7 Instructional Design Examples for Your Next Training Course

In 1995, only 4% of organizations used online learning in their training programs, with most mentorship limited to printed manuals and in-person lectures. Fast-forward to today, and 90% of companies utilize e-learning to train their employees, from digital onboarding modules to remote compliance courses. 

But how can you ensure that your training course contains more than dry slides full of information? The answer is practical instructional design, the science of developing educational content to meet the needs of your audience. 

Here are 7 instructional design examples to help you revamp your plain-old training strategy into one that keeps your learners engaged. 

What is Instructional Design?

Instructional design is a systematic process of creating educational and training courses that ensure learners actually acquire and retain knowledge. This process involves a deep understanding of the audience and their learning preferences before designing a training plan. 

For this deep understanding, some of the key aspects that are considered are:

• Who are they? – Identify the audience's background and need to tailor content. 
• What skill sets do they already have? — Assess the learner's skill level to identify gaps that the training needs to address.
• Why should they attend this training module? — Clarify the purpose and value of the training, ensuring it aligns with the learners' goals.

Answers to these questions help instructional designers create a targeted and engaging learning experience that leads to company profitability. According to a global survey, companies are 17% more productive and 21% more profitable when they offer quality training.  

Source: TalentLMS

A Guide to the Instructional Design Process

If you want to create a constructive training program, start with a well-defined instructional design process. This process lays the groundwork for your course and ensures that the final product meets the needs of the learners and achieves the desired objectives. 

For the instructional design process, most training professionals use the ADDIE model, which is based on Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Let’s learn more about the instructional design methods before looking at instructional design examples. 

1. Analysis

In the first step, an instructional designer uses surveys and interviews to assess the existing knowledge of your audience and their learning preferences. Using these insights, they analyze the skill and performance gaps that the training needs to address.

These gaps may include a lack of critical thinking, data analysis (and CRM software) skills, or customer service skills. The learning environment and available resources are also evaluated to determine whether the training will be delivered in person, online, or through a hybrid approach. 

2. Design

According to 87% of online learners, e-learning makes it easier to retain information — which is one reason why more individuals are drawn toward online learning. However, to fully reap the benefits of distance learning, you need to utilize constructive instructional design examples. 

So, once you have a clear understanding of your audience’s needs, start designing the structure and outline of the training program. This includes setting SMART learning objectives examples to specify what learners will be able to do by the end of the course. 

For example, if your employees lack customer service skills, your learning objective could be to “achieve a 20% improvement in customer satisfaction ratings or reduce complaints by 15%”. 

Source: WeForum

3. Development

In the development phase, you create the learning materials based on the design plan and the best instructional design examples. Aim to add audio, video, and animation as they’re the most effective for learning compared to text-only material, a study suggests. 

The goal in this step is to align the content with the learning objectives set during the “design” phase. For example, if your goal is to improve customer satisfaction, create a simulation-based program to train the employees to handle different scenarios. Also, create a pilot version of the course to test its functionality by gathering feedback from learners. 

4. Implementation

Once the course materials are ready, the next step is implementation, where you roll out the training program. If you don’t have a reliable LMS to upload your content, research the best LMS platforms for corporate training. Then, pick the one that suits your company’s long-term objectives. After implementation, provide resources to assist learners during the course, including guides, FAQs, and helpdesks for extra support. 

5. Evaluation

William Shakespeare once said, “All’s well that ends well,” and the same applies to online training courses. To check if your investment bore fruit, assess your top key performance indicators KPIs for training and development. Analyze learner performance post-training, collect feedback through surveys, and conduct evaluations. Then, make iterative revisions based on learner feedback to improve your training program over time. 

Source: Zippia

7 Examples of Instructional Design Approaches for Adult Learners

If you want to design a program for bridging skill gaps, the first step is to understand their learning styles. Adults are usually looking for practical training content that is immediately applicable and relevant to their professional goals. 

Here are 7 examples of instructional design approaches for adults: 

1. Microlearning

Millennials have only a 4-second higher attention span than the goldfish Gen Z attention, staying focused for around 12 seconds. So, if you’re searching for instructional design examples for Gen Y, Microlearning is your best friend. Breaking training courses into short, digestible modules helps learners absorb more knowledge without getting overwhelmed. 

Microlearning structures training content into short segments of less than 20 minutes, fitting easily into the busy schedules of adult learners. This technique does not overload learners like hour-long coaching videos, which helps in the retention and recall of course content. Since Microlearning is usually based on self-directed learning, employees can choose what and when to learn, offering flexibility and convenience.

Source: Goldenstepsaba

Here are a few Microlearning instructional design examples to help you implement this strategy: 

• Sales Training: Create a short 3-5 minute interactive simulation (on Effective Upselling Strategies) that sales reps can complete during breaks. Add a quick quiz too. 
• Customer Service: Design interactive infographics on basic customer service principles, like handling difficult customers. Also, add some examples and tips. 
• Software Training: Develop a series of 2-4 minute video tutorials on different software features, such as “How to create a pivot table in Excel” or “Using the new CRM dashboard.” 

2. Story-Based Design

According to a Harvard Business Review, people remember facts 20 times more if they’re part of a story. Think about a training program where you’re not just reading long informational texts but actively engaging with a storyline as you progress. This is what story-based instructional learning design is all about — a coaching approach that delivers training using a narrative. 

Instructional design examples of this approach usually involve characters, plot lines, and scenarios, helping people learn through a relatable context. Let’s say you want to develop story-based training for the sales department. In this case, the plot might involve learners guiding a salesperson's character through different client interactions, making choices about sales tactics, and handling objections. 

Source: MeetChristina

3. Gamified Learning

If your employees barely complete their training modules, using some gamified instructional design examples might be the best choice. According to a report by the eLearning Industry, gamification can increase engagement by up to 60% in training environments. In this strategy, training content is delivered in the form of games, like true or false, jumbles, or finding a word. 

It also uses familiar game mechanics, like rewarding learners with points, badges, and leaderboards when they progress through the training levels. Often, you’re required to juggle challenges and devise strategic plans in order to progress through the game. This form of learning offers a refreshing way to absorb information for adult learners with busy schedules. 

4. Scenario-Based Learning

Scenario-based learning (SBL) is an instructional design example where individuals learn through realistic, interactive scenarios that are just like real-world situations. The training starts with a corporate issue on the screen, which is solved by learners using their problem-solving and decision-making skills. This connects theoretical knowledge with practical application. 

In comparison to story-based design, this learning is more realistic and direct as it uses a non-linear approach. Scenario-based instructional design examples often incorporate multiple decision points, where learners must choose how to proceed. For instance, in a leadership training program, a scenario might involve managing a team conflict. 

5. Screencasting

Let’s say you’re learning a new software tool for work. Instead of attending a lengthy training session, you watch a short video that visually demonstrates all features of the platform. Not only does the video show what the instructor is doing on their screen, but also gives clear explanations along the way. 

This is the central principle of screencasting, which basically uses screen recordings paired with voice-overs to demonstrate a process. It can also include annotations and visual cues to explain software features or complicated concepts at times. Screencasting allows learners to watch, rewind, and rewatch sections of the video to fully understand the material and reference it later. 

Here are a few instructional design examples of screencasting in action: 

• Explain how to use a new CRM system, including features like contact management, reporting tools, and automation. 
• Guide employees through the process of filing expense reports using internal financial software. 
• Develop an onboarding program for new hires, explaining how to set up HR portals, internal communication, and email. 

6. Infographics

For adult learners, time is money — making infographics the most suitable form of training medium for them. They summarize information into bite-sized pieces, helping individuals better absorb and retain it. Besides visually presenting statistics and data, infographics also contain images and charts, which makes them light on the eyes (and brain). 

Source: Visme

Studies suggest that visuals can improve information retention by 65% compared to text alone, making them a must in your training. In a corporate setting, instructional design examples of infographics could include a flowchart outlining the company policies for new hires or a pie chart explaining budgeting principles. 

7. Case Studies

Case studies bridge the distance between theory and practice by analyzing real-life situations in a detailed manner. They usually involve realistic situations that learners might deal with in their professional roles, from cost-cutting and conflict to market disruption. In this way, case studies encourage learners to use their critical thinking and analysis skills to think of strategic solutions. 

These analytical studies require individuals to synthesize information, weigh alternatives, and justify their decisions, building their higher-order skills. 

So, what are some good case study-based instructional design examples? Well, you can use a customer service scenario with difficult clients or a project management case with tight deadlines and resource constraints. For leadership training, a case study could focus on conflict resolution within a team. 

Conclusion

The instructional design examples outlined in this guide serve as a blueprint for a practical training program. Just choose the right design based on your needs and your learner’s preferences, and you’re good to go! 

If you want to formulate a training course that speaks directly to the needs of your audience, choose CourseBox. This AI-powered e-learning platform converts your existing content into hands-on modules, thereby enhancing learner engagement. With AI-driven course authoring, automated assessments, and real-time learner support, a productive training course is just a CourseBox signup away. 

So, experience the future of e-learning now! 

FAQs

What are the three types of instructional design?

The three main types of instructional design include Kemp's model, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and the ADDIE model. 

• Kemp Model: As a non-linear approach, the Kemp model allows instructional designers to address different aspects of course development at any stage. 
• Bloom’s Taxonomy: It is based on six levels: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate and create. 
• ADDIE model: The ADDIE model comprises five phases: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. 

What are the five basic instructional design components?

The five basic instructional design components are extracted from the ADDIE model, which stands for analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate. 

• Analysis: Focused on identifying the needs of the learner.
• Design: Creates the structure and outline of the training. 
• Development: Assembles the content and materials of training. 
• Implementation: Delivers the training content to learners.  
• Evaluation: Used to gather feedback and better the course content. 

What does good instructional design look like?

A good instructional design is one that has well-defined and clear learning objectives. Plus, the training content should be up-to-date and applicable to learner’s needs, while being engaging enough to retain their attention. There should be regular assessments to measure the impact of training courses, too. 

What is the 5 E's model of instructional learning?

The 5 E’s model of instructional learning comprises Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. 

• Engage: Focuses on drawing the learner’s interest and connecting to prior knowledge. 
• Explore: Allows learners to experiment with new concepts. 
• Explain: Gives clear explanations to help them understand a concept. 
• Elaborate: Encourages them to apply concepts in different aspects. 
• Evaluate: Measures the overall understanding.