By Preeti Mathur | STC Associate Fellow
Is it easy for technical writers to transition into instructional design? Are our acquired skills transferable and helpful in developing instructional and learning materials?
Given that the Instructional Design and Learning SIG is STC’s second-largest special interest group, we can assume that many technical writers are also involved in creating instructional materials or are considering that field as a viable career. Moving into instructional design seems like a natural progression, especially since both fields are rapidly changing. Technical writing now involves more than text-based documentation, with technical writers developing online help and how-to videos. Instructional design has also evolved from classroom training to include eLearning, mobile learning, and other instructional materials, such as online help and job aids, that come from the technical writing domain.
Based on my own experience working in both these fields and with a little help from friends and colleagues who are doing the same, this article:
- Identifies technical writing skills that are transferable,
- Describes the differences between the two disciplines and the gaps that must be filled, and
- Provides ideas on how to break into the field of instructional design.
The focus of this article is primarily on technical writers developing technical and systems training rather than soft skills or behavioral changes.
Which technical writing skills transfer to ID?
Let’s first look at skills we may have acquired as technical writers which transfer well into the instructional design field:
- Writing skills. Although many of us have come into technical writing from diverse backgrounds, one characteristic we all share is that we are strong writers. As technical writers, we write not only well but also simply and clearly, steering away from noun strings and passive sentences that can impede legibility or learning. We understand the importance of using consistent language and how to reach out to and engage a diverse audience.
- Organizational, presentation, and formatting skills. We are experts at simplifying and presenting complex information. We know how to chunk it down, so it is easy for learners to navigate and learn new material. We know how to provide relevant examples and how to format these materials—from white papers to reference guides to online help to job aids. These skills come in handy whether we are creating a manual, an eLearning module, or a participant guide for classroom training.
- Audience analysis skills. These skills translate well, especially if you are involved with creating audience and task matrices for your courses.
- Interviewing, facilitating, and listening skills. As technical writers, we know who to approach, and how to get information from even the most difficult subject matter experts (SMEs). We know how to prepare for interviews and how to conduct review meetings and build consensus when there are conflicting opinions. Many of us routinely schedule conference calls and conduct interviews and meetings remotely, a skill set that is important whether you are creating technical manuals or training modules. Since so much of our time involves interacting with SMEs, we have also become good listeners as well as excellent note takers, using shorthand or recording devices to catch and translate rapid explanations. All these skills work equally well when designing instructional materials.
- Ability to learn. As technical writers we are quick to grasp and understand new information. By having to learn new material constantly and be user advocates, we know how to walk in a learner’s shoes.
- Research skills. Part of our ability to learn quickly also involves our ability to conduct research and come up to speed with a subject. In the pre-Google era, I would spend hours in the library looking for background information to help me understand a subject, so I could ask my SMEs the right questions.
- Aptitude for tools and new technology. We have learned and mastered many tools of our trade, such as FrameMaker, RoboHelp, and Flare. Many of us know DITA and the ins and outs of content management systems (CMSs). Could it be that difficult for us to learn yet another tool such as Captivate or Storyline or get familiar with SCORM and other learning management systems (LMSs)?
- Creative skills. Many of us have found creative ways to illustrate complex ideas (or shared an idea with someone who could help us do that). Whether a graphic or an innovative way to lay out a job aid, we can apply the same techniques to creating instructional materials. Some of us have also picked up video and audio skills which are very helpful when creating eLearning.
- Team building skills. Contrary to what we often hear about technical writers, we are not loners but work well in teams. Working effectively in teams is beneficial as you transition into instructional design—only the roles and types of people you may interact with would change. While you will still deal with SMEs, you may now have other IDs, sponsors, stakeholders, learning management specialists, and change management experts on your team.
- Product or system expertise. Many technical writers who have become domain or product experts are asked to train others. If you are one of these, you might find yourself gradually getting more involved in developing training or straddling both worlds.
What are the differences? What do you need to learn?
When transitioning into instructional design from technical writing, there are some key differences you need to keep in mind. You may have to learn new techniques and skills to help you become a good instructional designer. Here is an overview of a few of these differences:
- Inform vs. teach. Both the technical writing and instructional design fields involve learning to some extent. Technical writing mainly produces information intended to inform and instruct users in performing a task or process, or to acquaint them with a product. Instructional design, on the other hand, is meant to teach a new task, skill, or concept, or to change certain behaviors.
- Extent of information covered. Technical documents generally provide complete information on a product or system, albeit spread out in different formats and types of documents, while instructional materials identify and teach only what is essential and based on key learning points. This was a big difference for me; I had to learn to curtail myself from providing too much information that would lead to learner fatigue.
- Audience analysis, methodologies, and learning theories. As a technical writer, I knew how to analyze and define my audience and present information in a logical way. But with instructional design, I had to understand how people learn so they can design training around these principles. For example, you will need to understand and use methodologies such as ADDIE and the principles of Bloom’s taxonomy. This is perhaps one area that was most unfamiliar to me and about which I continue to learn.
- Measurable objectives, evaluation, and assessments. While you may start your technical writing projects with a detailed outline of topics and how they will be covered, instructional materials always start with objectives and key learning points that you define as part of the development process. Courses are designed and built around these objectives, and always include evaluations in the form of “check your understanding” questions or formal assessments to ensure the learning objectives have been met.
- Scenarios, exercises, and interactivity. To clarify and inform, technical documents may include examples or sample code. But to ensure learning, instructional designers must include real-world scenarios and exercises that provide hands-on practice. For example, when teaching about a new system, classroom training would involve setting up a training environment with realistic data that has been staged, so all participants can complete a set of exercises from start to finish. The same training, if deployed as eLearning, would include simulations in the form of demos and exercises. This interactivity is essential because it engages learners and promotes learning, and it is the reason gamification has become so popular. Another ID concept that emulates the adage “teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime” involves providing learners with the means to continue learning after the training is over. In several of my systems training projects, I have first created step-by step instructions (a technical writing skill) for learners to use during training. This way they are aware of this resource and continue to use it when they get back to their desks.
- Documents, deliverables, tools, and technology. Just as technical writers deal with technical specifications, reference guides, user guides, and online help, instructional designers have their own set of documents and deliverables. Many ID projects, during their early phases, involve creating audience-task matrices and designed documents or blueprints. Classroom training requires creating guides for participants and instructors. (Early on, I learned to create a single document by including instructor notes in hidden text that could be printed out separately.) If eLearning projects are not using rapid prototyping methodology, you may be required to create storyboards, another new concept I had to learn. Creating eLearning also requires learning new tools. While there are several tools available, Captivate and Articulate Storyline seem to be the two most in demand. Besides these, IDs also have to learn about learning management systems, which are used to deploy eLearning modules. Another concept that was new to me was conducting train-the-trainer (TTT) sessions to teach SMEs how to train and use the instructional materials.
- Graphics, design, and multimedia skills. These skills are becoming increasingly important as eLearning and other instructional materials such as videos are being developed and delivered via the Web. Also, very few companies these days maintain dedicated staff of graphic artists or multimedia specialists, so eLearning developers are expected to have these skills as well.
How do you break into the instructional design field?
Here are some suggestions and strategies for transitioning into instructional design.
Look for opportunities and build a portfolio. If you are an employee and have expertise with a product or system, look for opportunities to offer training. When I was an employee, I volunteered to teach a class on the Internet and the World Wide Web (yes, I am dating myself) for the company’s brown bag sessions and did informal writing workshops for engineers.
I know colleagues who created eLearning modules for volunteer organizations to help build their portfolios. I also honed my eLearning skills by doing some pro-bono work: a module explaining a high-tech concept to show to potential funding agencies.
Join relevant associations, attend conferences and webinars, read books and blogs, and enroll in courses. I joined the IDL SIG and regularly attend webinars and follow discussions. I attend ID-related sessions regularly at the STC Summit (the IDL SIG provides information about these sessions every year in its newsletter, on its website, and at the Summit) and always make a point to buy books at the Summit bookstore (by Ruth Clark, Michael Allen, and Nancy Duarte, to name just a few).
Take advantage of the training and evaluation program, a free service offered to STC’s IDL SIG members in which an expert evaluates a project and gives valuable feedback for improving your work. STC’s Mentor Board is another way to hook up with an expert and get guidance on making this transition.
Other groups, such as the Association for Talent Development (ATD; www.td.org/), the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI; www.ispi.org/), and The eLearningGuild (www.elearningguild.com/), offer free or low-cost webinars and hold conferences such as DevLearn and Learning Solutions, which are focused only on ID-related topics.
There are also several LinkedIn discussion groups you can subscribe to as well as blogs from experts such as Cathy Moore and Tom Kuhlman and from vendors such as Adobe and Articulate. Both Captivate and Storyline eLearning tools offer free 30-day trial downloads. You can take advantage of this to get familiar with these tools. Also, Lynda.com and IconLogic offer reasonably priced classes on these tools and other topics of interest to instructional designers.
If you have the time and resources, enroll in a program that offers a degree or certificate in instructional design. The IDL SIG website (www.stcidlsig.org/education/) provides an extensive list of these programs.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Kim Kahat, Deanne Levander, Jayme Sagan, and Amy Winkler for sharing their experiences with transitioning into the IDL field. Thanks also to Jane Smith, Jackie Damrau, Linda Urban, Carol Widstrand, Lorie Bergmark, Alan Carpenter, and Phil Deering for their help and advice when I was transitioning into IDL.
References
Do You Really Need An Instructional Design Degree? (http://blogs.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/do-you-really-need-an-instructional-design-degree/)
Instructional Design and Technical Writing (http://cyrilandersontraining.com/2014/05/05/instructional-design-and-technical-writing/)
How to Become an Instructional Designer (http://blog.cathy-moore.com/how-to-become-an-instructional-designer/)
PREETI MATHUR is an independent consultant who works on technical writing and instructional design projects in a variety of fields, including medical, apparel, and manufacturing. She is an Associate Fellow and a member of the Twin Cities Chapter of STC.
