ADDIE Instructional Design Method Training Course

Course overview

Learning and Development teams are frequently asked to produce training quickly, yet many programmes begin with a solution rather than a verified performance need. The result can be content-heavy courses, unclear objectives, inconsistent assessments and weak evidence of business impact. This five-day ADDIE Instructional Design Method Training Course gives L&D professionals a disciplined way to move from a business request to a justified, build-ready learning solution. Participants learn when training is appropriate, how to identify the real performance gap and how to document decisions that stakeholders can review and approve.

The course applies the Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate model to a realistic workplace learning project. Participants practise stakeholder interviewing, learner and task analysis, performance-gap analysis, measurable learning objectives using Bloom's taxonomy, assessment design, content sequencing, storyboard creation, pilot planning and evaluation design. They use practical tools including a training needs analysis template, learner persona, design document, assessment blueprint, storyboard, implementation checklist and Kirkpatrick-aligned evaluation plan. Attention is given to designing for classroom, virtual and digital learning without treating ADDIE as a rigid linear process.

Instruction combines facilitated method sessions with worked examples, peer critique and daily design workshops. Each participant selects or is assigned a workplace-relevant learning brief and progressively develops it throughout the week. By the final day, they leave with an ADDIE project pack containing an analysis report, design specification, prototype storyboard, delivery plan and measurement framework, ready to refine with subject-matter experts and sponsors. The course is particularly valuable for professionals who need a repeatable design process that improves stakeholder confidence, learner relevance and evaluation discipline.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Conduct a training needs analysis that distinguishes knowledge, skill, motivation and process causes of performance gaps
• Create stakeholder interview questions, learner personas and task-analysis outputs for a defined learning project
• Write measurable performance-based learning objectives using Bloom's taxonomy and observable success criteria
• Build an assessment blueprint that aligns objectives, practice activities, evidence requirements and scoring methods
• Produce a learning design document that specifies audience, modality, sequence, facilitation methods and resources
• Develop a storyboard for a classroom, virtual or e-learning learning asset using structured screen and activity specifications
• Plan a pilot implementation using facilitator guides, learner communications, technical checks and issue-management controls
• Design a Kirkpatrick-aligned evaluation plan with level-specific measures, data sources, timings and reporting actions

Benefits of attending

Target competencies

Who should attend

• Learning and Development Specialists — who need a repeatable process for converting business requests into effective learning solutions
• Instructional Designers — who want to structure analysis, design documentation, storyboards and evaluation more consistently
• Training Managers — who oversee multiple programmes and need clearer governance for training investment decisions
• HR Business Partners — who receive capability requests and must determine whether training addresses the underlying performance issue
• Subject-Matter Experts — who contribute technical content and need to work productively with learning designers
• Internal Trainers and Facilitators — who want to design sessions with stronger objectives, practice and evidence of learning

Requirements and prerequisites

This is a foundation-to-intermediate course and does not require prior instructional design certification or experience with ADDIE. Participants should be comfortable discussing their organisation's roles, processes and performance expectations, and should be able to use common office applications to edit documents and simple spreadsheets. Familiarity with a current training programme, onboarding process or capability problem will help participants make their project work immediately relevant. A complete beginner can attend and should expect guided explanations of learning objectives, assessment alignment and evaluation terminology. No programming, graphic-design expertise, learning-management-system administration or authoring-tool licence is required.

Training methodology

The instructor introduces each ADDIE phase through short demonstrations, annotated examples and decision-focused discussion, then participants apply the method to a single learning brief across the week. Workshops use stakeholder-interview role plays, task-analysis worksheets, objective-writing clinics, assessment reviews and storyboard critiques. Small groups compare alternative design choices for classroom, live online and self-paced delivery. The final application session uses a structured peer-review rubric so participants test the logic of their analysis, design and measurement plan before creating a practical next-step plan for workplace use.

Course outline

Day 1: Analyse: defining the performance need

• The ADDIE model as an iterative instructional design framework
• Training requests versus verified performance problems
• Stakeholder analysis and project-sponsor expectations
• Performance-gap analysis using current-state and desired-state evidence
• Root-cause analysis for knowledge, skill, motivation and environmental barriers
• Learner analysis, learner personas and prior-knowledge profiling
• Task analysis and critical-task prioritisation

Workshop: Participants conduct a simulated stakeholder interview and produce a one-page performance-gap and learner-analysis brief.

Day 2: Design: creating an aligned learning architecture

• Performance-based learning objectives using Bloom's taxonomy
• Observable conditions, behaviours and performance criteria
• Constructive alignment between objectives, activities and assessments
• Assessment blueprints and evidence-of-learning requirements
• Content sequencing from foundational knowledge to workplace application
• Modality selection for classroom, live online and self-paced learning
• Learning design documents and design-decision records

Workshop: Participants create a learning design document with objectives, sequence, modality rationale and an assessment blueprint for their project.

Day 3: Develop: turning design into usable learning assets

• Storyboard structures for facilitator-led and digital learning
• Facilitator guides, learner workbooks and job-aid specifications
• Scenario design, branching decisions and workplace case studies
• Practice design using demonstrations, guided practice and independent application
• Knowledge checks, performance rubrics and feedback mechanisms
• Visual and interaction conventions in Articulate Storyline 360
• SCORM 1.2 packaging considerations and learning-management-system hand-off

Workshop: Participants build a storyboard and one assessed practice activity, then receive peer feedback against an alignment rubric.

Day 4: Implement: preparing delivery, pilots and adoption

• Implementation planning across learners, facilitators, technology and communications
• Pilot design and pilot success criteria
• Facilitator readiness, train-the-trainer briefings and observation checklists
• Live online delivery controls using Miro collaboration boards
• Learner enrolment, pre-work and manager communication plans
• Accessibility, inclusion and reasonable-adjustment considerations
• Issue logs, version control and change-management decisions

Workshop: Participants produce an implementation checklist and pilot plan covering communications, delivery roles, technical checks and risk controls.

Day 5: Evaluate: measuring quality, learning and performance

• Formative and summative evaluation within the ADDIE cycle
• Kirkpatrick levels and suitable evidence for each level
• Evaluation questions, baseline measures and comparison points
• Survey design and response-quality controls
• Using Microsoft Excel to summarise completion, assessment and feedback data
• Transfer-of-learning measures and manager observation methods
• Evaluation reports, recommendations and ADDIE iteration decisions

Workshop: Participants complete and present an ADDIE project pack with an evaluation plan, then create a 30-day workplace application plan.

Tools & standards covered

Articulate Storyline 360, Microsoft Excel, Miro, SCORM 1.2

A typical training day

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in the East Africa Time zone, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

How you can take this course

Certification

Participants who complete the full five days receive the Skillset Development Certificate of Completion, stating the course title, course code, dates and delivery format — suitable for professional-development records and employer reimbursement.

Frequently asked questions