3 Steps to Becoming an Instructional Designer

I love talking to people in Instructional Design!  We can sit back and chat about experiences and share funny stories about projects that have gone right and terribly WRONG.  It’s nice to have someone who understands what you have to go through especially for those who are a team of one. 

My favorite conversation to have is how you became an Instructional Designer.  Last year I explained my process of becoming an Accidental Instructional Designer.  One of the interesting facets of this career path is that no two people share the same story.  There are however, the same three steps you can take which will help you become more desirable to employers.  Like all other jobs, it boils down to Education, Experience, and Skills.  But what specifically?  Let's talk it out.

Education

People in learning value education, go figure!  The “debate” has been circling around the Internet for some time but the general rule of thumb is that it definitely doesn’t hurt.  It seems like most employers want a Bachelors degree either in Business, Communication, Education or Informational Technology.  Once you get into the Masters level more specialized degrees are available. On top of a degree, both Bachelor and Masters, certifications are available as well.  If you already hold a degree a different disciple then compare your coursework with that of a Instructional Design degree to see where there is gaps.

Here’s a list of degrees and certifications: http://elearningindustry.com/how-to-choose-the-right-online-instructional-design-certificate-program 

If you’re not able to continue your education you can invest in professional development courses.  A lot of the associations and guilds for the learning community provide opportunities but I find them to be quite spendy.  If you have the money and ability then by all means sign up for a membership and courses.

Here’s a list of guilds, communities and associations you can join:

• https://www.td.org/
• http://www.elearningguild.com/
• https://community.articulate.com/
• http://community.trivantis.com/

If not, good old Lynda.com has some awesome content.  I started paying for a subscription in February and haven’t regretted it yet.  They have tons of videos and avenues for you to explore.  The content is being updated frequently and you can add your certifications directly to your LinkedIn profile. The ones I feel would be the most helpful are based on theories and technology.

Courses on Lynda.com that I recommend:

• http://www.lynda.com/Education-Higher-Education-tutorials/Instructional-Design-Essentials-Models-ID/161318-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Education-Higher-Education-tutorials/Instructional-Design-Essentials-Adult-Learners/170070-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Video-Video-Editing-tutorials/Foundations-Video-Art-Editing/120261-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Lectora-Inspire-tutorials/Up-Running-Lectora-Inspire/151485-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/GarageBand-tutorials/GarageBand-Essential-Training/156620-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Camtasia-tutorials/Camtasia-Studio-8-Essential-Training/85087-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Education-Instructional-Design-tutorials/Instructional-Design-Essentials-Creating-Video-Training/165443-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Video-Filmmaking-tutorials/Corporate-Documentary-Video-Lighting/361600-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Video-Filmmaking-tutorials/Cinematic-Composition-Video-Productions/189404-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Design-Design-Techniques-tutorials/Before-After-Cropping-Photographs/147019-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Education-Higher-Education-tutorials/Instructional-Design-Essentials-Needs-Analysis/170069-2.html
• http://www.lynda.com/Education-LMS-tutorials/Learning-Management-System-LMS-Fundamentals/156622-2.html

On the more basic level is reading articles and watching videos that explain different topics in the field. Watch eLearning authoring tutorials and videos from market leaders and  fellow Instructional Designers. Then find some great quality companies that provide helpful content on their blog and check out an article once a day (or 20, I won’t judge).

Blogs I love:

• https://community.articulate.com/hubs/e-learning-101
• http://blogs.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/
• https://shiftelearning.com/
• http://melslearninglab.com/
• http://www.jackievannice.com/
• http://elearningindustry.com/
• http://elearninguncovered.com/
• http://learningrebels.com/
• http://www.ttcinnovations.com/
• http://info.alleninteractions.com/
• http://www.litmos.com/
• http://ashleychiasson.com/blog/

There’s also Twitter chats that happen frequently that you can join.  I’ve found that trying to keep up with these conversations can be mind boggling especially if your using a mobile device.  Go into the first one knowing that you might feel overwhelmed at times and need to find a process that works best for you.  I personally have to be on my laptop and focus all my energy on reading comments and replying.

Here's some hashtags:

#lrnchat

#edchat

#blendchat

#mlearning

#elearning

#gbl (game-based learning)

#edtech

Don't forget to add me into your conversations! https://twitter.com/jvalley0714

Experience

For someone getting into Instructional Design, experience seems to be the hardest category to fill.  While some companies are kind enough to work with people looking to start off after getting their degree or switching fields, the opportunities seem to be fewer and farther in between (then say, ones asking for even 1-3 years of experience). You could start a YouTube channel or blogging to gain experience and knowledge writing and speaking about topics but the best way to gain experience is to work on projects for your portfolio.

Read the article here: http://jennifervalley.blogspot.com/2015/04/putting-together-perfect-portfolio.html

An alternative to building up your portfolio is working on short-term projects in your spare time.  Quite often I’ll see companies looking for someone to help with a project that only lasts 3-6 months or work that’s on a project-by-project pay. While that doesn’t seem like the best opportunity for people already in full time positions, with the proper planning and dedication it’s a possibility.  It could also be just enough to get your foot in the door at a company.  You can also offer your services for free to non-profits and look for paid freelance projects on websites like upwork.com and elance.com.

For Instructional Design careers there seems to be three avenues you can choose from; contractor, regular employee and remote worker. I worked as a contractor for the first part of my career and it was a great experience. Most listings will spell out how long the position should last and if there’s a possibly of extensions. Again most of the ones I’ve seen are for 6 months periods but the one I was hired into ended up being over 3 years because of project extensions being renewed. The best place to find these types of jobs are through employment agencies. 

If the company is really interested in having on site learning professionals then you’ll see postings for jobs within their learning or training department.  These offer the same working conditions as any other typical job and if they’re with the right company can provide plenty of learning experiences and growth. Try your normal searching avenues like Indeed and LinkedIn to see what’s in your area.

This field also includes a sector of positions that are remote or telecommute. These jobs will have you working from home on your own personal computer and software or using company provided technology. The requirements seem to be a bit higher with most requiring a Bachelors degree and five or more years of experience.

Skills

To be a great Instructional Designer you need to go be good at applying the principals and theories of Instructional Design (and other relevant fields), be an excellent project manager and be able to successfully create material using any technology required.  The growing trend is for companies to have a training department of one or hire fewer employers who are a jack of all trades.  For this reason you should familiarize yourself with the skills needed in applying principals, theories, and models like ADDIE, hone your project management skills, and work up your knowledge and experience on any technology that may be relevant.  To start with you should have a good understanding of authoring tools and learning management systems, Microsoft Office or equivalent especially PowerPoint and Word, an audio software, a video software and an image manipulation software.

There are plenty of free software’s out there.  As a matter of fact, heres over 350 to get you started: http://jennifervalley.blogspot.com/2015/03/almost-350-free-or-cheaper-tools-and.html

Again, I’d turn to Lynda or Youtube to get you started and certified.  The more projects you work on the higher skill level and expertise you can present. You can even carve a niche by offering advice on a particular product and build up your experience that way.

Still have questions or concerns?  Add me on LinkedIn so we can further the conversation. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifervalley0714

Putting Together the Perfect Portfolio

Putting together the perfect portfolio is an important but daunting task. What will employers/clients want to see? How should I display it? Where am I going to find the time to create something? All are valid concerns with limitless possibilities.  I’ve slowly been piecing mine together while reading any articles that provide tips and tricks. This is more of a do what I say then say what I do. Everyone’s portfolio is a work in progress and I’m not an exception. I still planning on doing everything listed in this article, hopefully by the end of the year, and then revisiting it often. Just make sure that along the way you're presenting clean content that represents you! I added a Phase 2 section to each tip which explains how you can go above and beyond to really provide the most value for maintaining a portfolio.

Define your target audience.

The field of L&D is vast, from Instructional Designers to Graphic Designers and Course Developers to Curriculum Developers, but we have all one thing in common. The desire to land the perfect job or client! To do this you need a resume that speaks highly of your experience and performance, a cover letter that explains why you'd be the best person for the job, and a portfolio. The first step in creating a portfolio is to narrow down your target audience and understand their demographics and expectations. 

I found that asking myself who’s my ideal employer or what company would be awesome to work for really drilled down how I wanted to employers to see me and be impressed by my portfolio. Keep in mind this ideal employer when creating content or researching topics to use.

Another way of narrowing things down is to figure out the type of employer or client you’re looking to attract. In the training industry, you have companies that fall into many different sectors including (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics):

• Architecture and Engineering
• Arts and Design
• Business and Financial
• Community and Social Services
• Computers and Information Technology
• Construction
• Education, Training and Libraries
• Entertainment and Sports
• Farming, Fishing and Forestry
• Food Preparation and Services
• Healthcare
• Installation, Maintenance and Repair
• Legal
• Life, Physical and Social Sciences
• Management
• Math
• Media and Communications
• Military
• Office and Administrative Support
• Personal Care and Services
• Production
• Protective Services
• Sales
• Transportation and Materials

From there you can understand the demographics and expectations of what may be possible content or presentation styles. Most companies will want to see a range of topics to show that you’re able to work across departments and with different SMEs. However, researching each sector will help you understand the nuances. For example, a college will probably want to see a well-researched topic while k-12 is all about keeping a child’s attention while teaching the basics. Technology companies will want to see technical driven content while restaurants will want product training and customer service. Production companies will want to see standard operating procedures brought to life or training on safety concerns. Of course, not all companies end up in these generalized paths but it’s a good place to start. At the very least I like to recommend that people start by adding three key pieces that address customer service, product training and process training.

Phase 2: Create a stellar example of a super focused course or other training material and feature it as the first things potential employers or clients see. A deep understanding of a relevant topic and a beautifully crafted course shows that you have what it takes to rock whatever they throw at you. Still not sure what to create something about? Try teaching someone about something your passionate about.

Variety IS the spice of life!

Hiring professional aren't looking for the same PowerPoint template with different content over and over, so get creating. Include examples in a variety of medias to show versatility and ability.  Try adding at least three examples of these content types:

• Web based course
• ILT presentation and train the trainer notes
• vILT
• Webinar
• Storyboard
• Writing sample
• Graphic
• Infographic
• Voice Sample
• Curriculum
• Course Description
• And for maximum punch a learning campaign

But Jennie, my company won't let me us any content. That's fine! NEVER break copyright infringement or use content without permission. Even web assets and graphics!

Instead offer a vILT or Webinar for free and record your performance or get involved with a podcast or web show. Even something from your personal life like cooking or exercising will give you the experience and example you need. Just make sure you're producing quality content that's edited tastefully and doesn't involve any hot topics like religion or politics (unless that's your target audience). Always play to your strengths and interests and don’t put out content just to fill up the page.  Two or three great examples is always better then a whole bunch with sucky content sprinkled in.

Remember, your examples don’t have to be long. A solid three to five pages per course or other content material will do.  But be sure each page is unique and showcases something interesting. Also, be sure to mix up what tools you use to create content.  Have a course ready to create then download a 30 day free trial if necessary.

Need help finding something to create, try one of these techniques:

• Take a look at the eLearning Hero’s Challenges
• Explore other people’s portfolio
• Recreate a project (if legally you can)
• Look for inspiration on Pinterest, Behance or Dribbble

Phase 2: Curate your examples and provide back story, talk about hurdles and highlight your accomplishments. If possible, get permission to include testimonials from clients or co-workers. You can even discuss what model or theory you used to guide the project.

Invest in a place to showcase.

At the very least create or maintain an About.Me, Dribbble, Behance, or LinkedIn account. It's the 21st century and no web presence is....well...it's weird. Use sharing options to upload and create your portfolio. You can also put together a “paper” portfolio which is a PDF consisting of still images of projects with an explanation of the project, hurdles and accomplishments. When sending in your resume you could attach this document for review. Just remember to keep it under 2 MB so it can easily be uploaded or emailed.

To really maximize content distribution and control, invest in a personalized website.  For people on a budget check out Wordpress, Blogger, Wix, and Weebly.  If you can invest in your own domain name then do it!  Unless you have a super rare name the chance of losing your site to another Jane Doe increase by the minute. Use pre-created templates that you can find for free, purchase from Graphic Designer or snag off Etsy. Just add personal touches so you're not the 20th person in a row a large corporation sees with the same exact layout and colors. You can also hire a local graphic designer or web developer.  You can also find someone on eLance or Odesk.  For people trying to do it yourself; create a style guide, research everything, get a place to store files, and give yourself plenty of time to work through the kinks before publishing.

Phase 2: Start offering your services or blogging on your site to increase traffic and promotion.  Involve yourself in social media and communities to meet new colleagues, join in on discussions, take courses and share information.  Don’t forget to provide the link to your website in each profile.

Always be authentic and real to you. Employers and clients who understand who you are and what you can accomplish are more likely to make lasting connections and your more likely to receive a job that turns into a career.

What portfolio tips do you have?  Leave a comment below or as always catch me on Twitter.

5 Tips for Creating the Perfect Video (FREE Template Download)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/catch21/6481937097/

Videos are an important media for learning. With the rise of Youtube, the lowering of attention spans, and the recent push for microlearning it offers content that can easily be shared in a quick and interesting format. Before getting started you should create a video style guide that'll help direct producers, videographers, actors, set staff and editors (or the all in one!) get the correct look and feel the first time and then every time afterwards. Here are my 5 tips (with a free downloadable style guide template!) for creating the perfect video.

1.  Always start by thinking about the broad feelings.How do you want the learners to feel?  What message are you trying to get across? How do you want your company to be perceived?  Do this by establishing a tone, stage presence, general standard on visuals and production. Strive to understand how elements within the video can effect (both positively and negatively) these feelings.
   
   
2. Go into detail on the things you can control. Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate or your subject gets sick but there are a lot of elements in a video you can and should control. Be sure the logo and colors of the video are compliant with marketing or your brand department. Get approval to use specific colors and state their intended purpose especially highlight colors. Set up standards for the subject’s attire. Know your output size, delivery method, file type and player. Put together a list of approved and unapproved aspects of different elements like: locations, shots, transitions, and text placement.
   
   
3. Put together your steps for pre – production to form a habit.
   Be sure the script is ready and has gone through the proper review channels. No one likes unprepared talent or workers. Be sure to provide your subject(s) with a script a few days before and encourage they read through it ahead of time. Reiterate the attire standards a couple days before shooting. Have a shot list ready. Stage the shot to test the lighting, sound and background. Have the subject read the script with the camera on but without formal direction for a base line and hopefully collect bloopers.
   
   
4. Scrutinize the first draft and but not a minute before it's ready.No one likes to be editing something with a person over your shoulder or worrying over every little detail. Let your person in charge of editing sit down with their specifications and create a first draft cut before stepping in. Plenty of producers, writers and actors have said that sleeping on something or waiting for a few days to review will help to make sure you don’t become too close to a project. Be sure to leave enough time to space out the reviews for a fresh mind.
   
   
5. Polish that turd till it shines.Even if the video isn’t Oscar worthy, know when you’re “that’s good, now publish it” point is. Being a perfectionist is something we all strive for but there’s a point where you have to say we’ve done enough and I like it the way that it is.  If you have your standards in place and the video meets all or most of your standards then what more can you ask for? Publish it, market it, pat everyone on the back, and start all over again!
   

Are you new to video creation? Check out Vimeo's Video School, Wistia's Learning Center or Lynda.com for videos on how to create videos.

Want a Free Video Style Guide Template?

Don't forget to follow, share and comment please. Can't get enough of yours truely?  Follow me on social media! I post helpful articles I find on the internet Monday thru Friday on Twitter and I have a Pinterest problem ;)

Smaller Chunks?

Have you ever started building or even worse taking a course only to find out it’s a million pages long and suppose to take eight hours? EIGHT HOURS! (Ok I might be exaggerating)....

Wait! 

Stop! 

Isn’t there a better solution? Why isn’t the material presented in smaller chunks? Isn’t there lessons within lessons that will help me reach the bigger picture. What if there was a technique in eLearning that I could utilize? 

There is…Chunking.

Chunking has been around since 1956 solves the age-old problem of presenting material in manageable sections. Just think about your telephone number. Do you spill out the numbers one at a time or give them to people using the area code + first three numbers + last four numbers? More than likely you’re doing the latter because it is scientifically proven and placed into practice that chunking content down allows for easier delivery and retention. Now imagine your course as a telephone number, each section building off the previous (area code + first three + last four) and eventually reaching the same unified goal (your telephone number).

So, how do you chunk? 

While most great stories start with outlines and courses start with story boarding, why not combine the two into a power couple. Using a storyboard to gather images, media and content place breaks into the content by using divider pages. Keep in mind that content hierarchy should drive creation. Each time there is a natural break in process, lesson, topic or screen insert the divider as a way to signify where content can be broken down. You can even chunk content at a page level by grouping items on the screen to be discussed.

My favorite way to storyboard when I know I’ll be chunking the content is to insert a hierarchy smart art at the beginning of a PowerPoint. This acts as a guide and outline.  Each time a new shape is added it will denote a new course or page depending on how deeply you can dive into content right away.

To further help with the chunking process use the following tips:

• Take advantage of chunking’s cousins grouping and organizing.
•  Unify content with a template, character or image to show continuation on
  one topic.
• Use concise wording. 
• Insert knowledge checks before a new topic is presented. 
• If content doesn’t fit, it probably doesn’t belong. 
• Weed through the content to determine real world value versus data dumping. 
• Practice makes perfect.

Resource:

http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Learning-Technologies-Blog/2014/05/Content-Chunking-Is-King

Lights, Camera, Edit?

Continuing on with my tips and tricks for adding different elements into eLearning, let's chat about video. It's a powerful tool that can add depth and quality to a course (if done right).  So, what do you need to make video content great? In my opinion it's the work that's done before and after filming. In order to do that, you need to:

• Create a well written and easy to read script
• Develop a location and filming setup that benefits you the most
• Cast or use great talent
• Pre-Record like you mean business
• Set aside time to do a quality edit

So what does that mean?

Script:

• Easy to read
• Uses concise wording
• Free of spelling errors
• In a readable format
• Explains abbreviations or market specific terminology
• Content matches the reading level of your audience (Do you look at your content's readability rating?)
• Include annotations for movement and emotion

Location and Setup:

• Choose a location with natural lighting or try to set up a lighting system similar to the one found here: Lighting
• When filming a product highlight create a Light Box
• Set up your location specifically to cater to the needs of a Green Screen if one will be used (Camtasia offers some great tips and tricks)
• Pick a background that is one solid color for a clean look

The Talent:

• If you don't have the budget to hire a professional do an open casting call asking fellow employees for help
• If you pick a professional, don't go into the commitment blind. Ask for previous work, head shots and maybe even a sample of the script before signing a contract
• Create a list of things to wear and NOT wear. Avoid flashy jewlery, items that jingle and patterned shirts that compete with the background
• Speak candidly about the tone and purpose of the video so they are fully aware of what style presentation to use

Pre-Record:

• Practice, Practice and practice again
• Try camcorder techniques a head of time to determine specifics
• Leave the camcorder on during practice for additional film options or to create a bloopers reel for internal staff to enjoy
• Make sure both the recording staff and talent are comfortable before moving into final production

Edit:

• Give yourself enough time
• Normalize the audio
• Include transitions, pans and call outs to add character
• Add an introduction
• Add free video loops, backgrounds or effects
• http://www.detonationfilms.com/Stock_Directory.html 
• http://www.movietools.info/
• https://archive.org/browse.php?field=subject&mediatype=movies&collection=stock_footage
• http://www.xstockvideo.com/
• http://www.mediacollege.com/stock/video/
• http://www.motionelements.com/free/stock-footage/
• http://www.ignitemotion.com/
• http://www.free-hd-footage.com/
• http://www.beachfrontbroll.com/
• http://www.free-video-footage.com/

The nice thing about video is that if it's done correctly and fits in with the company's marketing strategy (along with other aspects) it can be shared on social media and websites creating a greater audience than your eLearners.  Have you see Zappo's Company Culture YouTube series (#ZapposCulture)?

What tips and tricks have you learned along the way? What software do you use? What's the best hack that could save someone a lot of money?  Comment below, on Facebook, LinkedIn or tweet me @jvalley0714

*For the sake of time and argument I choose to leave out what products or devices can be used.