How can you use agile instructional design effectively?

1 What is agile instructional design?

Agile instructional design is a process of designing learning solutions that involves frequent testing, evaluation, and revision based on feedback from learners and stakeholders. It is not a fixed model or methodology, but rather a mindset and a set of practices that can be applied to various instructional design models, such as ADDIE, SAM, or LLAMA. The main benefits of agile instructional design are that it allows you to respond quickly to changing needs, deliver value early and often, and improve quality and learner satisfaction.

2 How to apply agile principles to instructional design?

To use agile instructional design effectively, you need to adopt some core principles that guide your work. This includes focusing on the learner and their needs, goals, and preferences; collaborating with stakeholders and subject matter experts throughout the project; breaking down the project into manageable chunks or iterations, each with a clear scope and outcome; delivering working prototypes or minimum viable products (MVPs) as soon as possible and gathering feedback; reviewing and reflecting on the feedback and making adjustments accordingly; and repeating the cycle until the learning solution meets the desired standards and expectations.

3 How to plan an agile instructional design project?

Planning an agile instructional design project is different than a traditional waterfall project since it requires flexibility and adaptability. To plan the project, you should define the project vision and goals that align with business objectives and learner needs. Additionally, identify key stakeholders and their roles and responsibilities, as well as communication channels and expectations. Additionally, conduct a rapid analysis of the learning context, content, audience, and constraints, using tools such as personas, scenarios, and user stories to capture learner needs and behaviors. Create a high-level design document or storyboard that outlines the learning objectives, activities, assessments, and interactions; then share it with stakeholders for feedback. Estimate the time, resources, and budget needed for each iteration; prioritize the most important and urgent features or functionalities. Lastly, plan for regular reviews and evaluations; define criteria and methods for measuring success and quality.

4 How to execute an agile instructional design project?

Executing an agile instructional design project involves working in short cycles or iterations, typically ranging from one to four weeks. Each iteration has four phases: design, develop, deliver, and evaluate. During the design phase, you need to refine the design document or storyboard and create detailed specifications for the content, media, and technology. Tools such as wireframes, mockups, or sketches can be used to visualize the design and get feedback from stakeholders. The develop phase is when you create and integrate the content, media, and technology components into a working prototype or MVP. Authoring tools, content management systems, or learning management systems are useful for developing and testing the prototype. When delivering the learning solution to a small group of learners or stakeholders, tools such as surveys or interviews can be used to collect feedback and data. Finally, during the evaluate phase you should use rubrics, checklists, or reports to document and communicate the findings and recommendations based on the feedback and data collected.

5 How to improve an agile instructional design project?

Improving an agile instructional design project is an ongoing process that requires constant reflection and learning. You should review the feedback and data from each iteration to identify what worked well, what didn't work well, and what can be improved. Prioritizing the improvement actions based on their impact and feasibility is essential, and you should also seek feedback from learners and stakeholders to measure the effects of the improvement actions. Celebrating achievements and successes, as well as recognizing the contributions of team members and stakeholders, is important. Lastly, document the lessons learned and best practices, then share them with the team and organization.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?