Creating a Learning Design is an essential step in the process of building an instructionally sound training program. Specialized knowledge and skill are required to ensure the learning experience is relevant and measurable. Yet many Learning & Development professionals have attained their positions based on subject matter expertise rather than via academic credentials, resulting in a significant knowledge gap when it comes time to design a new learning program.

The Learning Design Tool helps bridge this gap. It not only provides an automated Word template that formats and set up a logical instructional design document structure; it also provides advanced cognitive guidance to help ensure that the user builds a sound course design. 

The Learning Design Tool increases productivity, ensures consistency, and ensures that best practices are followed.

The Learning Design Tool automation is designed to work in a sequential order. It helps users work logically through a Design Document to build an instructionally sound design. It includes tutorials that help users:

1. Flatten the learning curve.

2. Avoid common user errors.

The Learning Design Tool runs within desktop versions of Microsoft 365 Word, making it easy for users to quickly build their comfort level. And then it’s simply a matter of following the logical and automated process the tool provides, which goes like this:

Step One

After setting up a new Learning Design document, the first step is to use the Learning Design Tool automation to import a summary of your Analysis data and biographical information about your Subject Matter Experts (SME) and your Instructional Designers (ISD).

Step Two

The next step is to work through the Instructional Analysis section, which includes placeholders for:

1. Course Entry Knowledge and Experience requirements

2. Course Goal

3. Learning Objectives

The automated Learning Hierarchy function provides both cognitive and practical assistance to help users easily add terminal and enabling Learning Objectives. This function guides you through correctly using the action verbs associated with your selected learning domain and learning level.

 Step Three

Next, you will work through the Instructional Strategies section, which includes placeholders for:

• a description of how the course content is to be delivered and why this method(s) was selected

• the motivational framework for learner participation, achievement, and evaluation from an Adult Learning perspective

• the activities that will be used to assess the learner’s attainment of the objectives

• a description of the strategies that will be used to evaluate the success of the course.

The automated Learner Achievement function makes it a piece of cake to add approved Learner Achievement activity types, based on the learning objectives.

Step Four

Next, an outline of your course is created by the Learning Design Tool, based on your learning objectives and learner achievement activities. Details can then be added to the initial outline using the placeholders provided.

The base outline will include modules and lessons that are aligned with the learning objectives, along with placeholders for a summary of the intended instructional activities within each lesson. Using the automated Instructional Activities function makes it easy to add this information in a manner that is consistent with your instructional protocols.

Step Five

Finally, the user can extract their (now) detailed course outline. The extract can be into another Word document, or into PowerPoint, or into LeaderGuide Pro - a training document development tool. Extracting the course outline into PowerPoint or LeaderGuide Pro literally jumpstarts the development phase.

Customizing

The Learning Design Tool has built in customizing features that allow organizations to fine tune the standards the tool enforces.

Customizing the Learning Domain

The Learning Design Tool includes three Learning Domains:

1.   Knowledge (Cognitive)

2.   Skill (Psychomotor)

3.   Attitude (Affective)

You can set a default domain and still allow the other two Domains to be available for use. The Learning Domain you choose to use will determine the available learning objective attributes, including learning level, learning type, and action verbs.

You can also choose from Bloom’s Original or Bloom’s Revised as your Taxonomy of Knowledge. Or you can select Krathwohl’s Taxonomy of Attitude or Dave’s Taxonomy of Skill.

 Customizing the Learner Achievement Activities

The Learner Achievement Activity Titles, Activity Descriptions, and Feedback Descriptions can all be customized. Once added to the customize form, they will auto-populate your Learner Achievement tables for increased productivity and to ensure consistency.

 Customizing the Instructional Content Block Types

When you are in the final phase of building out your course outline you can use the Instructional Content Block drop down menu to add instructional activity types into the lessons. If you are also using LeaderGuide Pro™ you can align your Learning Design Tool Content Blocks with your LeaderGuide Pro Content Blocks.

Customizing the Cover Page

When you start a new Design Plan you have the option of choosing a cover page. The Learning Design Tool includes a Default Cover page to get you started. To create your own unique cover pages, the Create Custom Cover Pages function allows to copy the Default Cover page and modify it. You can also add cover pages you have created independently.

To Sum Up

Creating a learning design requires specialized knowledge and skills. Even if you are an experienced Instructional Designer, creating a new learning design is hard work. Following a consistent, logical process that is guided by a Learning Design Tool is a best practice. Using a Learning Design Tool that provides both practical and cognitive guidance increases productivity and helps ensure that your design is instructionally sound.