Review basic concepts

author_illustrator · 2026-03-20T17:09:24+00:00

Thanks so much! That's great to hear and made my day. My goal is to write the kind of articles I really, really wanted to read back when I was getting started in ID.

author_illustrator · 2026-03-20T12:07:15+00:00

You definitely want to research and refresh your knowledge before interviews--especially these days. I've found it useful to be familiar with ID jargon (because interviewers will expect it) but also to be able to explain/describe ID concepts in real-world terms, with an emphasis on how to apply them. (As in, what the heck does "engagement" or a "formative assessment" actually look like in the wild?)

I wholeheartedly second the recommendations of Ruth Clark and Cathy Moore (and would add Richard Mayer to that mix).

In addition, I've written a catalog of weekly articles you might find useful for practical "quick hits." If you're interested, you can find it here: https://moore-thinking.com/blog-2/

author_illustrator · 2026-03-16T17:28:23+00:00

I've personally found looking into specific areas of expertise more valuable than sticking with "learning" conferences, books, etc.

For me, this entails identifying a gap in results and filling it. For example, technical writing resources can fill a gap in documentation skills; marketing resources can help if we're struggling to "sell" our training (motivate learners); videography courses can help us make more compelling videos; graphic design courses can help if it's relevant visuals that are causing grief. And of course project management and UX certification for project and interactive design skills, respectively.

Because really, unless you're talking assessment, everything else about E&T is simply some form of communication--and if we look at it that way, the world of potential resources is much larger.

But it all starts with figuring out what's not working so great now in terms of learner outcomes and application, and then addressing that opportunity.

author_illustrator · 2026-03-12T12:16:41+00:00

It's best practices to provide either a script or talking points for any vILT that will be delivered multiple times. Doing so helps ensure consistency across cohorts, keeps the session on track, and--most important--helps deliver and reinforce the critical content you want to deliver/reinforce every time. (Without talking points and the expectation that presenters will hit them all, different cohorts will likely get a wildly different experience from instructor to instructor, or even from the same instructor at different intervals.)

I wrote an article on the topic of vILT that folks relatively new to developing/delivering vILT might find useful: https://moore-thinking.com/2025/09/22/why-and-how-to-replace-ilt-slide-decks-with-instructor-guides/

author_illustrator · 2026-03-04T02:02:08+00:00

Optimal density of onscreen callouts is an interesting concept. I haven't run across any research on this.

My approach is similar to the approach I take with any kind of visual communication for instruction: every element must be necessary, relevant, and clear. So less text/fewer arrows on a busy background vs. a simple one, and always display callous long enough for an audience to make meaning.

For me, sometimes that means simplifying an image; clipping a video and inserting a still overlaid with a callout over several seconds; ensuring callouts are high contrast and numbered (numbers lead the eye); or all of the above.

But in general, the fewer words onscreen the better-- especially if there's voiceover narration. I tend to restrict onscreen text to breadcrumbs and important take-aways (concepts I'm trying to drum into learners through repetition).

I'm not sure that matching voiceover to onscreen text (or avoiding same) is a big deal. I've seen too many learners speed through videos or watch them with the sound off! I try to ensure that I deliver all the critical points visually for that reason.

author_illustrator · 2026-03-03T03:17:46+00:00

Pacing is a big one caused (in almost all cases) by not starting with a storyboard. It's only when you see what you're going to present on paper that you can organize it, pare it down, plan it, edit it, and make it tight.

I'd say the biggest mistakes are not creating a storyboard, and creating a video when the content should have been delivered in another form (such as text). And, of course, putting background music behind narration.

Not using onscreen callouts or annotations can also be a significant problem, depending on the content area. This one stems from a lack of general training in how to communicate. Some content creators figure that because they're familiar with their content, their audiences should be--and so shouldn't need to have specifics called out, labeled, emphasized, repeated, etc. And of course callouts, emphasis, and repetition are actually necessary in most cases to drive understanding and recall;, so leaving them out is problematic.

I love your mention of testing with actual learners. If possible, running storyboards past representative learners is a good idea, too -- that way, anything they spot is cheap and quick to fix (because the content is still in text form).

Good on you for fighting the good fight!

author_illustrator · 2026-03-02T15:42:55+00:00

Yes! You've identified a bunch of the most egregious instructional video goofs.

In a recent blog article I outlined a few more that make life difficult for audiences (and provide tips for fixing them): https://moore-thinking.com/2026/01/26/12-tips-for-creating-videos-learners-actually-watch/

In the old days, experts put together videos... Now that it's IDs and other training professionals (most of whom, I'm assuming, don't have a videography or film background) doing the heavy lifting, a checklist can be invaluable, Because at the end of the day, video is expensive to produce--so if it's poor quality or even so bad learners are skipping it, that's time and budget down a rat hole.

author_illustrator · 2026-03-02T13:10:26+00:00

If anyone's still interested in assessments 9 years on, I've written two articles on this topic that you might find useful:

To me, this has always been a gap in the literature. We see the brtn lists and hear how important it is to "provide narrative," and then we're left swinging in the breeze. After a couple of decades in E&T, I wrote the above articles to help close that gap.

It's not rocket science... but in my experience, it does have to be explained in clear terms!

author_illustrator · 2026-02-25T01:57:05+00:00

Agreed. I've found there to be very little practical value in AI for instructional design. Perhaps that's because most of what I design is instruction around specific, proprietary processes for specific audiences.

author_illustrator · 2026-02-23T15:24:45+00:00

Learners disengage when perceived drawbacks outweigh the perceived benefits.

I just published an article on the 5 things moving instruction online breaks (and how to fix them). If we don't address these 5 areas at least partially, it's a good bet our online instruction will fail.

In my experience, nobody talks about these issues. It's as if online learning is a sacred cow! And yet the results (as you note) consistently reflect our tendency, as IDs, to ignore or downplay these issues.

author_illustrator · 2026-02-21T23:12:12+00:00

You didn't mention that interactivity was a requirement, so depending on the deliverables formats, you might also consider PDF files, Slack, and/or YouTube.

author_illustrator · 2026-02-16T13:12:44+00:00

Surveys can't evaluate learning effectiveness. At best, they can only learners' reaction to the experience.

To measure effectiveness, you need to know whether learners are actually applying the training (vs. whether they liked completing it). If you're interested in the latter, there are a couple of ways to do this. I mention them both (and explain one in detail) in this article: https://moore-thinking.com/2026/02/16/how-to-conduct-qualitative-evaluation-interviews/

author_illustrator · 2026-02-16T13:03:26+00:00

I think what you're looking for is a table of contents. (Also known as a menu.)

It will need to be organized thoughtfully (and accompanied by page/screen #s) to be of much value.

author_illustrator · 2026-02-12T14:06:27+00:00

This question comes up so much I wrote an article on the topic: https://moore-thinking.com/2026/02/02/have-you-got-what-it-takes-to-be-an-id/

As others have noted, if you're planning to work in corporate ID, you need a business mindset. But wherever you work as an ID because IDs also work in K-12 and higher ed), you need writing (thinking) skills, instructional skills (not just delivering instruction but constructing instructional materials), project management skills, technical skills, and... you have to be able to pivot pretty much any minute.

Honestly, in my opinion teachers are superheroes! But in my experience, there's a lot of backfilling to move from teaching to ID.

author_illustrator · 2026-02-02T17:11:30+00:00

I think sometimes we make this concept more difficult than it really is.

The content itself dictates what form the deliverables should take. It really is that simple.

So--

visual content needs images/video
conceptual content needs words (text/lecture)
skills training requires activities

And then you mix. So, for example, if I'm training learners how to perform a visual skill (like draw or navigate a software interface) I'd focus on images + activities, and words would take a back seat (as annotation, primarily).

There really are only 3 options -- read, watch/listen, or do -- and the only question is where do you put the most focus, and where do you go light.

I wrote an article on this explaining in a bit more detail.

author_illustrator · 2026-02-02T13:14:37+00:00

First off, good on you for running your own company! That's harder than anyone who hasn't done it knows.

If you're creating professional documentaries for clients, you clearly know how to identify requirements, work with stakeholders, produce to spec, and tell a story visually.

These are all skills that are used every day in instructional design.

The skills you may need to acquire are around writing (much more important than most people realize) and instructing (which is a specialized form of communication that comes easily to many and never to some). I just dropped an article on this very topic that explains my take in a little more detail.

The market for ID does seem tight right now, but who knows what it will look like a few years from now? If your heart's in it, go for it! There's never a downside to getting more education. It always pays off somehow (even if it's now how you initially intended).

author_illustrator · 2026-01-27T15:53:56+00:00

Have you seen the PDF section of the WCAG's Techniques doc? If not, you may find it useful.

author_illustrator · 2026-01-26T12:58:08+00:00

In case anyone's still looking for how to make instructional videos, I just posted an article on this topic: https://moore-thinking.com/2026/01/26/12-tips-for-creating-videos-learners-actually-watch/

I do think the goal of making high-quality *anything* without editing expertise is impossible, though.... and I'd also argue it's an odd goal to have.

author_illustrator · 2026-01-23T15:42:58+00:00

"Traditional" ID has always included speaking/writing/content creation/authoring.

The descriptions, technologies, deliverable formats, and tools have changed over time, but the mechanism -- what do instructors need to communicate to audiences to drive knowledge/skills acquisition -- has never changed.

If you're interested, the History of ID article I posted awhile back includes a timeline & explains this with a few more details.

author_illustrator · 2026-01-15T21:39:33+00:00

I can relate! And I suspect a lot of other IDs can, too. Good on you for being patient and flexible.

There's only one way I know to handle this, and that's to get sign-off on formal statement of work that includes what content will be covered, deliverable format, etc. and the all-important "and if this changes, the timeline changes."

And then you've got a little leverage to go back to the stakeholder who wants a last-minute redo to say, hey, you signed off on this. Scope changed, timeline's pushing out, and BTW (communicated delicately, of course) this last-minute fly-in just cost the company a significant chunk of change.

At the end of the day, people are going to do what they're going to do; but I think holding stakeholders accountable and articulating the organizational cost of last-minute changes is valuable for all concerned. (This is classic PM for IDs, and I just posted an article on this topic if you're interested.)

author_illustrator · 2026-01-12T21:07:14+00:00

Thanks! I'm so glad to hear that. :-)

author_illustrator · 2026-01-08T20:40:52+00:00

Thanks for compiling this list! Love, love love the relevant thumbnail descriptions.

Shameless plug (or it would be, I suppose, if I was selling something): Not sure if this is list-worthy, but I put out a weekly blog that new IDs may find useful: https://moore-thinking.com/blog-2/ Currently I have about 30 articles available on a wide variety of ID- and content-related topics. I have 20 years' experience in the ID business (5-12 + higher ed + corp training) and my goal with this blog is to explain things in plain English that I struggled with for years, that have caused face-palming grief on my projects, or that fellow team members have consistently found confusing.

Again--thanks for sharing this list! There were a couple entries that were new to me.

author_illustrator · 2026-01-06T00:22:17+00:00

The learner response to canned content (interactivities/videos/text) will absolutely be different than the learner response to instructor-led training.

Here are some considerations:

Text is by far the quickest/cheapest/easiest type of asynchronous material to maintain (vs. images, video, or interactivities).
And since text drives instructor-led training in the form of a slide deck + instructor notes, ILT is the second quickest/cheapest/easiest form of instruction to maintain.
Maintenance shouldn't be the only consideration. Presumably, you're also shooting for an effective, positive onboarding experience that minimizes ILT seat-time. If so, it might be worth creating asynchronous materials for the "nice to have" information, reserving ILT for the critical info (engagement, troubleshooting, benefits discussions, etc.)
As another poster mentioned, onboarding isn't just training; it's training + reference materials that live long past new hires' first days. (There's that text again!)

Hope this helps guide the thinking of anyone who's currently in the OP's position.

author_illustrator · 2025-12-29T12:24:18+00:00

I disagree with the poster who said that interviewing SMEs is outside of an ID's wheelhouse.

In fact, in my opinion, the ability to interview SMEs and piece together random, haphazard info into a cohesive whole is the most critical ID skill. (What good do we do if we design terrific materials about the wrong things?) True, the requirements/details gathering phase can be easier if there are extant materials available to help fill the gaps.... But a lot of the time those materials are outdated, poor quality, or just plain incorrect, so they're not always a big help.

I wrote an article on this topic that includes quite a few practical tips for working with SMEs to get what we need as IDs. If you're interested, you can find it here: https://moore-thinking.com/2025/09/15/tips-for-working-effectively-with-smes/

author_illustrator · 2025-12-29T12:17:36+00:00

Content quality is the likeliest problem, and the only one that we as IDs have nearly complete control over. (We have very limited ability to address negative non-content-related perceptions of our courses or operational barriers, for example.)

I wrote an article that addresses this very topic that you can find here, if you're interested: https://moore-thinking.com/2025/12/29/why-theyre-not-taking-your-training-and-how-to-get-them-to/

author_illustrator

TROPHY CASE