Project Management for Instructional Development
EDUC 768
This University of Wisconsin– Stout course was an examination of the initiation, planning, and closure of projects and practical knowledge on managing project scope, work breakdown structure, schedules, and resources including budgeting as part of an analysis of the life cycle of an instructional design project. It also included basic instructional design tasks of analysis, design, development, and evaluation.
Case Study
I was part of a team of four that made up a fictitious consulting company called East Central Solutions. Our task was to help Happy Products and More, a mail-order and internet catalog business.
Click on a document below to see our work:
Gap Analysis/Needs Assessment Strategy
Conducting a gap analysis/needs assessment is important for determining root causes of presenting performance or business issues and giving the client what they need. Doing a gap analysis helps instructional designers to know the problem in order to create an appropriate solution.
Performance analysis reports are a way to document research and findings and provide evidence for the recommendations the instructional design team will make. This report gives clients a clear picture of what you’ve concluded are root causes to the performance issues with their corresponding solutions and recommendations.
Project Charter
Project charters are important documents to ensure that both the instructional designer and the client are on the same page before the project starts. This is a binding agreement between the designer and the client.
Sponsor Meeting
The sponsor meeting is to discuss the proposed solutions and come to an agreement on the first project as well as the timing of that project.
Post-Sponsor Meeting Agreement
The post-sponsor meeting agreement is to ensure that the instructional designer(s) and client are on the same page after the sponsor meeting.
Project Management Plan
The project management plan is important for giving the details for how the instructional designer(s) will carry out the project. For example, this document includes a full schedule of tasks and a list of roles and responsibilities for both the client and the designer(s).
Design Document
The design document is is important for thinking through the course at a detailed level before producing any materials. The design document gives the client the details about the training in regards to performance objectives, delivery, instruction, assessment, media required, etc.
Facilitator Guide
The facilitator guide provides all instructors with the same content and directions in order to make all trainings consistent. The guide ensures that the designer’s solutions to the problems are implemented as planned.
