AP Learning

Last time, I talked about the “Ego Design” during the design phase. This time, let’s look at a common pitfall in the development phase: going too far with your own rules.

Why Having Your Own Touch Matters

As an instructional designer, having your own touch isn’t a bad thing at all.

For example:

• “I want a bright look, so I’ll avoid using black backgrounds as much as possible.”
• “I’ll dedicate a whole page to explaining this important concept.”

If these touches are effective, they’re actually a strength worth keeping.

However, if they go in the wrong direction… learners can get left behind.

Common “Obsession”

Developing with “My own rules” in mind

After getting passionate about the design, when you start developing materials and content, it’s easy to prioritize your own rules over the learners’ needs, such as:

• “Let’s put two sections per page for consistency. Hmm… the text looks cramped. But if I shrink this diagram and move it here… done!”
• “This part is important, so I’ll highlight it in yellow. And this diagram is important too, so I’ll add a huge one right next to the highlight.”

…Are these decisions really for the learner’s benefit?

I tend to create my own rules too, so this hits close to home (lol). But what satisfies me as the creator doesn’t necessarily mean high learning effectiveness.

Neglecting Accessibility

This self-centered approach can also lead to overlooking accessibility:

• Font sizes are too small
• Colour contrast is insufficient
• Screen reader compatibility is missing

Each might seem minor, but creating a learning environment that works for everyone means considering diverse learners. Making materials that are only easy for you to read can create real barriers for some learners, significantly reducing the effectiveness of your carefully developed content.

ID Solution

From an instructional design perspective, it’s important to keep these points in mind:

• Constantly check during development: “Is this easy to see from the learner’s standpoint?”
• Utilize checklists aligned with accessibility guidelines (such as WCAG)
• Evaluate deliverables based on: “Is this necessary for achieving the learning objectives?”
• If time permits, test with actual learners and diverse users

Summary: Are your Obsessions effectively working to support your learners?

This time, we looked at the common pitfall of “going too far with your own rules” during development.

Instructional materials and content are tools to help learners achieve their goals—not an expression of the creator’s personal preferences or vanity.

Being mindful of this is the first step to turning your hard work into a truly valuable learning experience.

【For Corporate Training & ID Solutions, connect with us below.↓↓↓】

→ [Contact Us]

→ [Free Consultation Request Form]