As a corporate training professional, you’re constantly seeking instructional design standards to create more effective and engaging learning experiences for your employees. At the heart of this endeavor lie the foundational frameworks that have shaped the field of learning and development.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into seven of the most prominent instructional design models and uncover actionable strategies for implementing them in your training programs.
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7 Instructional Design Models You Need to Know
From the systematic ADDIE model to the agile SAM approach, each of these instructional design frameworks offers unique perspectives and methodologies that can elevate the quality and impact of your training initiatives.
By understanding the core tenets and practical applications of these approaches, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to design learning experiences that truly resonate with your audience and drive measurable results.
1. ADDIE Model
The ADDIE model is a time-tested and widely-used instructional design standard that provides a structured approach to creating effective learning experiences.
This five-phase model consists of:
- Analysis: Assess learner needs, identify goals, and define the scope of the training.
- Design: Determine learning objectives, plan the instructional strategy, and outline the content.
- Development: Create the actual training materials, including any multimedia elements or interactive components.
- Implementation: Roll out the training program and facilitate the learning experience.
- Evaluation: Assess the effectiveness of the training and make improvements as needed.
The ADDIE model is particularly well-suited for larger-scale training initiatives or when you need a clear, systematic process to follow. By adhering to this framework, you can ensure that your training programs are aligned with organizational goals and learner needs.
When to use ADDIE
A global retail company implementing a new customer service training program for their frontline staff could use the ADDIE model to thoroughly analyze the training requirements, design engaging learning activities, develop comprehensive training materials, roll out the program across multiple locations, and continuously evaluate its impact on customer satisfaction.
2. SAM Successive Approximation Model
The Successive Approximation Model (SAM) is an agile approach to instructional design that emphasizes rapid iteration and collaboration.
This model encourages instructional designers to create prototypes quickly and refine them through multiple iterations, involving subject matter experts and learners throughout the process. This approach helps to ensure that the final training solution is tailored to the specific needs of the target audience.
The SAM model is a derivative of the ADDIE model, but it’s more agile and iterative. It’s often compared to an Agile model, where the goal is to deliver a “minimally viable product” (MVP) that can be quickly created, delivered, tested, and iterated on over time.
When to use SAM
A software company developing new product training for their sales team could use the SAM model to rapidly create and test interactive modules, gathering feedback from sales representatives and iterating on the design until the training effectively prepares them to confidently sell the product.
3. Merrill’s Principles of Instruction
Merrill’s Principles of Instruction model focuses on task-centered learning and consists of five key principles:
- Task-centered: Instruction should be organized around real-world tasks and problems.
- Activation: Activate learners’ existing knowledge and experience related to the new content.
- Demonstration: Provide clear demonstrations and examples of the new knowledge or skills.
- Application: Allow learners to apply the new information through practice and problem-solving.
- Integration: Help learners integrate the new knowledge into their existing mental frameworks.
This model emphasizes the importance of relating training content to practical, relevant tasks, and providing ample opportunities for learners to apply their newfound knowledge.
When to use Merrill’s Principles
A manufacturing company training their assembly line workers on a new production process could use Merrill’s Principles to design the training. This would involve framing the instruction around the actual tasks workers need to perform, activating their prior knowledge of similar processes, demonstrating the new techniques, allowing them to practice the steps, and integrating the new skills into their daily work.
4. Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction
Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction model outlines a structured approach to designing individual lessons or training modules.
The nine events are:
- Gain attention
- Inform learners of objectives
- Stimulate recall of prior learning
- Present the content
- Provide learning guidance
- Elicit performance
- Provide feedback
- Assess performance
- Enhance retention and transfer
By following this framework, instructional designers can ensure that their training sessions effectively capture learners’ attention, set clear expectations, build upon existing knowledge, deliver new content, provide opportunities for practice and application, and assess learning outcomes.
When to use Gagne’s Nine Events
A leadership development program for mid-level managers could use Gagne’s Nine Events to structure each training module. For instance, the module on “Providing Effective Feedback” would start by gaining the managers’ attention, informing them of the learning objectives, reminding them of their prior feedback experiences, presenting best practices, guiding them through feedback scenarios, eliciting their feedback delivery, providing constructive input, assessing their skills, and reinforcing the importance of giving regular, actionable feedback to their teams.
5. Bloom’s Taxonomy
While not a complete instructional design model, Bloom’s Taxonomy is a widely-used framework for classifying educational goals and learning objectives.
The taxonomy consists of six levels of cognitive skills:
- Remember
- Understand
- Apply
- Analyze
- Evaluate
- Create
Instructional designers can leverage Bloom’s Taxonomy to create learning objectives that target specific levels of cognitive complexity, ensuring that their training programs challenge learners and foster the development of higher-order thinking skills.
When to use Bloom’s Taxonomy
When designing a training program on data analysis for a team of financial analysts, an instructional designer could use Bloom’s Taxonomy to structure the learning objectives. The early modules might focus on remembering and understanding key data analysis concepts, while later sessions could challenge learners to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios, analyze data trends, evaluate the validity of their findings, and create data-driven reports and presentations.
6. Dick and Carey Model
The Dick and Carey Model takes a systems approach to instructional design, emphasizing the interconnected nature of context, content, learning, and instruction.
This nine-step model includes:
- Identify instructional goals
- Conduct instructional analysis
- Analyze learners and contexts
- Write performance objectives
- Develop assessment instruments
- Develop instructional strategy
- Develop and select instructional materials
- Design and conduct formative evaluation
- Revise instruction
By considering these interdependent elements, instructional designers can create training programs that are tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of the target audience.
When to use Dick and Carey
A healthcare organization developing mandatory compliance training for their employees could use the Dick and Carey Model to ensure that the training is closely aligned with regulatory requirements, delivered in a way that resonates with the learners’ backgrounds and learning preferences, and continuously evaluated and refined to maximize its effectiveness.
7. Kemp Design Model
The Kemp Design Model offers a flexible, non-linear approach to instructional design, with nine interconnected elements:
- Identify instructional problems
- Analyze learner characteristics
- Identify subject content
- State instructional objectives
- Sequence content
- Design instructional strategies
- Plan the instructional message
- Develop evaluation instruments
- Select resources to support instruction
This instructional design model emphasizes the importance of continuous evaluation and revision throughout the design process, allowing instructional designers to adapt to changing needs and contexts.
When to use Kemp Design
A professional services firm creating onboarding training for new hires could use the Kemp Design Model to first identify any gaps or challenges in their current onboarding program, analyze the learning preferences and prior knowledge of their new employees, determine the key subject matter to be covered, define clear learning objectives, structure the content in a logical sequence, design engaging instructional strategies, plan the delivery of the training, develop assessment tools, and select the most appropriate resources to support the program.
Master the Art of Instructional Design Standards
By understanding the core tenets and practical applications of these seven instructional design standards, you’ll be equipped with a versatile toolkit of models to create more effective, engaging, and impactful training programs for your organization.
Whether you prefer the systematic approach of ADDIE, the agile iterations of SAM, the task-centered focus of Merrill’s Principles, or the structured lesson planning of Gagne’s Events, there is an instructional design framework that can elevate your training initiatives and help you unlock the full potential of your learners.
As you navigate the world of instructional design, remember to stay flexible, continuously evaluate your methods, and always keep the needs of your learners at the forefront of your mind. With these powerful instructional design standards as your guide, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of instructional design and delivering training that truly transforms.
Intellek (formerly TutorPro) is a founding member of the learning technology industry. With a presence in the USA, UK, Canada, and the EU – for over 30 years we have pioneered the development of cutting-edge eLearning software and online training solutions, with a large and diverse portfolio of international clientele.
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