No matter what you’re teaching or training, a solid program is critical in order for your audience to develop the skills and knowledge they need. It’s your job as the trainer to transfer the necessary information onto your learners in a way that sticks, and in the end, changes their behavior. Great instructional design will get you there. But where do you start? Do you map your content first or plan an opener? We lay out the 5 essential steps to incredible instructional design that leads to better results.
Step 1: List your needs and gather your info.
Your first step is to identify your training method. Are you teaching in a classroom, via webinar or is it a one-on-one session? Then, determine the level of knowledge needed by your learners. Establish what it is that they need to learn and see if there is a gap among your audience or if the group requires overall improvement.
It’s important in step 1 to also examine your primary audience and establish how to satisfy any secondary audiences. Take into account any constraints that exist whether they are culture, language, budget, resource or time.
Step 2: Assess your audience.
Ask, “What are they walking into the classroom with?” Then, use the following four categories to help answer the question.
• Knowledge: Are they aware, familiar, competent or a master?
• Interest: Are they prisoners, vacationers, socializers or learners?
• Language: Are they paternal, simplistic, clear or jargon-based?
• Influence: Do you have no authority to do anything or do you have the authority?
Step 3: Decide your aim.
Examine your objective, write your goals and develop a job aid.
Step 4: Plan your approach.
First, you need to plan how to gain your audience’s attention. Use a chime, set a timer or give a warning. Next, introduce the lesson. Use an opener, craft your transition statement, give a mini quiz or role-play. Then, move into your main content. Use PowerPoint slides, tell a story or have your learners share with their partners. Make sure you map out all three of these components.
Step 5: Start planning your content!
Now that you’ve established your method, audience, goals and objectives, and planned your approach, it’s time to take your content and begin laying out your session.
Want to learn more about our repeatable eight-step process for incredible instructional design? Sign up for our Instructional Design workshops.
