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Ye Olde Way
In traditional, project-oriented design settings, each new project was a
separate entity. Analysis, development, and production were defined by
the time line and requirements of each discrete project and instructional
designers produced design and content as an artisan custom crafting a
product for a customer. When this process works correctly, it works
very well. Students receive curriculum that is specifically fashioned
to address their needs. Trainers working with designers can advocate
for their students at many different levels. Everybody wins.
This disadvantages of this methodology are many:
- Inconsistency - Since every deliverable is independent
of every other, it is very difficult to create and enforce standards
between projects. Even if templates are used, designers tend to create
exceptions.
- Inefficiency - There are many opportunities for reusing
content that are missed, either because the designers are unaware of
legacy content that could be adapted or because that content is in a
format that makes it difficult to adapt this content to their current
project.
- Inaccuracy - Because each project recasts some of the
same information in a different way, there is no way to globally update
information and reissue training when changes occur.
- Scalability - As workloads increase and staffing levels
decline, there is no way to maintain output and quality levels.
Designers become frustrated, being unable to meet the expectations of
their audience.
- Tool Costs - Reliance on outmoded tools, different versions
of standard tools and fringe tools complicates things and makes people
less efficient. The additional cost of maintaining learning materials
sourced in multiple tools is enormous.
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2003-07-21