Take control of your design process and create more effective and engaging learning.
The learning design process shapes the entirety of the learner experience and determines how, and how effectively, the learning created will help learners to achieve the course’s desired results. Getting your learning right makes the difference between a course that will engage learners and develop skills, and one that falls short of the goals you have set.
Good design does not happen in a vacuum. Creating effective learning means developing content that solves the right problem, for the right people, in the right way. Approached this way, learning design balances the requirements and desired outcomes of a program with the needs and resources of the learners, creating a bridge between the two and creating better results for both sides. When developing a learning design framework, it is important to consider the following factors and their contribution to the design process.
Your learners are the most important consideration in the development of your learning. Any material created must be able to meet their needs, engage their interest and work in a way that is compatible with their expectations, skills and desired outcomes. Building an understanding of your learners and their experiences and challenges will allow you to create content that is more relevant and more effective, rather than simply relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.
Learning design should follow both the development of both an organisational strategy, and of a strategy for learning and development. Strategic planning links the goals and challenges of an organisation with the skills and knowledge that will be needed to meet them, and creates a framework for the delivery of the learning and the evaluation of the learner’s capabilities. Through structured and planned development, you can ensure that learning contributes in a meaningful and measurable way to ongoing organisational success.
With a plan for learning development in place, the knowledge, skills and competencies that learners need to develop should be clear. The next step in learning design is to identify the metrics that will be used to measure your learners progress and success towards these competencies, and the activities and experiences that will support the learner to develop the skills they need. When learning goals and outcomes are clearly defined, it is easy to gather and monitor data that shows the effectiveness of your learning and sets a benchmark that can be used to assist in further development and refinement of learning material.
Learning design is an ongoing process. Once learning has been deployed and delivered, it’s time to reflect on what has worked well and what can still be improved. Equipped with learning data gathered throughout the course and the goals determined during planning, consider what can be done to improve learner engagement and close potential skill gaps. Remember that what you have produced is never set in stone – a flexible approach to learning design helps to ensure your content remains relevant and continues to help your learners achieve their desired outcomes.
With more and more tools available to help plan and deliver professional quality learning, it’s easier than ever to set your learners and your organisation up for the best chance of success. At Guroo, our platforms are designed to help you take control of your learning design, with solutions covering everything from design, to delivery, to data management. If you want to find out more about how we can help you create better learning, get in touch and set up a discussion with our learning experts today.
