Instructional design (ID), also known as instructional systems design and originally known as instructional systems development (ISD), is the practice of systematically designing, developing and delivering
instructional materials and experiences, both digital and physical, in a consistent and reliable fashion toward an efficient, effective, appealing, engaging and inspiring acquisition of knowledge. The process consists broadly of determining the state and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and creating some "intervention" to assist in the transition. The outcome of this instruction may be directly observable and scientifically measured or completely hidden and assumed. There are many instructional design models, but many are based on the
ADDIE model with the five phases: analysis, design, development,
implementation
Implementation is the realization of an application, execution of a plan, idea, scientific modelling, model, design, specification, Standardization, standard, algorithm, policy, or the Management, administration or management of a process or Goal ...
, and
evaluation
In common usage, evaluation is a systematic determination and assessment of a subject's merit, worth and significance, using criteria governed by a set of Standardization, standards. It can assist an organization, program, design, project or any o ...
.
History
Origins
As a field, instructional design is historically and traditionally rooted in
cognitive
Cognition is the "mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses". It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as: perception, attention, thought, ...
and
behavioral psychology
Behaviorism is a systematic approach to understand the behavior of humans and other animals. It assumes that behavior is either a reflex elicited by the pairing of certain antecedent (behavioral psychology), antecedent stimuli in the environmen ...
, though recently
constructivism has influenced thinking in the field. This can be attributed to the way it emerged during a period when the behaviorist paradigm was dominating American psychology. There are also those who cite that, aside from behaviorist psychology, the origin of the concept could be traced back to
systems engineering
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering and engineering management that focuses on how to design, integrate, and manage complex systems over their Enterprise life cycle, life cycles. At its core, systems engineering uti ...
. While the impact of each of these fields is difficult to quantify, it is argued that the language and the "look and feel" of the early forms of instructional design and their progeny were derived from this engineering discipline. Specifically, they were linked to the training development model used by the
U.S. military, which were based on systems approach and was explained as "the idea of viewing a problem or situation in its entirety with all its ramifications, with all its interior interactions, with all its exterior connections and with full cognizance of its place in its context."
The role of systems engineering in the early development of instructional design was demonstrated during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
when a considerable amount of training materials for the military were developed based on the principles of instruction, learning, and human behavior. Tests for assessing a learner's abilities were used to screen candidates for the training programs. After the success of military training, psychologists began to view
training
Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...
as a system and developed various analysis, design, and evaluation procedures.
In 1946,
Edgar Dale outlined a hierarchy of instructional methods, organized intuitively by their concreteness.
[Clark, B. (2009). ]
The history of instructional design and technology.
''. The framework first migrated to the industrial sector to train workers before it finally found its way to the education field.
1950s

In 1954,
B. F. Skinner suggested that effective instructional materials, called programmed instructional materials, should include small steps, frequent questions, and immediate feedback; and should allow self-pacing.
Robert F. Mager popularized the use of learning objectives. The article describes how to write objectives including desired behavior, learning condition, and assessment.
In 1956, a committee led by
Benjamin Bloom
Benjamin Samuel Bloom (February 21, 1913 – September 13, 1999) was an American educational psychology, educational psychologist and Didactic method, didactician who made contributions to the classification of educational objectives and to ...
published an influential
taxonomy
image:Hierarchical clustering diagram.png, 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy
Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme o ...
with three domains of learning: cognitive (what one knows or thinks), psychomotor (what one does, physically) and
affective
Affect, in psychology, is the underlying experience of feeling, emotion, attachment, or mood. It encompasses a wide range of emotional states and can be positive (e.g., happiness, joy, excitement) or negative (e.g., sadness, anger, fear, dis ...
(what one feels, or what
attitudes one has). These taxonomies still influence the design of instruction.
1960s
Robert Glaser introduced "criterion-referenced measures" in 1962. In contrast to norm-referenced tests in which an individual's performance is compared to group performance, a criterion-referenced test is designed to test an individual's behavior in relation to an objective standard. It can be used to assess the learners' entry level behavior, and to what extent learners have developed mastery through an instructional program.
In 1965,
Robert Gagné described three domains of learning outcomes (cognitive, affective, psychomotor), five l(verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategy, attitude, motor skills), and nine events of instruction in the conditions of learning, which remain foundations of instructional design practices. Gagne's work in learning hierarchies and hierarchical analysis led to an important notion in instruction – to ensure that learners acquire prerequisite skills before attempting superordinate ones.
In 1967, after analyzing the failure of training material, Michael Scriven suggested the need for formative assessment – e.g., to try out instructional materials with learners (and revise accordingly) before declaring them finalized.
1970s
During the 1970s, the number of instructional design models greatly increased and prospered in different sectors in military, academia, and industry.
Many instructional design theorists began to adopt an information-processing-based approach to the design of instruction. David Merrill for instance developed Component Display Theory (CDT), which concentrates on the means of presenting instructional materials (presentation techniques).
1980s
Although interest in instructional design continued to be strong in business and the military, there was little evolution of ID in schools or higher education.
[Reiser, R. A. (2001).]
A History of Instructional Design and Technology: Part II: A History of Instructional Design
". ETR&D, Vol. 49, No. 2, 2001, pp. 57–67.
However, educators and researchers began to consider how the personal computer could be used in a
learning environment or a
learning space
Learning space or learning setting refers to a physical setting for a learning environment, a place in which teaching and learning occur. The term is commonly used as a more definitive alternative to "classroom," but it may also refer to an ...
.
PLATO
Plato ( ; Greek language, Greek: , ; born BC, died 348/347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical Greece, Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the writte ...
is one example of how computers began to be integrated into instruction.
Many of the first uses of computers in the classroom were for "drill and skill" exercises.
[Markham, R.]
History of instructional design
". Retrieved on April 11, 2012 There was a growing interest in how cognitive psychology could be applied to instructional design.
1990s
During the 1990s,
performance improvement
Performance improvement is measuring the output of a particular business process or procedure, then modifying the process or procedure to increase the Output (economics), output, increase efficiency (economics), efficiency, or increase the effect ...
also emerged as a key goal in the design process. The rise of the internet introduced new tools for online learning, which were seen as effective for supporting learning. As both technology and constructivist theory evolved, classroom practices shifted—from basic drill-and-practice methods to more interactive, cognitively demanding activities.
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the term ''learning design'' entered the field of educational technology. It reflected the idea that designers and instructors should choose an appropriate blend of
behaviorist
Behaviorism is a systematic approach to understand the behavior of humans and other animals. It assumes that behavior is either a reflex elicited by the pairing of certain antecedent stimuli in the environment, or a consequence of that indivi ...
and constructivist strategies for their online courses. However, the underlying concept of designing for learning is likely as old as teaching itself. One definition describes learning design as “the description of the teaching-learning process that takes place in a unit of learning (e.g., a course, a lesson, or any other structured learning event).”
2000–2010
In 2008, the
Association for Educational Communications and Technology
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is an academic and professional association that promotes educational uses of technology. Members provide leadership in the field by promoting scholarship and best practices in i ...
changed the definition of ''educational technology'' to "the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources".
2010–2020
Academic degrees focused on integrating technology, internet, and
human–computer interaction
Human–computer interaction (HCI) is the process through which people operate and engage with computer systems. Research in HCI covers the design and the use of computer technology, which focuses on the interfaces between people (users) and comp ...
with education gained momentum with the introduction of Learning Design and Technology (LDT) majors. Universities such as
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a Public university, public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized progr ...
,
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...
,
Purdue,
San Diego State University
San Diego State University (SDSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CS ...
,
Stanford,
Harvard
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...
, California State University, Fullerton, and
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became the Carnegie Institu ...
have established undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology-centered methods of designing and delivering education.
Informal learning became an area of growing importance in instructional design, particularly in the workplace.
A 2014 study showed that formal training makes up only 4 percent of the 505 hours per year an average employee spends learning. It also found that the learning output of informal learning is equal to that of formal training.
As a result of this and other research, more emphasis was placed on creating knowledge bases and other supports for self-directed learning.
Timeline
Models
ADDIE model

Perhaps the most common model used for creating instructional materials is the
ADDIE Model. This acronym stands for the five phases contained in the model: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate.
The ADDIE model was initially developed by Florida State University to explain "the processes involved in the formulation of an instructional systems development (ISD) program for military interservice training that will adequately train individuals to do a particular job, and which can also be applied to any interservice curriculum development activity."
[Branson, R. K., Rayner, G. T., Cox, J. L., Furman, J. P., King, F. J., Hannum, W. H. (1975). Interservice procedures for instructional systems development. (5 vols.) (TRADOC Pam 350-30 NAVEDTRA 106A). Ft. Monroe, VA: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, August 1975. (NTIS No. ADA 019 486 through ADA 019 490).] The model originally contained several steps under its five original phases (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and
valuation andControl),
whose completion was expected before movement to the next phase could occur. Over the years, the steps were revised and eventually the model itself became more dynamic and interactive than its original hierarchical rendition, until its most popular version appeared in the mid-80s, as we understand it today.
Connecting all phases of the model are external and reciprocal revision opportunities. As in the internal Evaluation phase, revisions should and can be made throughout the entire process.
Most of the current instructional design models are variations of the ADDIE model.
[Piskurich, G.M. (2006). Rapid Instructional Design: Learning ID fast and right.]
Rapid prototyping
suggest that through an iterative process the verification of the design documents saves time and money by catching problems while they are still easy to fix. This approach is not novel to the design of instruction, but appears in many design-related domains including software design, architecture, transportation planning, product development, message design, user experience design, etc.
In fact, some proponents of design prototyping assert that a sophisticated understanding of a problem is incomplete without creating and evaluating some type of prototype, regardless of the analysis rigor that may have been applied up front. In other words, up-front analysis is rarely sufficient to allow one to confidently select an instructional model. For this reason many traditional methods of instructional design are beginning to be seen as incomplete, naive, and even counter-productive.
Dick and Carey
Another well-known instructional design model is the Dick and Carey Systems Approach Model.
The model was originally published in 1978 by Walter Dick and Lou Carey in their book entitled ''The Systematic Design of Instruction''.

Dick and Carey made a significant contribution to the instructional design field by championing a systems view of instruction, in contrast to defining instruction as the sum of isolated parts. The model addresses instruction as an entire system, focusing on the interrelationship between context, content, learning and instruction.
According to Dick and Carey, "Components such as the instructor, learners, materials, instructional activities, delivery system, and learning and performance environments interact with each other and work together to bring about the desired student learning outcomes".
[ The components of the Systems Approach Model, also known as the Dick and Carey Model, are as follows:
* Identify Instructional Goal(s): A goal statement describes a skill, knowledge or attitude (SKA) that a learner will be expected to acquire
* Conduct instructional Analysis: Identify what a learner must recall and identify what learner must be able to do to perform particular task
* Analyze Learners and Contexts: Identify general characteristics of the target audience, including prior skills, prior experience, and basic demographics; identify characteristics directly related to the skill to be taught; and perform analysis of the performance and learning settings.
* Write Performance Objectives: Objectives consists of a description of the behavior, the condition and criteria. The component of an objective that describes the criteria will be used to judge the learner's performance.
* Develop Assessment Instruments: Purpose of entry behavior testing, purpose of pretesting, purpose of post-testing, purpose of practice items/practice problems
* Develop Instructional Strategy: Pre-instructional activities, content presentation, Learner participation, assessment
* Develop and Select Instructional Materials
* Design and Conduct Formative Evaluation of Instruction: Designers try to identify areas of the instructional materials that need improvement.
* Revise Instruction: To identify poor test items and to identify poor instruction
* Design and Conduct Summative Evaluation
With this model, components are executed iteratively and in parallel, rather than linearly.][
]
Guaranteed learning
The instructional design model, Guaranteed Learning, was formerly known as the Instructional Development Learning System (IDLS). The model was originally published in 1970 by Peter J. Esseff, PhD and Mary Sullivan Esseff, PhD in their book entitled ''IDLS—Pro Trainer 1: How to Design, Develop, and Validate Instructional Materials''.
Peter (1968) & Mary (1972) Esseff both received their doctorates in Educational Technology from the Catholic University of America under the mentorship of Gabriel Ofiesh, a founding father of the Military Model mentioned above. Esseff and Esseff synthesized existing theories to develop their approach to systematic design, "Guaranteed Learning" aka "Instructional Development Learning System" (IDLS). In 2015, the Drs. Esseffs created an eLearning course to enable participants to take the GL course online under the direction of Esseff.
The components of the Guaranteed Learning Model are the following:
* Design a task analysis
* Develop criterion tests and performance measures
* Develop interactive instructional materials
* Validate the interactive instructional materials
* Create simulations or performance activities (Case Studies, Role Plays, and Demonstrations)
Other
Other useful instructional design models include: the Smith/Ragan Model, the Morrison/Ross/Kemp Model and the OAR Model of instructional design in higher education, as well as, Wiggins' theory of backward design.
Learning theories also play an important role in the design of instructional materials. Theories such as behaviorism
Behaviorism is a systematic approach to understand the behavior of humans and other animals. It assumes that behavior is either a reflex elicited by the pairing of certain antecedent stimuli in the environment, or a consequence of that indivi ...
, constructivism, social learning, and cognitivism help shape and define the outcome of instructional materials.
Motivational design
Motivation
Motivation is an mental state, internal state that propels individuals to engage in goal-directed behavior. It is often understood as a force that explains why people or animals initiate, continue, or terminate a certain behavior at a particul ...
is defined as an internal drive that activates behavior and gives it direction. The term motivation theory is concerned with the process that describes why and how human behavior is activated and directed.
Motivation concepts include intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.
John M. Keller
has devoted his career to researching and understanding motivation in instructional systems. These decades of work constitute a major contribution to the instructional design field. First, by applying motivation theories systematically to design theory. Second, in developing a unique problem-solving process he calls the ARCS model.
Although Keller's ARCS model currently dominates instructional design with respect to learner motivation, in 2006 Hardré and Miller proposed a need for a new design model that includes current research in human motivation, a comprehensive treatment of motivation, integrates various fields of psychology and provides designers the flexibility to be applied to a myriad of situations.
Hardré proposes an alternate model for designers called the Motivating Opportunities Model or MOM. Hardré's model incorporates cognitive, needs, and affective theories as well as social elements of learning to address learner motivation. MOM has seven key components spelling the acronym 'SUCCESS' – Situational, Utilization, Competence, Content, Emotional, Social, and Systemic.
Influential researchers and theorists
''Alphabetic by last name''
* Bloom, Benjamin – Taxonomies of the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains – 1950s
* Bransford, John D. – How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice – 1990s
* Bruner, Jerome – Constructivism - 1950s-1990s
* Gagné, Robert M. – '' The Conditions of Learning'' has had a great influence on the discipline.
* Gibbons, Andrew S - developed the Theory of Model Centered Instruction; a theory rooted in Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of human mental processes such as attention, language use, memory, perception, problem solving, creativity, and reasoning.
Cognitive psychology originated in the 1960s in a break from behaviorism, whi ...
.
* Heinich, Robert – Instructional Media and the new technologies of instruction ''3rd ed.'' – Educational Technology – 1989
* Jonassen, David – problem-solving strategies – 1990s
* Kemp, Jerold E. – Created a cognitive learning design model - 1980s
* Mager, Robert F. – ABCD model for instructional objectives – 1962 - Criterion-Referenced Instruction and Learning Objectives
* Marzano, Robert J. - "Dimensions of Learning", Formative Assessment - 2000s
* Mayer, Richard E. - Multimedia Learning - 2000s
* Merrill, M. David – Component Display Theory / Knowledge Objects / First Principles of Instruction
* Osguthorpe, Russell T. – Overview of Instructional Design – The education of the heart: rediscovering the spiritual roots of learning
* Papert, Seymour – Constructionism, LOGO – 1970s-1980s
* Piaget, Jean – Cognitive development – 1960s
* Reigeluth, Charles – Elaboration Theory, "Green Books" I, II, and III – 1990s–2010s
* Rita Richey
Rita Carolyn Richey is a Professor Emeritus of Instructional Technology at Wayne State University. She is known for her work on instructional design and the history of the field of Instructional Technology.
Education and academic career
From t ...
- instructional design theory and research methods
* Schank, Roger – Constructivist simulations – 1990s
* Simonson, Michael – Instructional Systems and Design via Distance Education – 1980s
* Skinner, B.F. – Radical Behaviorism, Programed Instruction - 1950s-1970s
* Vygotsky, Lev – Learning as a social activity – 1930s
* Wiley, David A. - influential work on open content
Free content, libre content, libre information, or free information is any kind of creative work, such as a work of art, a book, a software, software program, or any other creative Media (communication), content for which there are very minimal ...
, open educational resources
Open educational resources (OER) are Instructional materials, teaching, learning, and research materials intentionally created and Free license, licensed to be free for the end user to own, share, and in most cases, modify. The term "OER" descr ...
, and informal online learning communities
See also
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
References
External links
Instructional Design
– An overview of Instructional Design
Edutech wiki: Instructional design model
ATD: What Is Instructional Design?
{{DEFAULTSORT:Instructional Design
Applied psychology
Educational technology
Learning
Pedagogy
Communication design
Curricula
Instructional design