Module 1
Learning Science, Adult Learning and Design Principles
- Attention, memory, practice and feedback
- Prior knowledge, motivation and learner variability
- Adult-learning context and relevance
- Designing for transfer and performance
Instructional Design Flagship Programme
Instructional and Learning Experience Design
Design relevant, engaging learning journeys by combining adult-learning principles, instructional design and learner-centred experience design.
Course overview
Design learning around performance, practice and experience—not content volume.
Instructional and Learning Experience Design equips participants to convert a defined capability need into a coherent learning experience. It combines instructional-design discipline with practical attention to learner context, motivation, usability, accessibility and engagement.
Participants analyse audience characteristics, performance requirements and constraints before writing measurable outcomes and selecting learning strategies. They then design sequence, practice, feedback, media, interaction and facilitator or learner support around the required performance.
A progressive design case moves from analysis through prototype and review, helping participants make explicit design choices and defend why each element belongs in the learning journey.
Learning outcomes
What participants will be able to do.
- Analyse learner roles, prior knowledge, motivation, context and constraints.
- Translate performance needs into measurable learning outcomes.
- Select instructional strategies that align with required knowledge, skills and judgement.
- Sequence learning to support comprehension, practice and progressive challenge.
- Design authentic activities, scenarios and feedback opportunities.
- Select media and interaction according to learning purpose rather than novelty.
- Apply learner-experience principles to navigation, pacing, clarity and engagement.
- Incorporate accessibility and inclusive-design considerations from the start.
- Prototype a learning journey and use review evidence to improve it.
- Produce an implementation-ready design specification or storyboard outline.
Who should attend
Designed for professionals who need practical, context-aware L&D capability.
- Instructional and learning-experience designers.
- Trainers and facilitators who also design programmes.
- Learning consultants and course-development professionals.
- Subject-matter experts who create structured learning.
- L&D teams redesigning classroom, digital or blended learning.
Prerequisites
Professionally relevant and application-focused.
Participants should have a course, programme or capability need they can use as a design case. Prior formal instructional-design education is not required.
Course structure
A five-Module learning and development journey.
The sequence develops understanding, application and practical outputs progressively across five connected Modules.
Module 2
Learner Analysis and Measurable Outcomes
- Audience, role and context analysis
- Performance tasks and success criteria
- Learning outcomes and evidence of achievement
- Constraints, prerequisites and design requirements
Module 3
Instructional Strategy and Learning Journey
- Content selection and sequencing
- Scaffolding, examples and worked practice
- Activities, scenarios, questions and feedback
- Choosing classroom, virtual, digital and blended methods
Module 4
Learning Experience, Media and Accessibility
- Learner flow, navigation and pacing
- Visual, audio and multimedia choices
- Engagement without unnecessary cognitive load
- Inclusive and accessible learning experiences
Module 5
Prototype, Test and Refine
- Rapid prototypes and storyboards
- Expert, peer and learner review
- Pilot evidence and design iteration
- Final design specification and handover
Learning experience
Move from understanding to application, production and workplace value.
Analyse
Start with learners and performance
Use a design brief to clarify who must do what, under which conditions and with what support.
Design
Build the learning journey
Sequence explanation, demonstration, practice, feedback and application around the target performance.
Prototype
Make design decisions visible
Create a low-fidelity prototype or storyboard before investing in full content production.
Critique
Use structured design review
Test relevance, alignment, accessibility, engagement and usability with peers and stakeholders.
Transfer
Prepare for production
Convert the approved concept into a clear specification for facilitators, developers or authoring teams.
Completion requirements
Demonstrate participation, application and professional judgement.
- Complete learner analysis, outcome-writing and design exercises.
- Develop a coherent learning journey and prototype.
- Participate in structured design critiques and peer review.
- Complete a final design specification and workplace application plan.
Participant outputs
Leave with practical L&D artefacts.
- Learner/persona and performance-analysis brief.
- Measurable learning-outcome set.
- Learning-journey map and instructional strategy.
- Activity/practice and feedback design.
- Prototype or storyboard sample.
- Learning-design quality checklist.
Delivery options
Select the learning format that fits your people and development environment.
Instructor-led
Live Classroom
Face-to-face learning with facilitated discussion, design workshops, practical exercises, peer review and immediate feedback.
Instructor-led
Live Virtual Classroom
Interactive online delivery using collaborative workspaces, breakout activities, guided design and live facilitation.
Flexible
Blended Learning
A structured combination of preparation, live sessions, applied assignments, portfolio development and follow-up application.
Organisation-specific
Corporate and In-Company
Tailored delivery using organisational terminology, learning assets, platforms, governance and capability priorities where appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Course information and participation.
Does this course use one instructional-design model?
No. It draws on established instructional-design principles and teaches the decision logic needed to adapt methods to different learning contexts.
Is the course suitable for classroom and digital learning?
Yes. Participants apply the same performance and learning logic across classroom, virtual, self-paced and blended experiences.
Does the course include accessibility?
Yes. Accessibility and inclusion are treated as design requirements rather than late-stage compliance checks.
Will participants create a prototype?
Yes. The course uses rapid prototyping and structured critique so participants can test design decisions before full development.
Can subject-matter experts attend?
Yes. The course is particularly useful for SMEs who need to convert expert knowledge into structured, teachable and assessable learning.
Take the next step
Design learning journeys that are relevant, usable and built for performance.
Discuss public delivery or a corporate design cohort using your programmes, audiences and learning-production environment.