UX and ID
How does user experience relate to instructional design?
UX= how people interact with a product
For instructional designers, our “people” = our learners, and our “product” = our learning designs. Instead of being user-centered, we are learner-centered.
The user research in which UX designers engage reflects the needs analysis of IDs. This exploratory phase is where we both (UX and ID) identify problems and develop solutions.
If IDs align with the principles of user experience design, we have an obligation to create conditions that lead to a positive experience for our learners. Research shows that negative emotions impedes learning in adults. So if a learning experience is confusing or inaccessible, that frustration the learner feels could devalue the whole experience.
Instructional designers can take away a big lesson from UX: deeply understanding our learners through empathy. We must consider their perspective and synthesize that understanding with what we know about the business needs.
UX is just one of many tools we can keep in our ID toolbox to be effective.
