ADDIE Instructional Design Model
ADDIE is not just a good name for my future puppy, it’s also a framework model used by Instructional Designers and Training Professionals to create effective instruction and interventions. For more information on what Instructional Design is, see my post titled “Instructional Design Defined”.
ADDIE is a systematic Instructional Design Model that outlays a process. A system means that one phase must be completed in the process before the succeeding phase can commence.
In this case, the ADDIE Model consists of five phases that Instructional Designers and Training Developers must follow:
1) Analyze – Determine the Needs and Outcomes
2) Design– Plan the instruction
3) Develop– Build the instruction
4) Implement– Bring the instruction “to market” or give the instruction to the learners
5) Evaluate– Determine the success of the instruction
The Analysis phase is when research is conducted to determine not only who the learners are, but what their current state of knowledge is of the topic to be learned. The learning objectives must be determined during this phase in order to fill the knowledge gap between what is known and what should be known.
During the Design phase the Instructional Designer decides how the content will be delivered to the students. This may include what media and communication mode is used, as well as what assessment tools will be created. The Instructional Designer must ask: How will the students achieve the learning objectives established during the Analysis phase?
When you’re ready to put it all together, the Development phase takes place and the instruction is physically built. Instructional materials and assessment tasks designed during the preceding phase are compiled in a nice instructional package.
The Implementation phase is also known as the “launch”. The intervention created during the development phase is finally delivered to the learners for instructional purposes.
The final phase, the Evaluation phase, focuses on how effective the objectives of the instruction and intervention were met in terms of the established success factors determined during the Analysis phase. Did it work? Did students learn? Did some components of the intervention fail? Were there any surprises? Make sure you evaluate the project and its outcomes so that improvements can be made.
ADDIE is essentially, a check list for accomplishing an instructional design project. Your project may not always succeed, but a postmortem analysis should be conducted to determine the strengths and weakness of the Instructional Design project.
This model can be varied according to developers’ needs. Some Instructional Designers like to build the intervention in several iterations, also known as Rapid Prototyping, and then evaluate each prototype accordingly. With this variation, the model becomes A-D-D-E-D-E-I-E. Analyze, Design, Develop, Evaluate, Develop, Evaluate …. Implement and Evaluate.
Other models for the effective design and implementation of instruction include the Human Performance Technology (HPT); the Dick and Carey Systems Approach Model; and the Instructional Development Learning System (IDLS) to name a few. But don’t worry, I’ve made note of these Models and plan on writing a blog post on each! Until then, thanks for reading.