Planning and Analysis

As Dwight Eisenhower famously said, "Plans are nothing; planning is everything." Good planning and analysis are critical to the success of any project. As learning designers, we must invest time and attention in this phase to help ensure a smooth and effective process moving forward.

  1. Gap analysis is essential for helping instructional designers (IDs) identify the needs and issues within an existing plan.

  2. To roll out effective learning plans, IDs must understand the characteristics of the student body, which may include but are not limited to, age, gender, literacy level, cultural/language background, environmental barriers, multiple intelligences, and disabilities.

  3. To design effective instructional content and learning activities, IDs must apply valid techniques and strategies to identify the background knowledge learners need to achieve learning goals successfully.

  4. In the 21st-century educational landscape, it’s inevitable that IDs will employ technology tools in the design of learning materials. We must be equipped with the skills to analyze and evaluate both existing and emerging tech tools for effective integration into learning design packages.