Training Design Essentials

Design, Develop, and Launch Outstanding Training Programs

Designing training programs can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time. Training Design Essentials is your practical, step-by-step guide to creating effective instructional programs. It unpacks why design matters, introduces core concepts of adult learning and learning experience design, and explores the many forms training can take—from face-to-face and virtual classrooms to self-paced e-learning programs.

Internationally renowned workplace learning expert and educator Saul Carliner walks you through the entire training design process: planning, designing, developing, launching, and evaluating. Worksheets and exercises offer immediate application opportunities. Along the way, you’ll learn how to:

• Analyze learner needs and define measurable objectives.
• Select the right formats, media, and strategies to achieve results.
• Craft content for engagement and effectiveness.
• Manage projects within real-world constraints.
• Administer programs after they go live to learners

The book focuses on “unplugged” design, helping you master the essentials with minimal reliance on AI. It provides instructional designers with the foundation they need to collaborate effectively with AI and verify and refine the output from those collaborations.

Whether you’re a new L&D professional, an instructor adding design to your role, or a subject matter expert tasked with training others, this book gives you the confidence and skills to create programs that deliver results.