The Many Hats of an Instructional Designer

"Can you turn this PowerPoint into an e-learning course?"

It's a request many instructional designers receive.

And every time I hear it, I'm reminded of how misunderstood our profession still is.

From the outside, it can seem like instructional designers simply create training. Build presentations. Develop e-learning. Design workshops.

Those are certainly part of what we do.

But they're not what we do.

They're the outcome of what we do.

The photo below is my way of illustrating that reality. Each arm represents a different role I step into as an instructional designer. While the image is a playful exaggeration, the message is real. Every one of those roles requires a different mindset, a different skill set, and the ability to switch between them—sometimes within the same hour.

The issue is not creating learning.

The issue is understanding how to improve performance.

It Starts with Questions, Not Content

People often assume my work begins when someone asks for training.

It doesn't.

It begins with questions.

• What problem are we trying to solve?

• Is this really a learning issue?

• What are people struggling to do?

• What does success actually look like?

I've learned that many workplace problems have nothing to do with a lack of knowledge. Sometimes the process is broken. Sometimes expectations are unclear. Sometimes people have never been given the right tools to succeed.

Creating training before understanding the problem is like prescribing medication before making a diagnosis.

It may help.

It may not.

I Wear the Hat of a Performance Consultant

One of the most valuable parts of my role happens long before I open an authoring tool.

I spend time understanding the work itself.

That means asking questions, interviewing subject matter experts, observing tasks, reviewing procedures, identifying risks, and understanding the environment in which people perform.

The better I understand the work, the better I can design learning that supports it.

Because effective training doesn't start with content.

It starts with context.

I Become a Translator

One of the challenges I genuinely enjoy is working with subject matter experts.

Whether they're engineers, technicians, safety specialists, or other professionals, they possess an incredible depth of knowledge.

The challenge isn't that they know too little.

It's that they know so much.

Much of their expertise has become automatic. They make complex decisions without consciously thinking about them anymore.

My job is to uncover that invisible expertise and translate it into learning experiences that make sense for someone who is still developing those skills.

The goal isn't to simplify expertise.

It's to make it accessible.

I Think Like a Learning Scientist

People don't learn because information is presented to them.

If that were true, every presentation would change behavior.

Every policy would be followed.

Every procedure would be remembered.

We know that's not how learning works.

People learn when they understand why something matters, when they can connect it to what they already know, when they practice applying it, and when they receive meaningful feedback.

That's why instructional design is as much about psychology as it is about content development.

The issue is not whether learners completed the course.

The issue is whether they can do something differently afterwards.

I Wear the Project Manager Hat Too

Instructional design is often imagined as a creative profession.

And it is.

But creativity is only one piece of the puzzle.

Every project involves timelines, reviews, competing priorities, stakeholder expectations, revisions, approvals, and countless moving parts.

Some days I spend more time coordinating people than creating learning.

Without project management, even the best instructional design never reaches the learner.

Creativity Has a Purpose

People often notice the visuals, interactions, and activities in a learning program.

What they don't see are the decisions behind them.

Every image should support understanding.

Every scenario should feel authentic.

Every interaction should have a purpose.

Good instructional design isn't about making learning entertaining.

It's about making learning meaningful.

Sometimes the most effective design is the one learners barely notice because everything simply makes sense.

Technology Is Only Part of the Story

Yes, I work with learning management systems, authoring tools, multimedia software, AI, accessibility standards, and a growing list of digital technologies.

But knowing how to use software doesn't make someone an instructional designer.

Technology helps us build learning.

It doesn't tell us what learners need.

It doesn't identify performance gaps.

And it certainly doesn't replace critical thinking.

Tools evolve.

The principles of good learning design remain remarkably consistent.

Communication Is the Skill That Connects Everything

If someone asked me which skill instructional designers use most often, my answer wouldn't be Storyline or PowerPoint.

It would be communication.

Every day I move between conversations with business leaders, subject matter experts, project sponsors, managers, learners, and fellow learning professionals.

Each conversation has a different purpose.

Each audience has different priorities.

Being able to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions respectfully, and communicate complex ideas clearly may be the most important skill of all.

So… What Does an Instructional Designer Actually Do?

People often ask what software an instructional designer should learn.

I think there's a better question.

• Can they identify a performance problem?

• Can they analyze the work?

• Can they collaborate with experts?

• Can they communicate effectively?

• Can they design learning that helps people perform with greater confidence and competence?

Because instructional design has never been about building courses.

It's about helping people succeed in their work.

The course is simply one of the tools we use to get there.

Final Thoughts

When people look at the photo accompanying this article, they usually notice the multiple arms.

I hope they also notice what they represent.

Every arm symbolizes a different role I step into throughout my day.

• Consultant

• Analyst

• Researcher

• Writer

• Designer

• Project manager

• Technology specialist

• Communicator

Some days I wear one hat at a time.

More often, I wear several before lunch.

And that's exactly what makes instructional design such a rewarding profession.