Overview of the ADDIE Process – Course Transcript
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ADDIE Process
The ADDIE process includes Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.
Analysis: The Analysis stage is a crucial first step in the ADDIE process. During this stage, needs are identified to help ensure that the work to follow meets the intended goals.
Design: During the Design stage, outlines or storyboards are created representing how the content will be addressed in the learning materials. Drafts of materials are started, and content is reviewed for accuracy.
Development: During the Development stage, the content is put into its final form, whether that is a video, an elearning, documents, or any other format. Branding and copyedit are done at this stage.
Implementation: In the Implementation stage, the learning is released and used as intended with the learners.
Evaluation: During the Evaluation phase, the success of the learning is measured.
Analysis
The Analysis stage is a crucial first step in the ADDIE process. During Analysis, needs are identified to help ensure that the work to follow meets the intended goals.
Step 1: Gather Any Available Data
If there is a previous version of the learning, the Analysis stage is used to analyze any resulting data or feedback that helps to identify necessary changes.
- What is working that should be kept?
- What is not working that needs to be changed?
- In what ways does the content need to be updated?
Data can come from:
Course Completion Rates
Ask:
- How many people started the course?
- How many finished?
- How far did most get through?
If a significant number of people didn’t complete the course, the learning may have lacked connection to their real work, may have been too long, or may have focused on information they already knew and/or considered unnecessary. If possible, review survey results or interview people who took the course to get more specific feedback.
Survey Results
Ask:
- What kinds of feedback did learners provide?
- What did they like? What didn’t they like?
Assessment Results
Ask:
- Were those who completed the learning able to successfully demonstrate what they learned?
- Are there any assessment questions that were missed by a significant number of learners? This may indicate that content was not well covered in the learning and could be improved upon in the new version.
Leader and Learner Interviews
Ask:
- What do those who completed the learning have to say about it? What suggestions do they have?
- What do those leading or managing the learners think the learning prepared them well for? What seemed to be lacking?
Direct, specific feedback from those using the learning can be a great way to find out what they really need.
On-the-Job Performance
Ask:
- Are those who completed the course using the skills and information learned in their daily work?
- Are there measurable indications of success from the learning, such as increased sales, use of a new process, reduced need of support, or other evidence the learning met the intended need? What areas of continued or additional need are evident?
Step 2: Ask Questions and Gather Answers
About the Content
- What is the intended outcome? What is the learning meant to achieve?
- What content should be included?
- What information is essential to include?
- What information is important?
- What information is only nice to have or could be optional?
During Analysis, ask and find answers to as many of the following questions as possible, which will then inform how the rest of the work will be done. In some cases, finding answers will continue into the Design phase.
About the Learners
- Who will the audience be?
- What is their current level of understanding related to the learning content? Are there parts of the content about which there are misconceptions or confusion that needs to be made clear?
- Why will they be learning the content? How will they be using the information?
About the Learning
- When will the learning be taking place? Where?
- How much time is allotted for the learning?
- What is the desired format for the learning?
This could include in-person workshop sessions, live or recorded webinars, self-paced or facilitated eLearning courses, videos, written materials, and other formats.
In some cases, the decision about format is made based on a clear need. For example, if a large number of people need to learn the same information in a consistent manner, then a recorded webinar or eLearning course are good choices. However, if the desired format is flexible, then the decision can be made during the Design phase based on most effective ways to present the content.
About the Process
- Who will be making decisions when there are questions about the content?
- Who will be involved in reviewing the learning materials for accuracy?
- What resources will be available to support the learning? What resources need to be created?
Design
During the Design stage, drafts of the learning materials are created, and content is reviewed for accuracy.
Step 1
Create a Storyboard or Outline
Use the information gathered during the Analysis stage to decide on the flow of the content in the learning.
– How will the content be organized?
– How will you prioritize the most important content?
– How much can be reasonably addressed in the time allotted?
Step 2
Draft Learning Materials
Put the content into a draft form that will make it easy to review.
Using PowerPoint slides can often be a simple, effective means of creating a draft. For in-person trainings and webinars, and PowerPoint deck will often be needed anyway; for videos and eLearning, the PowerPoint slides can be used to create a draft prototype of the final result, demonstrating how information will be organized and represented.
At this stage, consider:
– What instructional strategies and/or activities will you plan that will best help the learners make sense of the information?
– In what way will you assess how well the learners understand the content?
Step 3
Content Review
These draft materials are then reviewed by stakeholders, people who have some input in the final product.
This may include a client who has requested the learning materials, a developer if the learning includes directions for using a tool or software, subject-matter experts, managers or others who have some responsibility for the learning, and others.
Development
During the Development stage, the content is put into its final form, whether that is a video, an eLearning, documents, or another format.
Content from the draft materials are put into final form. This may include:
- Creating PowerPoint slides
- Formatting a draft of a handout
- Designing and adding graphics or images
- Filming a video
- Building an eLearning course
Any branding is done at this stage – the addition of logos and use of colors, fonts, and graphics specific to a company, organization or group.
If the learning will be led by trainers, often during this stage, drafts of the materials will be used to plan and then support training the trainers on the use of the new materials. If possible, plan to finalize the materials at least 2-3 weeks before the materials will be officially released to allow the trainers to have time to practice with the content in its final form.
Final Checks
Before the learning materials are released and/or go live for use, several final checks are recommended:
Copyedit – Review the text for any errors in grammar, spelling, or sentence structure. Confirm that the language used will make sense to the learners. Are there any industry-specific terms or acronyms that need to be clearly defined?
Usability Testing – Systematically test the course material in its final format to confirm that it works.
– Do the links and navigation function as expected?
– Are the text and graphics easy to read?
– Does the format meet needs for accessibility?
– Is there anything about the format that gets in the way of the learning?
Final Review – Provide stakeholders, subject-matter experts, and others involved a chance to see how the learning has turned out and to confirm that the information included is correct and that the learning meets the intended outcomes.
Make any necessary final changes, and then… Go live!
Congratulations!!!
Celebrate the completion of the learning materials and release them for use.
The process doesn’t end here, but this is a step worth celebrating!
Implementation
In the Implementation stage, the learning is used as intended.
Workshop sessions are led, eLearning courses are taken, videos are watched, webinars are held – whatever was planned is used and – hopefully – learning takes place!
Evaluate
During the Evaluation phase, the success of the learning is measured.
In the ADDIE process, releasing the new learning for use is not the final stage. Instead, plans are made to collect data related to the learning and how well it works. This information is then used to help guide future revisions as well as providing feedback for those involved in the design.
Evaluation can be done through:
- A quiz at the end of the learning to measure understanding
- A survey included at the end of a course or video
- Results of any additional assessments given to the learners
- Interviews with stakeholders and/or learners
The data collected can then be used in the Analysis stage when it’s time to revise the learning materials, and the ADDIE process starts again.