After reading the articles and reports on Instructional Design Competencies, choose two of the

highlighted competencies and discuss the end result of the implementation of the competencies.

I have chosen two competencies in the planning and analysis domain that are considered

essential to instructional design.

Competency 9: Identify and describe target population characteristics.

According to Richey, Fields, and Foxon (2001), any given target audience can have a plethora of

characteristics such as knowledge, experience, age, education, and cultural backgrounds.

Instructional designers must be able to determine the individual characteristics of the target

audience to maximize the learning experience. This competency dictates the types of content

and delivery methods that should be included to cater to the differing needs of the audience.

Once we know who we are going to design content for, then we can start designing the most

effective program to meet their needs. In some situations, it may be necessary for instructional

designers to develop multiple methods of delivery for the same training content to satisfy the

needs of the target audience.

Competency 11: Analyze the characteristics of existing and emerging technologies and

their use in an instructional environment.

Richey, Fields, and Foxon (2001) state that, “All designers should have knowledge of the uses

and benefits of technology in instructional situations” (p. 71). This competency takes into

consideration software, applications, social media, collaboration tools, platforms, devices, and

much more. Technology changes constantly, so it is important that instructional designers stay

informed about emerging technologies that can be used to enhance the instructional design and

delivery process. This competency may become increasingly important as the globalization and

online training environment continues to expand.

When designing instruction with the use of new technology, instructional designers need to be

cognizant of their target audience so that learners are well-prepared to use the technology for the

training program. This is extremely important to ensure that the training program is designed to

appropriately meet the needs of learners and the organization.

Reference

Richey, R.C., Fields, D.C., Foxon, M. (2001). Instructional design competencies: The standards.

(3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement.