What Digital Tools Do I Use?
The digital platforms IDs use vary by preference, company, and role.
When I was studying to be an instructional designer, I focused largely on Articulate Storyline and Camtasia. That paid off because I do use those often in my ID role at a large investment management firm. We don't develop a ton of new content in Storyline, but for managing existing curriculum I'm glad I have those eLearning development skills.
Adobe Illustrator has come in handy for designing visuals, but I know other people on my team prefer PowerPoint, and other companies use Canva. The end results look the same. One year ago, I exclusively created infographics in Apple Pages, so I have come a long way!
Basic video production skills are also a huge plus. Transferring my iMovie knowledge to Camtasia on my work computer didn’t take very long. I make loads of video demos, explainers, screencasts, etc.
The biggest deciding factor in choosing a tool is the learning objective, but modality and time frame can also influence the decision. For example, if I want to design a scenario-based activity where an employee has to practice making recommendations for a client, I can build that most efficiently in Articulate Rise.
Something else to consider is not forcing your learner to have multiple tabs open. Developing directly in a digital classroom environment like NovoEd can create a streamlined experience for the user, and you can embed more complex Storyline interactions on the page.
Some instructional designers only craft learning experiences in a Word doc/OneNote and then a developer builds their creation from there. Some IDs find ways to utilize their HTML/CSS skills!
The tech you use as an ID can vary widely. More important than your mastery of any single tool is your thirst to learn and commitment to constant upskilling.
