Is the instructional system design (ISD) model too slow to meet today’s business challenges? Is ADDIE Dead?  Is there a better way to design performance interventions? These are some of the questions that we occasionally wrestle with at TiER1.  There is a healthy amount of research on this topic (a quick list of resources is listed at the bottom of the blog).  But these are not merely academic debates.  We are attempting to find better and faster ways to help our customers improve performance within their organizations. I summarize the two sides of the debate in the first of four installments...

---

For a small consulting firm of 60 people (and growing), we are pretty unique in that we have a Research and Innovation team within our company. How many can say that? Most of our research is conducted in the area of learning and training performance. Through our Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR grants) for the Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, and other government agencies, we are able to dedicate our resources to adding value to the research community. Recently, a team of us went to Colorado Springs to conduct an experiment examining the differences between our accelerated...

---

So, I found some great creative inspiration yesterday…rather, inspiration for making great “creative.” I was pointed to a lecture given by John Cleese on his personal creative process. (You know, the guy from the great Monty Python movies.) He had some great insight on cultivating the fertile soil from which creativity can blossom. First, let me clarify what I mean by “creative,” as the term is used (and in my opinion, misused) so often these days. Many use it as a noun, referring to “the product or products of a designer directly involved in a creative marketing process.” Even...

---

During the interview process, interviewees sometimes ask me what it takes to be successful as an instructional designer in the Pittsburgh office. I usually tell them that like Pittsburghers of the past, they need to wear many hats. They have to be good writers. August Wilson, native Pittsburgh playwright and winner of two Pulitzer prizes They have to be good listeners. Fred Rogers, native Pittsburgher beloved by millions of children They have to be committed to constant improvement and learning. Rachel Carson, inventor of the environment And they have to work efficiently. Andrew...

---

We think we have some pretty smart folks here at TiER1, and apparently we aren't the only ones who think that. Our own TiER1 experts have been selected to present at three national conferences in 2011. Not only are we excited to share our knowledge and experience with our peers, but we are proud of the hard work we've done to have information to present(and we are jealous of the presenters that get to travel to fun places). New Learning Technologies 2011 SALT Conference, February 23-25, Orlando, FL Integrating Learning Acceleration, Rich Assessment of Errors, & Scenario-Based Simulation Training...

---