eLearningbyDana

Design Strategy

Design strategy is the plan for how a learning solution will address the identified need — defining the instructional approach, learning experience, content priorities, practice, assessment, delivery, and other design decisions before development begins.

Design Strategy

Decide how the learning solution should work before deciding how it should look.

Design strategy connects what was learned during analysis and discovery to the experience that will eventually be built.

It establishes the overall approach — what learners need to do, how they will engage with the content, where they will practice, and how the solution will support the desired outcome.

Design Strategy Bridges the Problem and the Solution

Before screens, interactions, or media are created, the team needs a reasoned approach for how learning will address the need.

Starting Point The Need Business goal, performance gap, audience, context, and constraints.
Design
Strategy
Direction The Experience Learning approach, practice, assessment, support, delivery, and structure.
Strategy explains why the proposed learning experience makes sense for the problem — before production begins.

A Design Strategy Connects Several Decisions

Content Priorities What learners need — and what can be removed, referenced, or supported elsewhere.
Instructional Approach How learners will encounter, explore, decide, practice, and apply.
Evidence of Learning What learners should demonstrate and how success will be evaluated.
Delivery + Support Where learning happens and what learners need before, during, or after it.

Strong Strategy Creates a Line From Need to Evidence

The major design decisions should connect logically rather than operating as separate parts of the course.

1
Performance Need What needs to change in the real world?
2
Learning Objective What must learners be able to do?
3
Practice What experience will help them build that capability?
4
Evidence What will demonstrate that they can do it?
If the objective asks learners to make decisions, the strategy should include decision-making practice — not only information.

Strategy Is About Choosing the Right Approach

There is rarely one default format that works for every audience, problem, or performance need.

Start Here What does the learner actually need to do?

Let the performance need guide the experience instead of starting with a preferred tool or interaction.

Inform Explain or introduce information learners need to understand.
Explore Let learners investigate relationships, examples, or resources.
Decide Give learners realistic choices, consequences, and feedback.
Practice Create opportunities to perform the task or skill safely.
The tool comes later. First decide what kind of learning experience will best support the required performance.

Separate the Strategy From the Production Tactics

Strategy defines the instructional direction. Tactics are the specific design and production choices used to execute it.

Strategy What should the experience accomplish?
  • Practice realistic decisions
  • Provide immediate feedback
  • Support transfer to the job
  • Allow reference after training
guides
Tactics How will we execute that direction?
  • Branching scenario
  • Storyline interaction
  • Feedback layer
  • Downloadable job aid
A tool, animation, interaction, or visual treatment is not the strategy by itself — it should serve the strategy.

Before Moving From Strategy Into Detailed Design

The team should understand the intended learning experience well enough to make detailed design decisions consistently.

Final Question Can we explain why this approach should help learners perform better?

If the answer depends mainly on a tool, trend, or visual preference, the strategy may need more work.

✓
Need is connected The approach addresses the identified performance or learning need.
✓
Learner is considered Audience, context, existing knowledge, and constraints shape the strategy.
✓
Practice is purposeful Learners practice the thinking or performance expected after training.
✓
Choices have a reason Formats, interactions, media, and tools support the strategy rather than define it.
A strong design strategy gives the project a clear instructional direction before detailed design and development begin.

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