All L&D teams want to consistently deliver high quality solutions to their internal customers. To achieve this, everyone on the team needs to approach the work in a similar way – and that “way” needs to allow them to produce results. So, they do what most L&D teams do: standardize on an instructional design model, or a procedure of some sort. This makes complete sense. If we need consistent quality, having everyone follow the same procedure is a logical move.
ID models to not ensure quality learning
Here’s the problem: most ID models are not learning tools – they’re project management tools. They prescribe the steps you should follow to get a product out the door – and that’s critical. But within each step, there are lots of decisions you have to make that will affect whether anyone learns from your solution. For these decisions, you’re on your own. The models provide little direction on these things. So many important decisions are left to the judgement of the people implementing the process. That’s where the inconsistency and quality problems creep in.
A shared understanding of quality
Instructional design models will help you get to the finish line. They will not, however, ensure that you get there with the right product. For that, everyone on the L&D team needs to share the same notion of what quality really means. They need to know what good looks like. They need a north star to guide the decisions they make regardless of the procedures they follow. Ideally, a north star informed by learning science. This is where learning standards come in.
The benefits of learning standards
Learning standards define what good instruction looks like in clear, observable, measurable ways. With a strong set of standards, everyone on the L&D team evaluates each moment-to-moment decision against the standard and evaluates their deliverables against them. Standards strengthen the team’s ability to rationalize their decisions to key stakeholders. Practiced long enough, L&D team members internalize the standards – they become a reflexive part of daily work.
Furthermore, quality standards add consistency and structure to coaching and feedback. L&D leaders can use standards in reviews of interim deliverables, project debriefings, and even in performance development conversations. Quality standards can even play a role in development plans for L&D professionals, helping to pinpoint areas of strength and opportunities for growth.
A force for team alignment
In sum, a good set of quality standards, applied in the right way, can transform an L&D team. They create a uniform system for getting everyone on the same page and institutionalizing the team’s way of working. They are an indispensable requirement for establishing an L&D team that consistently delivers results for their internal stakeholders.
