December 8, 2024

FILED IN: Business Growth & Innovation, Business Mindset, Course Creation Best Practices, Done-For-You Course Creation

How to Think Like an Instructional Designer When You Are Creating Your Courses

4 Key Steps to Designing Impactful and Aligned Courses

Creating a course can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not an instructional designer. But the good news is, you don’t need to be one to think like one! By adopting the mindset of an instructional designer, you can create impactful, well-structured courses that resonate with your audience and deliver results.

If you’re looking for expert help to bring your course ideas to life, Dreampro offers:

Done-For-You Course Design Services: Create courses with instructional design expertise. Learn more here.
Dreampro Course Creation System: A step-by-step framework for course creators. Start here.

1. Know Your Goals and Align Everything to Them

The foundation of instructional design is goal alignment. To create a cohesive and impactful course:

Define the Transformation: What should participants achieve by the end of your course?
Plan Backward: Start with the desired outcome and map out the steps needed to get there.
Stay Focused: Avoid content that strays from your core objectives.

Pro Tip: Use a structured framework, like the Dreampro Course Creation System, to stay aligned with your goals. Start here.

2. Set Clear Expectations

Your audience wants to know what they’re signing up for and why it matters to them. To build trust and engagement:

Outline Objectives: Clearly state what learners will gain from the course.
Provide a Roadmap: Let learners know what to expect at each stage.
Show the Value: Explain why your course is worth their time and investment.

Pro Tip: Use your sales page and intro modules to set the stage for your course, addressing common questions and concerns upfront.

3. Relate Content to Learners’ Experiences

One of the most effective ways to engage learners is to connect your content to their real-world experiences. To do this:

Know Your Audience: Understand their challenges, goals, and perspectives.
Create Relevance: Use examples and scenarios that mirror their lives.
Encourage Reflection: Include prompts that help learners relate the content to their own experiences.

Pro Tip: Build activities or discussions into your course that invite learners to share their experiences and insights.

4. Share Content in Multiple Formats

To maximize engagement and cater to different learning styles:

Diversify Delivery: Offer videos, written materials, audio options, and interactive tools.
Repurpose Content: Use your course materials across platforms like YouTube, blogs, and social media to attract a broader audience.
Think Accessibility: Provide captions, transcripts, and other resources to ensure inclusivity.

Pro Tip: Designing content for different platforms not only increases accessibility but also extends the reach of your brand.

Bonus Tips for Thinking Like an Instructional Designer

Always Test and Refine: Collect feedback and continuously improve your course.
Focus on Engagement: Use quizzes, challenges, and polls to keep learners active.
Evaluate Outcomes: Measure whether learners achieve the intended transformation.