My Instructional Design Journey: Five Lessons Learned
When I started at KnowledgeNow two years ago, I was newer to the field of instructional design. My educational background was grounded in the field of education and adult learning, and while I had designed and taught educational training both online and in person, I still had a lot to learn.
I started in my role as a Junior Instructional Designer (ID) with KnowledgeNow, eager to learn about the role. Fast forward to two years later, I have been promoted to the role of Senior Instructional Designer, and I want to share with you what I’ve learned along the way. Here are the top five things that I’ve learned during the last two years as a Junior ID.
Lesson 1: Focus on Building Relationships
The role of an ID is filled with tight timelines, lots of script work and storyboards, and reviews and editing. It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle of day-to-day work and lose sight of what is most important to a project- the client! I feel that building positive relationships with our clients is one of the most important things we can do in our role as an ID.
It’s okay to take some time to talk about the weather or ask them about how things are going in their work world.
Image Description: A woman with medium skin is using a laptop computer connected to two external monitors. On the left monitor is a map of the work with some colourful labels. On the right monitor is a video meeting with four diverse colleagues.
Building connections with your clients will support the project in the long run when projects need to be adapted (which they will). The strong relationships that you have with your clients will ensure that any project can “weather the storm” of changing priorities or timelines. That leads me to my next point.
Lesson 2: Be Prepared for Change
In my two years as a Junior ID, I’ve seen lots of projects that needed adaptations.
For example, at times, your clients may get pulled into other projects at their full-time job. This is especially true for anyone who is working on the training project with you from the corner of their desk.
Being prepared for change means that you are flexible and able to adapt the project as needed.
Image Description: Two women with medium skin siting side-by-side in chairs having a conversation. One is holding a smart tablet and is speaking while the other listens.
I do this in my role by really listening to the client and gauging where they are at. I ask myself these questions:
Do they understand the process that we are in right now and what I’m asking them to do?
Am I sending them too much information at once? Are they overwhelmed?
What can I do to make their role on this project easier?
Adaptations can be as simple as creating a spreadsheet to help with tracking the progress of the project or having a face-to-face conversation to clarify their role.
Lesson 3: Leave Room for Growth and Exploration
Your role as an ID will get very busy!
There is always lots to do with day-to-day work, but it’s important to leave some time for growth and exploration. Spend some time reading about what other IDs in the field are doing. This can be books (I still love reading paper!), online blogs, articles, etc. There are so many possibilities, and the work we do is ever-changing.
It’s also important to leave space for creativity. Creativity and new ideas can only exist when we leave quiet space for our minds to wander, explore, and imagine the possibilities.
In the art world there is a concept that your first idea is not always your best idea. It’s important to push past your first instinct and see what other possibilities are out there.
Image Description: A lit lightbulb is resting on a wood surface surrounded by different coloured pieces of paper that are crumbled into balls.
Writing and creative blocks are a normal part of the work we do. One of my strategies to manage blocks is to walk on my treadmill. I don’t have a fancy set up, just a simple handmade shelf that fits over the handles of the arms of the treadmill. It works every time to remove a block!
Lesson 4: Mentors are Essential
I’ve always been a firm believer that none of us gets to where we are going on our own. Whether in our personal or professional life, there are folks along the way that help us. I’ve been so fortunate to have colleagues at KnowledgeNow that have supported my learning and development journey as an ID.
Be prepared to be open and listen to the advice of those who have been doing the work longer than you. There are so many things you can learn from them! While I still have my own processes and preferred ways of doing my work, I have taken so many tips and tricks from my colleagues that have made my work that much better.
Lesson 5: Trust Your Gut
Remember that you are in the role of an ID for a reason! Someone chose you for the role because they believe in you and your skills, and they see your growth potential.
While it’s important to listen and trust your clients and colleagues, it’s equally important to trust yourself!
Image Description: Believe in Yourself is written on a small piece of paper torn from a notebook.
At the end of the day, we all have different ways of doing things and that is okay!
Trust that your method and way of doing something will still lead to a positive outcome for the client and the project.
