🌟 Problem solving - not everything always goes to plan, sometimes the authoring tool simply won't play ball and a workaround is needed. 🌟 Agility and creativity - to bring written content to life in a way that supports the learning and does not detract from it. 🌟 Graphic design and editing - to create custom imagery and edit video and audio. 🌟 Quality assurance - testing and quality checking is key to ensuring a top notch finished product. 🌟 Accessibility in design - to ensure the finished product is accessible and functional. (these skillsets can overlap too) And whilst I do invest time in ensuring my knowledge of using functionality within authoring tools is top notch, it is my content development as an ID which makes the learning relevant and engaging. It's my agility and creativity as a developer which elevates this content and presents it in a way that supports the learning. Not the authoring tool alone. In reality, an authoring tool is just a vessel and a very small piece of the jigsaw. So think beyond the tech and get to the bottom of what it is that will make you a great learning designer. #learningdesign #instructionaldesign #elearning #digitallearning

Here's something I've learned as an instructional designer - More interactivity doesn't necessarily equate to a more effective course... In the effort to create engaging content, it's easy to fall into the trap of equating busyness with learning. But let's be real - a course overloaded with clicks, games, and gimmicks might just be pretty packaging on a lackluster product. It may look fun, but if those elements don't align with the course's objectives, they're really just window-dressing. I'm a big believer in avoiding adding unnecessary fluff - words, images, sounds - that don't contribute to learning. These elements can increase cognitive load, leading to learner fatigue and diminished effectiveness. When considering interactive features like quizzes, simulations, or discussions, ask yourself: do they enhance the learning goals? Interactivity can be as simple and profound as fostering a community through discussion, promoting dynamic, peer-supported learning environments. So, here's the takeaway for all of us designing learning experiences... Align every element of your course with the intended learning outcomes. Evaluate the relevance and impact of interactivities. Resist the allure of interactivity for its own sake. Purposeful design is key. What strategies do you use to ensure your course interactivities are meaningful and effective? #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #InstructionalDesigner #LearningandDevelopment

It was beautifully designed. The voiceover was polished. The navigation was smooth. And the quiz? 100%. But… a week later, the learners were still doing things the old way. ⚠️ That’s the problem with “feel-good” learning. It creates the illusion of success - without actual behavior change. Here’s what we’ve learned from the science of learning: 👉 Engagement isn’t the same as effectiveness. 👉 Completion isn’t the same as comprehension. 👉 Satisfaction scores don’t always reflect what learners retained. So, how do we design courses that actually work? ✅ Focus on outcomes - what do learners need to do, not just know? ✅ Embed real-world practice - simulate the messy decisions they’ll make on the job ✅ Use retrieval, spaced learning, and feedback - not just flashy animations ✅ Prioritize what sticks, not what sparkles 💡 The best courses aren’t always the ones learners love in the moment. They’re the ones that change what happens after. What’s one thing you used to think was good learning design… that you now avoid? #InstructionalDesign #LearningEffectiveness #BehaviorChange #LXDesign #CorporateTraining #IDOLAcademy

I developed my first eLearning course in 2003, and I really didn’t know what I was doing. Before that, I was in instructional design writing storyboards, but I always handed it off to a developer. They loved my designs for courses and learning games. As a team, we would produce really cool things. But building it myself was daunting when I first tried. I thought about this recently when someone asked how an ID without much eLearning experience could learn. Back then, I just jumped in because I had to after starting a new job. I studied others’ work. I frequented industry blogs. I tried things in the authoring tool (Lectora then, though we are mostly Articulate now). I steadily improved, and people started coming to me for help. As I learned new tools, sometimes I attended workshops to get official training. Other times, I just dove in and figured it out myself. Whichever method works best for you, I recommend taking advantage of what's freely available online. Here are some suggestions below. As you get into it, you will discover many, many more. Most authoring tools have online help forums and how-to blogs. Articulate, for example, offers like a gazillion free templates. Tim Slade posts daily with advice and tips for new eLearning designers. Devlin Peck posts more technical how-tos for developers upskilling. Alexander Salas is constantly evaluating new tools. Be sure to check out his recent video on ScreenPal vs. Camtasia. The Learning Guild has different subscriptions. The free level still provides some good resources. And, of course, there is AI. Ask your tool of choice for step-by-step instructions when you need them. IMO, the directions provided are not always accurate, but it does help. If your company is working with an L&D agency team like mine, Integrated Learning Services, Inc. (ILS), you can also ask them about offerings. For example, one of our clients asked us to lead webinars with their internal team. We talk through how we construct certain projects and answer questions related to their own work. We’re developing more complex courses for them now while they learn. Soon, they’ll take on all development themselves. To experiment yourself, Articulate has the eLearning Heroes challenges. iSpring Solutions did its own competition recently; check out Cara North's post on a current iSpring offer. Tim runs challenges too. Look at others' entries in the challenges and at different portfolios and samples. You can learn a lot. There are also several developers on here actively posting about live projects, like Nejc Žorga Dulmin, Melissa Milloway, Phil Mayor, Emma Berry, Natalia Vostretsova 🤓, Amy DeMarco, and more. I also weave in examples of my team’s projects among my posts each week, in addition to other related info like estimating projects, typical timelines, working with SMEs, etc. These are just some of the resources available to you. Pick a place and jump in. That’s how most of us learned, and you can too.

Are the interactions in your e-learning course about clicking, not learning? Try this 3-step method to fix it. You spend hours trying to design interactive e-learning—adding clicks, drag-and-drops, and hotspots. But learners rush through, and leadership barely notices. 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳? Many instructional designers feel stuck; they don’t know how to create meaningful interactions instead of interactions that let people click. The key? 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Here’s a simple 3-step method to design interactions that truly enhance your e-learning courses: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱 ✅ 𝗗𝗢: Before designing an interaction, ask yourself: *What should learners be able to do after this?* ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Add interactions to make a course "look engaging." 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: If you aim to teach customer service skills, don’t just add a drag-and-drop activity where employees match cybersecurity terms to definitions. Create a simulated phishing attack in which learners must identify suspicious emails, decide whether to open links, and take appropriate action to protect company data. 2️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 ✅ 𝗗𝗼: Use interactions that make learners think, not just click. ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Overuse simple interactions (like clicking hotspots) without real engagement. 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Instead of a basic hotspot where learners click on different parts of a customer service desk to "learn more," create a decision-based hotspot interaction. For example, learners see a busy retail counter with different customer scenarios. Based on urgency and priority, they must click on the right customer to assist first. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 ✅ 𝗗𝗢: Gather feedback and track learner performance. ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Assume that an interaction is effective because it "looks fun." 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Check if learners are engaged or just rushing through. If they struggle with assessments, go back and refine the interaction—maybe it needs more explicit instructions, better feedback, or a stronger real-world connection. By following these steps, you’ll move beyond generic interactions and create learning experiences that help learners retain knowledge—while making your work stand out. Which of these 3 steps do you already use? Follow me - Mark Spermon - to learn more about creating e-learning courses that engage and deliver results with Articulate Storyline #InstructionalDesign #eLearning #CareerGrowth #L&D #ArticulateStoryline

📌 What is instructional design… really? 🤔 Beginner question I hear all the time: “So… what does an instructional designer actually do?” Short answer: Instructional design is the process of helping people learn what they need to do their jobs better. Not in theory. Not in slides. In real life. Here’s a simple way to think about it 👇 Instructional design is NOT: ❌ making slides look pretty ❌ dumping content into an LMS ❌ turning a PDF into an eLearning module ❌ guessing what people need Instructional design IS: 🧩 understanding the real problem 🧩 defining what people need to do differently 🧩 choosing the right learning approach 🧩 designing practice (not just content) 🧩 helping learning transfer to the job A simple real-life example A manager says: “My team needs training on communication.” An instructional designer doesn’t start building a course. They ask: 🔍 What’s not working right now? 🔍 Who is struggling — and in what situations? 🔍 What should people be able to do differently? 🔍 Is training even the right solution? The final solution might be: ✨ conversation guides for 1:1s ✨ manager-led practice ✨ follow-up nudges and reminders Not a 3-hour course. A designed learning experience. Instructional design isn’t about content. It’s about choices and skills. 👉 What to include. 👉 What to leave out. 👉 How people practice. 👉 How learning shows up at work. If you’re curious what skills actually matter for instructional designers (beyond tools and templates), I shared a deeper breakdown in an article — link in the first comment 👇 💬 What part of instructional design feels most confusing when you’re just starting out? 👇 Drop it in the comments.

I used Adobe Captivate. Built courses. Hit publish. And thought I was an instructional designer. 🤦🏾♂️ New IDs and eLearning developers, hear me out: Building training content with #eLearning authoring tools does NOT make you an instructional designer. That's like saying, "Because I use Microsoft Excel in my job, that makes me a data analyst." Not! ❌ The tool is not the craft. I know because I fell into this same trap. The wake-up call came while working at a previous employer. I was part of a small internal group collaborating with an L&D consultant to build a leadership development course. Working alongside that consultant? It exposed how poor my actual instructional design skills were. 👉🏾 She asked questions I never thought to ask. 👉🏾 She applied frameworks I'd only heard of. 👉🏾 She approached the learner experience in ways I hadn't considered. I was humbled. And grateful. That experience showed me how much I still had to learn beyond clicking buttons and arranging slides. Don't fall into the same trap I did. If you want to grow as an instructional designer, immerse yourself in: 🔹 Sound instructional design frameworks (Action Mapping, SAM, Backward Design) 🔹 Cognitive Load Theory 🔹 The science of how people actually learn and retain information The tools will always change. New versions. New features. New platforms. But the fundamentals of effective learning design? Those are timeless. 🙅🏾♂️ Your value isn't in mastering Captivate, Storyline, or Rise. ✅ Your value is in knowing the WHY and HOW of learning in the first place! #IDProThomas #NewIDCareerTips #InstructionalDesign 🤎 BE ENCOURAGED 🤎 Enjoyed this post? Help others discover it by: ➡️ Following me for more, 📝Commenting, ♻️Reposting it, and Saving it, to reread later! 😉

Most training content fails for one simple reason: it’s shared at the wrong stage. In learning and development, success is not about adding more information — it’s about delivering the right information at the right moment. Raw SME input without structure leads to confusion. Excessive explanation leads to cognitive overload. What truly drives learner performance is instruction-ready content that is aligned to business objectives, structured for clarity, and designed for real-world application. Effective instructional design requires: • Content filtering and prioritization • Alignment with learning outcomes • Managing cognitive load • Transforming SME knowledge into learner-focused experiences When content strategy is guided by timing and intent, learning becomes measurable, memorable, and impactful. If you work in instructional design, corporate training, or learning experience design, this principle directly affects learner engagement and knowledge retention. Timing isn’t a detail. It’s the difference between noise and learning. #instructionaldesign #learninganddevelopment #contentstrategy #corporatetraining #learningdesign #trainingeffectiveness #elearning