Self-paced training and learning programs are a great way for organizations to upskill their teams and create innovation. The right instructional design software can be the difference between an engaging learning experience and a training program that falls flat. So how to choose the right solution for your needs?
In this guide, we'll explore instructional design software tools that help learning designers at every stage of the process. From creating a learning flow and conduct needs assessments all the way through to creating training videos, hosting your courses and measuring the impact, you'll find a tool to help here.
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Innovative organizations full of happy and productive employees often have one thing in common: opportunities for their team to develop new skills and grow in their careers.
As LinkedIn’s 2023 learning report noted, 89% of L&D professionals agree that building employee skills will help organizations navigate the evolving future of work. 94% of employees are likely to stay at a company longer if there is an investment in the their development.
Learning and development programs, training sessions and elearning courses are all popular ways to help upskill teams, but how are they made? What instructional design software exists to help an instructional designer or learning team create effective materials, source input and evaluate the impact?
Read on to discover software to help you streamline your workflow and build more impactful materials at each stage of the instructional design process.
Instructional design software includes a host of specialized tools designed to facilitate the development and distribution of learning content and materials. These tools can range from content authoring tools and video editing software all the way through to learning management systems and interactive learning platforms.
Depending on the needs of the training or learning process at hand, you may need one or multiple instructional design tools in order to create, organize and deliver the most effective learning programs for your teams and clients.
I find it easiest to first consider the entire instructional design process and see where tools might be deployed to streamline processes and facilitate the work of a learning team.
Starting with design, instructional designers first need tools to help them map out an effective learning flow and ensure their program will help meet training goals. Pen and paper might work for some designers, but learning design tools like SessionLab can help you create and organize complex learning programs with ease.
Once a solid learning plan has been drafted, instructional designers need to turn that plan into content that will engage learners. This can include creating training videos, software simulations, interactive games or simply enriching written training content with images and interactive elements such as quizzes.
For self-serve courses and learning programs, you’ll also need somewhere to host the materials so trainees can access them and so you can track learning progress. In the case of trainer-led or blended learning programs, you’ll likely employ additional tools to help support the trainer during delivery and to make that training more engaging for participants too.
At every stage, instructional designers will likely need to source material from subject matter experts and collaborate on copy. They’ll also need a place to store files, collect copy and training materials and project manage a process with many moving parts.
In this guide, we’ll categorize instructional design software by its role in the instructional design process so you can find the right tool for your needs. On-site training has a different set of needs than on-demand learning programs and your choice of instructional design software tools will naturally reflect this.
The different types of instructional design software are:
