Development

Development is the phase of ADDIE where approved designs, storyboards, scripts, and plans are turned into the actual learning materials — such as eLearning courses, videos, job aids, facilitator guides, assessments, and other deliverables.

ADDIE: Development

Development turns the approved design into something learners can actually use.

In ADDIE, Development is the phase where plans, storyboards, scripts, prototypes, and specifications become finished learning materials.

It is where instructional decisions meet production — building the course, creating assets, testing functionality, revising, and preparing the solution for delivery.

Development Can Produce More Than an eLearning Course

The output depends on the solution defined during Analysis and Design — not on the authoring tool available.

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Approved Design Turn the plan into usable learning

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Digital Learning eLearning, simulations, microlearning, or interactive practice

Instructor-Led Facilitator guides, participant materials, activities, and slides

Performance Support Job aids, checklists, guides, references, and workflow support

Media + Assessment Videos, audio, graphics, scenarios, quizzes, and evaluations

Development builds the solution that was designed — it should not become a second round of guessing what the solution should be.

Development Is Usually an Iterative Build Process

Even with an approved design, development typically includes several cycles of production, review, testing, and revision.

Build Develop content, layouts, interactions, media, assessments, and supporting materials.

Review Gather feedback from SMEs, stakeholders, designers, and other reviewers.

Revise Correct issues, refine content, improve usability, and incorporate approved feedback.

Validate Confirm the final product works as intended before implementation or release.

Development is rarely “build it once.” Controlled review cycles help improve quality without creating endless revision.

Quality Assurance Is Part of Development — Not an Afterthought

A course can look finished and still contain content, usability, accessibility, technical, or tracking problems.

Content Is It Accurate?

Check wording, examples, instructions, assessments, media, and approved SME content.

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Experience Does It Work?

Test navigation, interactions, accessibility, responsiveness, media, and usability.

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Technical Will It Deliver?

Verify packaging, completion rules, scoring, tracking, links, and target-platform behavior.

Development is complete only when the learning solution is both instructionally sound and technically ready for use.

Development Often Requires Several Types of Expertise

On a small project one person may handle many roles. Larger projects may distribute development across a team.

Instructional Designer Protects the learning strategy, flow, objectives, practice, assessment, and learner experience during build.

Developer Builds and programs the learning experience using authoring, media, web, or other production tools.

SME + Stakeholders Review accuracy, business alignment, requirements, and approved changes during development.

QA / LMS / Technical Support Help verify accessibility, functionality, packaging, tracking, compatibility, and release readiness.

Clear roles, review responsibilities, and approval points reduce confusion once production is underway.

Development Is Where Scope Can Quietly Expand

Once stakeholders see a working product, they often discover new ideas. Some are useful refinements; others are new scope.

Before revising

Is this feedback fixing the approved solution — or changing it?

Development feedback should be evaluated against the approved design, requirements, timeline, and acceptance criteria.

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Correction Fix inaccurate content, broken functionality, or missed requirements.

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Refinement Improve clarity or usability without changing the agreed scope.

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New requirement Treat significant new content, interactions, audiences, or features as scope decisions.

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Document decisions Track approved changes so the team knows what changed and why.

Good development management protects quality while keeping revisions tied to the actual project goals.

Before Moving From Development to Implementation

Confirm that the learning solution is complete, approved, tested, and ready for the environment where learners will use it.

Release question

Is this ready for learners — not just ready for review?

The handoff from Development to Implementation should happen after key content, technical, accessibility, and delivery requirements have been verified.

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Approved Required stakeholders have reviewed and accepted the final solution.

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Tested Content, functionality, accessibility, links, and media have been checked.

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Technically ready Packaging, tracking, completion, scoring, and platform requirements are confirmed.

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Handoff ready Final files, source files, documentation, and implementation needs are organized.

Development ends when the approved design has become a complete, tested learning solution that is ready to implement.