In this short series, I’m highlighting instructional design models that have had profound impact on my work… specifically those that speak to the creative process, and specifically those that have originated in the practice of creating corporate learning.

The Action Mapping process, developed by Cathy Moore, has a heavy emphasis on relating practice activities to what the learner will actually be required to do on the job to meet a business goal, and then working backward from that to decide which information to include in the course. Cathy explains Action Mapping, the reasons it’s important, and a tool that she uses to facilitate it, on her Making Change blog.

Bonus: Action Mapping helps you figure out which information is truly necessary, but then you usually have to help your SMEs or stakeholders see that perspective. A couple of months ago, Diane Elkins posted on the E-Learning Uncovered blog about how to have those conversations.

Now that you know which goals you need activities around and which information to include, how do you design the actual interactions?

Stay tuned.

Other posts in this series:

• If Not ADDIE, Then What?
• Part 1: Thiagi’s 4-Door Model
• Part 2: Cathy Moore’s Action Mapping
• Part 3: Michael Allen’s CCAF
• No Seriously… If Not ADDIE, Then What?