Instructional Design on a Shoestring - (On a Shoestring) by Brian Washburn (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Design Effective Training Programs Despite Limited Resources

Instructional Design on a Shoestring offers talent development professionals a process for developing effective training programs, even with limited resources. Expert instructional designer Brian Washburn applies the ADDIE model of instructional design and the Build-Borrow-Buy approach to provide guidance, quick tips, and shortcuts for designing a range of training modalities, including in-person, virtual and asynchronous, and self-guided e-learning.

With this book, you will learn to build the structure of the instructional design process, effective formal and informal learning experiences, and an ecosystem that supports the learning initiatives. This crash-course of a book also guides you on working with subject matter experts, supervisors, and early testers and drawing learning design ideas from unfamiliar places. You'll learn how and when to make decisions for using tools and technologies, hiring external help, and purchasing off-the-shelf training programs to speed up the work.

Even if you don't have a ton of time or access to a lot of money, you can still produce an effective learning experience based on sound educational theory and adult learning principles.

About the On a Shoestring Series

The Association for Talent Development's On a Shoestring series helps professionals successfully execute core topics in training and talent development when facing limitations of time, money, staff, and other resources. Using the Build-Borrow-Buy approach to problem solving, this series is designed for practitioners who work as a department of one, for new or "accidental" trainers, instructional designers, and learning managers who need fast, inexpensive access to practical strategies that work, and for those who work for small organizations or in industries that have limited training and development resources.

Review Quotes

"This veritable playbook for effective instructional design-even with limited resources--will get you off the sidelines and onto the field. Leverage this easy-to-follow guide to help you deliver optimal solutions and results for your learners, your leaders, and your organization."

--Lorri Freifeld, Editor and Publisher, Training Magazine

"Brian Washburn's Instructional Design on a Shoestring presents a radically simplified approach to the often-complex job of designing and developing training. He provides tools, resources, and processes to increase your efficiency and cost effectiveness, giving you the time for more creativity and innovation in your learning design. A must-have guide for any learning designer!"

--Brandon Carson, Global Head of L&D, Starbucks

"This will easily become the go-to resource for anyone who wants to design learning that creates effective results. Brian Washburn is 'ruthless' at helping readers learn how to ask the right questions to get to the right solutions, no matter the length of the shoestring."

--Kassy LaBorie, Speaker, Consultant, and Author of Interact and Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars

"Instructional Design on a Shoestring is a terrific text for the e-learning or instructional designer faced with an all-too-common problem--not having access to all the resources available to design training. This book will be useful for my training and development students and to professionals who are asked to build training with few resources. This book would have helped me immensely when I was starting my career, and I believe it will help you too."

--Sy Islam, Vice President of Consulting, Talent Metrics

"This is an insightful guide to maximizing your instructional design projects' brilliance even within budget constraints. The author expertly weaves together strategies, tools, services, and resources that are readily implementable."

--Kate Udalova, Founder, 7taps Microlearning

About the Author

Brian Washburn is the co-founder and CEO of Endurance Learning, a boutique instructional design firm specializing in generating creative and unique instructor-led or e-learning programs for a client base that ranges from small nonprofit organizations to major Fortune 500 companies. He is the author of What's Your Formula? Combine Learning Elements for Impactful Training. He can be found through his Train Like a Champion blog and hosts Train Like You Listen: An L&D Podcast. He lives in Seattle, Washington.