📚

7-DAY INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN BOOTCAMP

Quick-Reference Visual Study Guide

📖 🔄 🎯 🔍
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
ID Foundations ADDIE Model Bloom's Taxonomy TNA

🎨 📄 📊
Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Training Design Guides & Storyboards Evaluation & Portfolio
 📖 DAY 1 — Instructional Design Foundations

What is L&D vs Instructional Design?

L&D (Learning & Development) Instructional Design
The overall function inside HR The process of CREATING learning experiences
Strategy, delivery, analytics, tech Analyzing need, designing & developing content
Manages the whole learning ecosystem Focuses on the blueprint of each program
Think: the whole department Think: the architect within that department

The 6 Learning Modalities

🏫 💻 📱
ILT VILT E-Learning
In-person classroom. Best for Live online via Zoom/Teams. Self-paced digital modules. Great for
role plays & behavioral skills. Shorter sessions (60-90 min scale & compliance.
max).

🔀 📲 📋
Blended mLearning Job Aids
Mix of modalities across a Bite-sized mobile content. 3-5 Checklists/guides at the moment of
learning journey. minute modules. need. NOT training.

Training does NOT solve every problem. Only recommend training when there is a
💡 KEY
genuine KNOWLEDGE or SKILL gap. Process problems, motivation issues, or
INSIGHT
broken systems need different solutions.

The Corporate Learning Ecosystem

🏢 L&D Team 👔 Stakeholders 🧠 SMEs 👥 Learners 💾 Platforms 🏭 Vendors

 🔄 DAY 2 — ADDIE Model + Adult Learning Theory

The ADDIE Model

▶ ▶ ▶ ▶
A D D I E
ANALYZE DESIGN DEVELOP IMPLEMENT EVALUATE
Investigate the Create the blueprint Build course materials Deliver to learners, Measure effectiveness
problem before (Design Doc) pilot first & impact
designing

⚠️ ADDIE is ITERATIVE, not strictly linear. You will loop back between phases. Clients
WARNIN often skip Analyze — never let them. Even a 2-hour stakeholder call beats zero
G analysis.

Knowles' 6 Andragogy Principles (Adult Learning)

Principle Design Implication
1. Self-Concept — Adults are self- Give learners choices. Use discovery activities, not just
directed lectures.
2. Experience — Adults bring rich Start with their experience. Use their real examples as case
prior knowledge material.
3. Readiness to Learn — Adults Connect EVERY objective to a real job situation. Always
engage when it is relevant answer "why now?"
4. Problem-Centered — Adults want Organize modules around scenarios, not topic categories.
to solve real problems
5. Motivation — Adults are driven by Connect learning to career growth & personal effectiveness.
intrinsic motivation
6. Need to Know — Adults ask "why Always open a module with WHY it matters before presenting
before what" content.

Gagne's 9 Events — Session Flow Template

Event Example in a Communication Skills Session
1. Gain Attention Play a 60-second video clip of a badly-handled customer call
2. State Objectives "By end of this session, you will demonstrate de-escalation in a role
play"
3. Recall Prior Learning "Think of a time you had to handle a frustrated colleague..."
4. Present Content Explain the HEAR model with a visual diagram
5. Provide Guidance Show a worked example conversation with coaching notes
6. Elicit Performance Role play in pairs — one agent, one customer
7. Provide Feedback Observer shares rubric feedback. Facilitator debriefs.
8. Assess Performance Scenario-based quiz: choose the best response
9. Enhance Transfer Action plan: "I will apply this in my next team meeting by..."
 🎯 DAY 3 — Bloom's Taxonomy + Learning Objectives

Bloom's Taxonomy — Cognitive Domain

Verbs: Design, Build, Develop, "Design a 90-day onboarding plan for a

6 CREATE Formulate, Plan new team member"

Verbs: Evaluate, Judge, Justify, "Evaluate a customer call and

5 EVALUATE Critique, Recommend recommend improvements"

Verbs: Analyze, Compare, Contrast, "Analyze a complaint to identify root

4 ANALYZE Differentiate, Examine cause vs symptom"

Verbs: Apply, Demonstrate, Perform, "Demonstrate the STAR format during

3 APPLY Solve, Execute a role play"

UNDERSTAN Verbs: Explain, Describe, Summarize, "Explain the difference between a

2 D Paraphrase, Compare complaint and a grievance"

Verbs: Define, List, Recall, Name, "List the 5 steps of the complaint
1 REMEMBER Identify, State resolution process"

🎯 Most training should target Level 3 (APPLY) or above. If your objective only reaches
CORPOR Level 1-2, you are building AWARENESS, not CAPABILITY. No behavior will
ATE change.
RULE

Strong vs. Weak Objectives

❌ Weak Objective ✅ Strong Objective
"Understand customer service" "Explain 3 methods for de-escalating an angry
customer"
"Be aware of company policies" "Apply the leave policy to 3 scenario-based
situations"
"Learn about communication" "Demonstrate active listening during a simulated
discussion"
"Know the product features" "Compare Product A vs B to recommend the right
one for a customer"
"Appreciate diversity" "Demonstrate inclusive language in written and
verbal scenarios"
ABCD Framework for Writing Objectives
Letter Stands Meaning Example
For

A Audience Who is the learner? The sales representative...

B Behavior What will they DO? (Use a Bloom's ...will demonstrate the 4-step
verb) objection model...

C Condition Under what circumstances? ...given a sales role play scenario...

D Degree How well? What is the standard? ...achieving 80% on the rubric.
 🔍 DAY 4 — Training Needs Analysis (TNA)

The 3 Levels of TNA

🏢 📋 👤
Organizational Analysis Task Analysis Person Analysis
Big picture: What business goals Job level: What must a person Individual level: Who has the gap?
& context are driving the training DO to perform successfully? What is causing it?
need?

Data Collection Methods

Method Best For
Stakeholder Interviews (1:1) Business context, sponsor perspective, political
dynamics
📋 Surveys Quantifying how widespread a gap is — fast,
scalable
👥 Focus Groups (6–10 people) Understanding the "why" behind survey data —
nuanced views
Observation (job shadowing) What ACTUALLY happens on the job — not what
people say happens

Gap Analysis Framework

Element Description & Example
Current State What performance looks like NOW — e.g. "45% resolve without
supervisor"
Desired State What performance SHOULD look like — e.g. "85% resolve without
supervisor"
Gap The difference — e.g. 40% gap in independent resolution rate
Root Cause WHY does the gap exist? Use 5 Whys technique to find the real cause
Priority Critical / High / Medium — based on business impact of the gap

Never stop at the first "why." Keep asking 5 times to find the ROOT CAUSE.
🔑 THE 5 Example: "Agents don't follow the model" → Why? "They forget" → Why? "No
WHYS reinforcement after training" → Why? "No job aid at desk" → Root cause: No post-
training support was designed.
The 3 Questions TNA Answers

❓ 🤔 ✅
Is there a gap? Why is there a gap? Is training the right fix?
Current performance vs. what is Knowledge/skill? Tools? Only YES if the gap is a knowledge or
required Motivation? Process? skill gap
 🎨 DAY 5 — Corporate Training Design

Experience-First vs Topic-First Design

❌ Topic-First (Old Way) ✅ Experience-First (Right Way)
"What is Communication?" Watch a video: what went wrong in this
conversation?
"Types of Communication" Group debrief: what caused the
miscommunication?
"Barriers to Communication" Introduce the model as a tool to explain their
experience
"Tips for Better Communication" Practice applying the model in a role play
Theory → Theory → Theory Do → Reflect → Conceptualize → Plan (Kolb's
Cycle)

Activity Design Library

Activity Type When to Use & Design Tips Key Rule

🧊 Icebreaker Opens the session. Sets tone. Must be 5–10 min max. Theme it to the
LOW-RISK and RELEVANT to the topic — session topic.
no random games.

⚡ Energizer Re-engages group after content-heavy 3–5 min. Quick, physical or social.
segments or post-lunch dip.

🎭 Role Play Best for behavioral skills. Practice in safe DEBRIEF is the learning — 10 min
environment with feedback. role play + 15 min debrief.

📖 Case Study Analyze realistic scenarios. Best for Always end with discussion
problem-solving & leadership. questions linked to the model.

💬 Group Explore multiple perspectives. Generate Give a SPECIFIC prompt, a CLEAR

Discussion ideas together. output, and a TIME LIMIT.

✍️Reflection Connect learning to personal application. "Write 1 specific situation this week
Increases transfer. where you will apply this..."

ILT Design Ratios (Full-Day Workshop)

30% 50% 20%

Content Delivery Active Practice Reflection & Debrief
MAX — lectures, slides, MIN — role plays, simulations, case MIN — debrief questions, action
explanations studies planning
 📄 DAY 6 — Facilitator Guides, PPT Design &
Storyboards

Facilitator Guide — SAY / DO / ASK / NOTE Format

Suggested words for the trainer. "Good morning. Before we start, I want to try
💬 SAY
something..."

✋ DO Actions the trainer takes. "Divide into groups of 3. Distribute role play cards."

Debrief questions to ask the group. "Speakers — how did it feel to be truly listened
❓ ASK
to?"

Facilitation guidance. "Most participants will miss Q3 & Q4. Use this to bridge into the
📌 NOTE
model."

Mayer's Multimedia Principles — PPT Design

Principle What to Do in Your Slides
Coherence — Remove clutter Cut anything that does NOT directly serve the learning
objective
Signaling — Guide attention Use color emphasis, arrows, numbering to direct the learner's
eye
Redundancy — Voice ≠ Slide text Put VISUALS on slides. Speak the EXPLANATION. Never
read slides aloud.
Spatial Contiguity Place labels near what they describe. No disconnected
callouts.
Segmenting One key idea per slide. Never cram 3 concepts onto one slide.

E-Learning Storyboard — Screen Types

Screen Type Purpose & Example
Title Screen Opens the module. Full-bleed image + program title. No audio.
Objectives Screen "By the end you will be able to..." — clickable objectives work well.
Hook / Scenario Captures attention. "Which of these 3 emails would you open first?"
(interaction)
Content Screen One concept per screen. Diagram or image + brief narration.
Click-to-Reveal Learner clicks to reveal each part. Controls pace. Reduces
overwhelm.
Branching Scenario Learner makes a decision → sees consequence. Best for behavioral
skills.
Knowledge Check Scenario-based MCQ. Feedback explains WHY answer is right or
wrong.
Summary Screen 3 key takeaways. "Here is what you just learned."

Write narration the way people SPEAK, not write. Use "you" and contractions. Keep
✍️SCRIPT
sentences under 20 words. Read every line aloud — if you stumble, rewrite it. 120-
TIP
150 words per minute is the ideal narration pace.
 📊 DAY 7 — Evaluation + Stakeholder Management +
Portfolio

Kirkpatrick Model — 4 Levels of Evaluation

Level Name What It Measures How to Measure Timing

1 😊 Reaction Did learners find it relevant & Post-training survey Immediately after
engaging? (Level 1 form)

2 🧠 Learning Did learners gain knowledge Pre/post test, observed End of training
or skill? role play, quiz

3 🔄 Behavior Are learners applying learning Manager observation, 60–90 days after
on the job? mystery shopper, KPIs

4 📈 Results Did business outcomes KPI comparison (CSAT, 90–180 days

improve? revenue, error rate) after

⭐ Level 3 (Behavior) is the MOST IMPORTANT and MOST IGNORED level. Behavior
REMEMB change requires manager reinforcement, a supportive environment, and sufficient
ER practice. Design Level 3 measurement BEFORE training begins.

Stakeholder Management Quick Reference

Stakeholder What They Care About & How to Manage
🏢 Business Sponsor Business results & speed. Speak business language. Connect design
to outcomes.
🧠 Subject Matter Expert Accuracy & completeness. Use structured interview guides.
Summarize every session in email.
👔 L&D Manager Quality & timelines. Give weekly 5-bullet status updates. Escalate
scope changes immediately.
📋 Coordinator Logistics. Give materials 5+ days before delivery. Build implementation
checklist together.

Your 5-Piece Portfolio Checklist

# Portfolio Piece What to Include

1 📊 TNA Report Executive summary, methodology, findings, gap analysis,

recommendations

2 📄 Facilitator Guide Cover, program overview, full module in SAY/DO/ASK/NOTE format

3 Training PPT Deck 12–15 slides applying Mayer's principles — visual-first, one concept
per slide

4 📱 E-Learning Storyboard 10–12 screens with full narration scripts and interaction descriptions

5 📈 Evaluation Plan Kirkpatrick Levels 1–4 with methods, timing, and benchmarks
 ⚡ QUICK REFERENCE — Key Terms & Interview Cheat
Sheet

Essential Vocabulary — 30 Terms You Must Know

Term Plain English Definition

Instructional Design (ID) The science & art of building learning experiences that change
behavior
ADDIE Analyze → Design → Develop → Implement → Evaluate (iterative,
not linear)
TNA / Training Needs Analysis Diagnosing whether training is the right solution & what exactly is
needed
Terminal Objective The BIG outcome: what learners can do at the END of the full
program
Enabling Objective Smaller outcomes per module that build toward the terminal
objective
Bloom's Taxonomy Framework classifying learning depth: Remember → Understand →
Apply → Analyze → Evaluate → Create
Andragogy Malcolm Knowles' theory of adult learning (vs. pedagogy = teaching
children)
Design Document The approved blueprint of a program — protects against scope creep
Facilitator Guide The trainer's complete delivery script (SAY/DO/ASK/NOTE format)
Storyboard Screen-by-screen blueprint for an e-learning module
SCORM Technical standard allowing e-learning to communicate with an LMS
LMS / LXP Learning Management System / Learning Experience Platform (e.g.
Moodle, Degreed)
SME Subject Matter Expert — provides content but may give too much of
it
ILT / VILT Instructor-Led Training / Virtual ILT
Blended Learning Combination of modalities (e.g. pre-work e-learning + ILT + follow-up
job aid)
Job Aid / PST Performance Support Tool — a reference used at the moment of
need, not training
Kirkpatrick Model 4-level evaluation: Reaction → Learning → Behavior → Results
Level 3 (Behavior) On-the-job application of learning — measured 60-90 days post-
training
Branching Scenario E-learning interaction where learner choices lead to different
consequences
Task Analysis Breaking a job into component tasks to identify where performance
gaps are
Gap Analysis Current State vs. Desired State — what needs to change and by how
much
Learning Journey Map Visual of the end-to-end learner experience from pre-work to follow-
up
Competency Framework Defined knowledge, skills & behaviors required for each role level
Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Preparing facilitators to deliver your designed program consistently
Scope Creep Unauthorized additions to a project after the Design Document was
approved
SAM Model Successive Approximation Model — agile alternative to ADDIE with
rapid prototyping
Assessment Blueprint Table mapping each learning objective to the right question type and
Bloom's level
Formative Assessment Assessment DURING training — knowledge checks, activities
Summative Assessment Assessment AT THE END — measures final achievement of
objectives
ROI (Training) Return on Investment: [(Business Value - Training Cost) / Cost] x
100

Top 10 Interview Answer Principles

1 Always connect design decisions to the BUSINESS OUTCOME — not just learning theory

2 Show you QUESTION before you build: "I would start by asking..." shows analytical thinking

3 Use the word "systematic" — ID is systematic, not intuitive or ad hoc

4 Mention Kirkpatrick when asked about evaluation — always go beyond Level 1

5 Say "I use the Design Document as the contract" — this signals stakeholder maturity

6 For any scenario question, use the structure: diagnose → options → recommendation

7 Always say "I never skip the Analyze phase" — even if you had to do it quickly

8 When discussing activity design, mention the debrief — "Debrief is the real learning"

9 Reference Bloom's level when writing or discussing objectives — shows design rigor

10 End scenario answers with: "I would document this and present options to the client" — shows
professionalism

Interviewers hiring for ID roles want to see HOW you THINK, not just what you have
🚀 FINAL
memorized. Every answer should show your diagnostic instinct, design judgment,
TIP
and stakeholder awareness. Portfolio beats resume. Process beats perfection.
Good luck — you have done the work. Now go show them.