The Many Competencies of Instructional Design

Instructional design (ID) is a new and rapidly evolving field. Especially with increased remote work, many businesses are having to figure out how to teach, communicate, and engage employees through technology. This is great for instructional designers (IDers); companies are more willing than ever to invest in training and technology resources, and it is becoming clear that quality online instructional content requires specific skills. But it can also cause confusion, when “instructional designer” means different things in different opportunities.

Some organizations don’t understand the many time-consuming activities required to develop training programs. They are hesitant to add employees or invest in outside resources because there are so many aspects of ID that are behind the scenes. Some instructional designers find it challenging to navigate career posts. One might think they are applying for a job designing courses only to find they are really making updates to a Learning Management System (LMS). It can also be hard for designers to feel like they have the skills they need to be successful. It is impossible to have an educational background, web development experience, video editing capabilities, graphic design skills, tech-savviness, and User Experience (UX) knowledge. The many tools available to designers help them pick up these abilities, but then pose an overwhelming number of options for IDers to invest their time and money in.

On the bright side, this variety gives instructional designers almost unlimited potential to learn new things, something that most IDers love! In my own professional development, I have been researching and learning more about ID-adjacent topics such as graphic design, project management, and UX design. Technologies are always changing, and it is always exciting to learn new programs or discover new features. Finally, the assortment of ID careers can be positive since it means the skills are transferrable among roles, organizations, and industries and it is a field that can evolve as business needs or an IDer’s interests change.

One way to improve communication around the expectations for an ID is to discuss the work in terms of competencies. I have created an infographic of ID competencies that I have found in my experience. It includes 33 activities divided into 8 categories, and I am sure I am missing some! It can be helpful to discuss what percent of a certain position requires each of these categories and to demonstrate to employers the many steps involved in the ID process. It can also be helpful for determining how to build a team or secure outside resources. IDers can have a variety of strengths and often have backgrounds in different careers, and comparing team members’ skills to these competencies could reveal any gaps. Finally, this can be a great list of professional development ideas for designers. Looking at it, I can see where I already have significant experience and where I might want to find some more training.

I would love to hear what competencies others do in their roles. Are any of them surprising or often unrecognized? Do you find it difficult to determine what your responsibilities will be just by looking at a job description? Feel free to comment, message me, or share my article, and check out my full portfolio at https://mandylambert100.wixsite.com/website.