Traits of a great Instructional Designer

Lilly Finlayson | Nicole Turner

Yesterday I had to book both a colour specialist AND a cut and blow-dry specialist for the one hairdresser appointment. As both are just as qualified for each task, I wondered why there was a need to divide them?

I asked my lovely ‘colour specialist’ Jackie this very question. She replied with a passionate response detailing the process of becoming a great colourist and all the creativity involved. I then asked my wonderful ‘cut and blow-dry specialist’ Daniel the same. Similarly, he went into detail explaining why he loved the process of cutting hair and couldn’t see himself working anywhere else within the salon.

A colour specialist would not choose to specialise as a cut and blow-dry specialist. Likewise, a cut and blow-dry specialist would not choose to be a colour specialist. Each are specialised roles that require specialist training and experience.

This got me thinking, why are RTO’s reluctant to recruit specialist Instructional Designers and why do they continue to expect Trainers to take on this very specialist role? Could this be the reason that such a high percentage of RTOs continue to be found non-compliant against the standards for RTO’s 2015  Clause 1.8 to 1.12—Conduct effective assessment?

With non-compliant assessment tools and evidence collection instruments to blame?

I feel I could fall down a rabbit hole right now as I begin the contentious discussion of

• the inclusion of TAEASS502 Design and develop assessment tool as core unit in TAE40116 – Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
• the inefficient upgrade process
• the lack of a specialised qualification for Instructional Designers

So, I’ll avoid the rabbit hole and only state my observation that as an Industry we need to recognise the importance of the Instructional Designer as a specialist skill and person.

There is no doubt that instructional design is a learnt skill, but the best instructional designers also have common traits.

1. Empathy. The best instructional designers are genuinely interested in helping people. They can put themselves in others’ shoes quickly, and they recognise challenges from multiple perspectives. Without empathy –instructional design often fails to facilitate learning goals.
2. Flexibility. Instructional designers have to deal with rapid-fire changes daily. Adjustments may be required without notice, and being able to apply the design process in variable and changeable contexts is critical.
3. Diplomacy. The most successful instructional designers appreciate the challenges trainers and training organisations face and communicate accordingly. They naturally forecast, recognise and address anxiety arising from the change process and are sensitive to training organisations with limited resources. Without diplomacy, collaboration with subject matter experts may be complex and creating resources that actually work is impossible.  
4. Adaptor-intuitive-innovator thinking style. Instructional designers must be able to adapt to change quickly, restructure problems by approaching them from different angles and create workable solutions within a limiting framework. They usually rely on instinct and reach decisions quickly based on automatic cognitive processes. On the other hand, rational thinkers sometimes produce counter-intuitive work because they depend exclusively on external factors to build their knowledge base.
5. Big-picture and detail orientation. The best instructional designers can see the overarching picture and more minor details simultaneously.  They can look at a Unit of Competency and immediately know which pedagogical approach to use and how the performance criteria, skills and knowledge requirements fit within the bigger picture. This trait is what partially minimises the risk of over-assessment and ensures compliance.
6. Curious. Successful instructional designers are naturally curious, and it’s this curiosity that motivates them to try new things, learn about different topics and investigate recent trends. They want to know how things work, and they’re interested in other perspectives. The best instructional designers are life-long learners
7. Thick-skinned. Instructional designers who can’t take criticism always find the job difficult. Most work and rework arises from critical feedback, and the source may not have comparable skills or experience. The best instructional designers can reconcile their role in the partnership with trainers and training organisations and balance their obligations to ensure compliance seamlessly. 

If this is true – and there’s more to instructional design than a set of skills – how can training organisations possibly know how to choose a good one?

Starting with the common traits shared by the best instructional designers is a good start.

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