Are We Over-Engineering Instructional Design?
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There's a disconnect between instructional design education and real-world training effectiveness. Instructional design degrees and corporate training programs are undeniably valuable, but they often stumble in one critical area: translating their rigid methodologies into actual workplace performance.
Why does this happen? Because we’ve fallen in love with tidy frameworks, models, and step-by-step methods. We’ve prioritized neat, controlled instructional processes over the messy, unpredictable, and inherently human realities of on-the-job learning.
Dr. Luke Hobson's recent research highlights this gap clearly. He emphasizes that while formal instructional design programs excel at teaching structured approaches, they frequently neglect to prepare practitioners for the complexities of genuine learning environments. Real learning isn't neatly packaged—it’s messy, fluid, and context-dependent.
This isn't to suggest that methodologies and frameworks aren't useful. They absolutely are—but only to a point. Rigid adherence to processes can blind instructional designers to the organic nature of workplace learning, which thrives on experience, problem-solving, and, critically, human connection.
True learning emerges when people engage deeply with real problems. It's sparked when they collaborate, struggle, fail, and ultimately succeed. When instructional design overly relies on theoretical frameworks, it risks missing these vital, authentic learning moments.
To bridge this gap, instructional designers must balance methodology with flexibility. We must design experiences, not just courses. We need to step away from overly prescriptive processes and instead foster environments where learning happens organically through meaningful interactions, reflection, and experimentation.
Ask yourself honestly: Are your training programs too rigidly engineered? Are you focusing more on aligning with frameworks than supporting the fluid, real-world learning your employees actually need?
Embrace complexity, encourage genuine human connection, and recognize the messiness of authentic learning. This shift might be uncomfortable at first—but it’s precisely what transforms good instructional design into genuinely effective workplace performance.
