The process by which I approach instructional design and learning experience design is profoundly personal and rooted in instructional design systems and learning theories. The particular result we seek through the process is for the learning experience to have a lasting effect long after the event. Personally, the most lasting learning experiences have been those that were pleasant and effective and motivated me to continue on a path of discovery. These experiences elicited my curiosity. 

I include this personal value in my designs, keeping the learners and their curiosity at the center and designing learning experiences that are enjoyable motivational, lasting, elicit interest, and lead to performance improvement.

It all begins with a ‘why’

Asking many ‘why’ sets the stage; from there, the approach is to continue asking more questions until the project needs are identified and analyzed. Going after the answers to the ‘why’ is a great motivator, which leads us on the right path to designing instructional materials in various delivery formats.

Communication is key 

From the start, good relationships and communication ensure that the process achieves successful results. Through active listening skills, collaboration early in the process with stakeholders and users is essential to build transparent and open communication avenues. Doing so will ensure clarity throughout the process and that the drafted objectives and designed interventions appropriately address the needs. 

Learner-focused design

Focusing on the learners is crucial to determine the best instructional activities, and these activities must be guided by the objectives drafted to address the defined needs. These interventions are inclusive and accessible and designed using UDL principles and the best tools for users and stakeholders.

An iterative process

Once objectives and interventions are defined, it is essential to implement a summative and formative evaluation process to determine the effectiveness of the intervention and gather feedback to identify revisions and user input for subsequent iterations. Feedback and input are essential to ensure success and growth after each iteration of the intervention.