How to stay flexible as an instructional designer

Instructional designers at the top of their game are always prepared to pivot when their organization’s needs evolve. However, with the changing economy, industry trends, and shifts in the job market, that can be easier said than done. Your workflows and your organization’s choice of eLearning authoring tool can make or break your ability to change gear when you need to. 

Read on to see what you should be doing to stay agile as an instructional designer, even when times get challenging.

1) Leave legacy tools and outdated workflows behind

Outdated software can force you into rigid workflows. It’s a good idea to build flexible workflows on an agile tech stack before challenging times come knocking. For example, if rebrands or mergers or acquisitions hit—there were nearly 40,000 mergers or acquisition deals completed in 2023 alone—and your team doesn't have the agility required to respond to new requirements, you'll quickly end up with a backlog.

Gomo is a powerful platform that allows your L&D team and SMEs to author and collaborate effortlessly in the cloud. Simple drag-and-drop capabilities let you cut out time-consuming, finicky tasks and build optimized workflows. You can also choose from pre-set themes and even retroactively rebrand your courses at scale.

2) Bust barriers to learning content delivery

In a crisis, the last thing you need is slow delivery processes that keep employees in the dark and risk non-compliance.

The right authoring platform can help you stay prepared for challenging periods. With Gomo Live Delivery, for instance, you can quickly and easily update and deliver content. If you need to manually download, upload, and republish courses when new information comes out, even the simplest edit can take forever. But Gomo Live Delivery uses an LMS wrapper that allows you to publish learning content from the cloud. This means you only have to edit and update your content once, and your learners will have instant access to the latest eLearning, even if you use multiple LMSs.

Your colleagues or clients in compliance will thank you when laws change and you can make crucial updates in a matter of minutes, not weeks. Even better, you’ll have peace of mind that you can stay ahead of changes to regulations like the GDPR. And when new laws inevitably come into play, you won’t be caught off guard.

3) Don’t try to be a jack of all trades

As an instructional designer, you're often asked to wear different hats. From curriculum writer, to graphic designer, to project manager extraordinaire, you may be expected to do it all. This cuts into your own L&D time and can prevent you from keeping your skills sharp and making sure you’re ready to pivot when trends or your organization’s needs change.

Sometimes, saying ‘no’ to something outside your domain or asking for expert support isn’t possible. But outsourcing tasks to technology when they don't fall within your expertise, can be a quick win.

Make sure you have an eLearning authoring tool that includes an eLearning course creation wizard. Not only does a course creation wizard guide you through the process, but it also helps you take care of graphic design and accessibility elements quickly and easily.

Also, consider using AI. With Gomo, you can securely and easily integrate your ChatGPT account to review, translate, and generate learning content automatically with AI. These kinds of solutions can help you win back the time you need to keep your skills sharp.