Engaging instructional design focus
Listen to most online course design specialists and they will tell you to
- make a list of the ideas you want to teach,
- create subheadings,
- look for and eliminate any duplication and
- add activities/tests.
Sounds logical, and it can work if you are writing a text. It’s definitely linear, and that feels… well safe.
But it usually leads to a product that focuses too much on what you want to teach and not enough on what your learner needs to learn.
There is a huge difference.
Do you want to create learning products that make a difference for your ideal client? If yes, then I propose a reversal of the process and focus.
I’m an advocate of student centred learning methodologies. Here’s an overview of a planning session I use with clients. It helps to focus instructional design decisions on the learner and not expert knowledge.
Back to how this is relevant to you
You want to pull people to your training AND make a difference in their life. I know this process works. This is the process I’ve used for years to create face to face and online courses. As my reputation grew, I did less marketing and encouraging. People came knowing my style and expectations and joined in with enthusiasm.
Instructional design mirrors marketing principles
Great learning events/products replicate great marketing.
Does that feel a bit uncomfortable? I suspect it does for many people. Learning feels strong and valuable and somehow – good. Marketing can seem a bit sleezy, manipulative and profit based.
Great modern marketing is;
- targeted to the customer’s needs/desires,
- solution focused, that is, focuses on satisfying a need or desire,
- creates great outcomes for the customer, and
- feels like your problems are understood and satisfied.
That’s what your online course should do too. Right?
None of the list above mentioned content or breaking up your knowledge into chunks to present.
Creative and analytic thinking for learning design
I’ve worked with hundreds of amazing content experts over the years. The first thing they want to do is tell me what needs to be taught. I listen quietly, for a short while and then I ask these questions. I’ve included a Instructional design questions worksheet for you to make some notes as you read through the process.
My first question
“Who are we talking about?”
You can’t serve everyone. The focus begins with a very clear understanding of your ideal client. Then you start your instructional design work.
Question 2
‘What need/problem/desire are you solving with your client?’
What makes you think this training is required? What have you observed?
NB this will usually result in a list. As you start to tease it out you will think of more symptoms and core problems/needs/desires. Just brain storm them all and don’t edit yourself with this step.
Often training is provided because there is a problem or need = so training must be the answer, right? Nope. Some things just aren’t solved with training. Is yours?
My research tells me that my ideal client (that’s you honey) is struggling with how to ‘chunk up my knowledge’. That’s why I have used that exact language in the category of posts and the title. The key learning point here is – there is a better way. It’s not about your knowledge and here is a tool (activity) to practice the alternative student focused method.
Question 3
How will you know your client has benefited through this training? What is the desired future state?
A master ….. (fill in the blank). Identify someone who does this really well. Describe your observations.
When the client finishes the training she will have more of … less of…
Question 4
What are the barriers/blocks/misunderstandings present that reduce the likelihood of achieving this future state? What is she likely to have tried in the past?
Think knowledge/skills/motivation/environment as a structure.
Good instructional design is just multidimensional decision making. These questions begin the structure of your course and they are the guide throughout your decision making.
So how is my method different from traditional ‘Instructional design’ courses?
Once we’re clear about the need to be addressed, the future, and barriers, I start to build activities with the content expert. I still have not created a list of content I want to teach.
Activities relate to solutions. Immediately useful, realistic, suitably challenging activities.
No knowledge yet.
Just start to think about an expert in that future state.
What are their actions? What is their attitude? What do they do differently from a novice? What are the critical learning steps (the things people struggle with as they learn)? How do people describe the masters? How would you describe them? How do you know one when you see one?
Think like a master then put yourself in the novice shoes and build the bridge. I tend to do this in a mind map with images in a big messy sketch book. AND I TALK to people. I gather as much data as I can in the time I have. Identify the actions/inactions and misunderstandings that stop or slow your clients from progressing to mastery.
Who could you talk to? Other experts in your field? Your clients to see what they struggled with? Learning is quite individual and you can learn a great deal though other’s experiences.
Think about asking your prospective clients what they need/want/desire.
Solutions are actions. Actions dictate content.
Once you have a list of actions/activities/worksheets/templates/structures/checklists/scenarios etc you will know what your ideal customer needs to know.
Knowing what to teach is clear
Once you have a focused list of activities, you know what to teach.
The pressure is off ‘how to chunk up my knowledge’.
The focus is ‘how do I create solutions for my ideal customer’s needs’.
Summary
- Identify your ideal customer
- Problem/need/desire
- Future state
- Barriers/blocks/misunderstandings
- Solutions
- Content/knowledge
Of course this is a brief overview of the process. There are still loads of decisions to make (what ideas go together? Identify product funnel. Decide on mode and delivery. Not to mention how to develop activities that engage and create change) Want to know more? Work with Yvette and check out the other blogs.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Any questions?
PS – did you notice this whole blog is an activity. The content just allows you to do the actions. Now you have a structure that focuses on your client’s needs…..
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