"Lean" Training Development

Formal instructional design processes, like the standard ADDIE system (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate), have long been responsible for creating expensive training. In a manner similar to the movement away from cumbersome, linear, waterfall software development systems to more "lean," iterative methods, instructional design is moving to lean methods also.

Elsewhere in this blog I outlined a FAST development methodology for training, which you may want to check out. http://tipsbuscom.blogspot.com/2007/03/fast-training-development.html.

Sivasailam Thiagarajan, also known as "Thiagi," has been one of the more creative forces in instructional design for years. He has addressed lean approaches to instructional design in his article "Rapid Instructional Design" http://www.thiagi.com/article-rid.html. Here is a wealth of tips and techniques that every instructional designer or manager seeking faster training development ought to read.

David Orr