Design Before Development (cont.)

A+ Tips for Building a Good Design Plan

How do we achieve good design?

• Perform a learning analysis
• Understand the business purpose and what the stakeholder would like to achieve
• Identify the audience, what their needs are, and how they learn
• Appreciate that good design does not equal more cost and may in fact save costs in time and effort later
• Accept that taking the time at the beginning of a training project for a good design will save time at the end of the project
• 'Flashy' or complicated design doesn't always equal good design - sometimes good design is as basic as being consistent with structure, format, and branding

Analysis

A great design plan is built upon a solid foundation. Don't skip the analysis stage - you might miss some crucial information. For example, it is essential when designing to be thoroughly familiar with your learning audience. If you started development on an e-learning module and were unaware that it was for an international audience, you might include basic navigation that included words such as 'Back' or 'Next'.

Later, when it is discovered that fewer than 10% of the learners had completed the course, it is pointed out that only 20% of the learners spoke English as a first language and fewer than 10% read English. Armed with this knowledge, we can now incorporate that information into the design plan. Instead of using the words 'Next' or 'Back' - the navigation design includes internationally recognized icons that transcend the need for words.