What Is An Instructional Designer? Less Than 100 Words

An instructional designer is part problem solver, teacher, technical writer, and consultant. Their goal is to create learning experiences that engage the learner and help them build the skills or acquire the information they need to succeed. 

3 main tasks of an instructional designer include:

1. Identify appropriate learning interventions based on the needs of the learners
2. Create measurable objectives to define success and track return on investment (ROI) 
3. Identify the appropriate modality and develop engaging learning experiences based on the learners’ needs

Ultimately, an instructional designer determines the approach that will best meet the needs of learners and their organization. 

Ready to learn more about instructional designers? Let’s dive into what an instructional designer is and 3 common tasks they complete. 

What Is An Instructional Designer?

An instructional designer is part problem solver, teacher, technical writer, and consultant. Their goal is to create learning experiences that engage the learner and help them build the skills or acquire the information they need to succeed. 

Think of the instructional designer as the quarterback of the instructional design team. The instructional designer utilizes the strengths of other members of their team, from those who specialize in artistic design or slide interactions and videos, to create a seamless final product for the client. 

Ultimately, an instructional designer determines the approach that will best meet the needs of learners and their organization. 

3 Main Tasks Of An Instructional Designer

1. Identify appropriate learning interventions based on the needs of the learners

By referring to needs assessments and/or training analysis, instructional designers identify the appropriate learning interventions based on the needs of learners. This includes:

• Knowledge and performance gaps of learners
• Short and long-term business goals
• Desired performance outcomes

2. Create measurable objectives to define success and track return on investment (ROI)

Instructional designers create measurable objectives (e.g. lowering worker’s compensation claims, increasing efficiencies by a certain percentage) to ensure training has a strong ROI. This is critical to prove to organizational leaders that training is positively impacting their organization’s bottom line.

3. Identify the appropriate modality and develop engaging learning experiences based on the learners’ needs

Once the needs of learners are known, instructional designers identify the appropriate modality (e.g. virtual reality, instructor-led, eLearning, etc.) and develop engaging learning experiences using engaging learning strategies such as:

• Gamification
• Learning reinforcement activities and materials
• Assessments
• Employee surveys
• Microlearning activities

In summary, instructional designers are the architects of engaging learning experiences, blending problem-solving, teaching, technical writing, and consulting skills. They have three main tasks:

1. Identifying the right learning interventions based on learner needs and organizational goals.
2. Creating measurable objectives to track training ROI and demonstrate its impact on the bottom line.
3. Choosing the best delivery method and crafting engaging learning experiences through strategies like gamification and microlearning.

Instructional designers are essential in bridging the gap between knowledge and performance, ensuring learners and organizations thrive together. Understanding their versatile role and these core tasks is vital for effective learning.

Ready to embark on a learning journey with the help of instructional designers? Contact us to explore how they can transform your organization’s training and development programs.