E-learning developer to instructional designer
An e-learning developer already meets 66% of what the instructional designer role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
45.9/ 100
1 How much of what an instructional designer is expected to do is already part of an e-learning developer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the instructional designer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An instructional designer role treats 23 of its required skills as things an e-learning developer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply ICT terminology
- authoring software
- compile content
- conduct content quality assurance
- content development processes
- create SCORM packages
What stands in the way is 13 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 40 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An instructional designer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an e-learning developer background worth leading with.
- already held apply ICT terminology communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held standards for web-based e-learning information and communication technologies (icts)
- already held create SCORM packages management skills
- already held instructional design models education
- already held learning management systems business, administration and law
- already held Absorb (learning management systems) information and communication technologies (icts)
All 40 carried skills, including the 23 the instructional designer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 19 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn conduct educational activities required
- still to learn teach writing required
- still to learn apply teaching strategies required
- still to learn proofread text required
- still to learn translate requirements into visual design required
- still to learn use different communication channels required
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held develop creative ideas optional
- optional, not held give live presentation optional
- still to learn translate requirement concepts into content required
- still to learn use scripting programming required
- still to learn apply tools for content development required
- optional, not held perform ICT troubleshooting optional
- still to learn instructional strategies required
- still to learn task algorithmisation required
- still to learn identify customer requirements required
- still to learn cognitive psychology required
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an instructional designer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 conduct educational activities practise this
- 02 instructional strategies study this
- 03 teach writing practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 40 skills that carry over
- already held apply ICT terminology skill
- already held authoring software knowledge
- already held compile content skill
- already held conduct content quality assurance skill
- already held content development processes knowledge
- already held create SCORM packages skill
- already held create script for artistic production skill
- already held design web-based courses skill
- already held develop digital content skill
- already held develop digital educational materials skill
- already held identify ICT user needs skill
- already held identify training needs skill
- already held instructional design models knowledge
- already held learning management systems knowledge
- already held manage content development projects skill
- already held manage content metadata skill
- already held provide multimedia content skill
- already held provide written content skill
- already held publishing strategy knowledge
- already held standards for web-based e-learning knowledge
- already held structure information skill
- already held use markup languages skill
- already held web programming knowledge
- already held AJAX knowledge
- already held Absorb (learning management systems) knowledge
- already held Brightspace (learning management systems) knowledge
- already held Canvas (learning management systems) knowledge
- already held Edmodo knowledge
- already held Engrade knowledge
- already held Grovo knowledge
- already held JavaScript knowledge
- already held LAMS knowledge
- already held Litmos knowledge
- already held Moodle knowledge
- already held Sakai knowledge
- already held Schoology knowledge
- already held Taleo knowledge
- already held WizIQ knowledge
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- already held keep up-to-date with training subjects skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held interactive media optional
- optional, not held perform project management optional
6 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held develop creative ideas optional
- optional, not held give live presentation optional
- optional, not held interactive media optional
- optional, not held perform ICT troubleshooting optional
- optional, not held perform project management optional
27 held skills the instructional designer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role Adobe Illustrator knowledge
- not needed by the target role Adobe Photoshop knowledge
- not needed by the target role CSS knowledge
- not needed by the target role GIMP (graphics editor software) knowledge
- not needed by the target role ICT software specifications knowledge
- not needed by the target role JSSS knowledge
- not needed by the target role LESS knowledge
- not needed by the target role Microsoft Visio knowledge
- not needed by the target role PHP knowledge
- not needed by the target role Sass knowledge
- not needed by the target role SketchBook Pro knowledge
- not needed by the target role Synfig knowledge
- not needed by the target role deliver online training skill
- not needed by the target role develop e-learning plan skill
- not needed by the target role develop inclusive communication material skill
- not needed by the target role develop learning curriculum skill
- not needed by the target role e-learning knowledge
- not needed by the target role e-learning software infrastructure knowledge
- not needed by the target role graphics editor software knowledge
- not needed by the target role identify technological needs skill
- not needed by the target role integrate content into output media skill
- not needed by the target role integrate system components skill
- not needed by the target role learning technologies knowledge
- not needed by the target role multimedia systems knowledge
- not needed by the target role optimise choice of ICT solution skill
- not needed by the target role style sheet languages knowledge
- not needed by the target role utilise content types skill
4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn instructional strategies required
- still to learn cognitive psychology required
- still to learn task algorithmisation required
- optional, not held interactive media optional
Common questions about this move
Can an e-learning developer become an instructional designer?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. An e-learning developer already covers 66% of what an instructional designer is expected to do: 40 skills carry over, 23 of which the instructional designer role treats as required.
What skills does an e-learning developer need to become an instructional designer?
13 required skills are missing, plus 6 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is conduct educational activities.
How hard is the move from e-learning developer to instructional designer?
Its learning distance is 45.9 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.