Artificial Intelligence’s effect on the business world is undeniable, permeating nearly every industry and working process. We too in the Learning and Development sphere are no strangers to the vast capabilities that AI possesses and have already put it to work in streamlining large parts of our roles and freeing up space to allow us to work more efficiently and effectively. AI’s benefits in L&D are numerous, and Instructional Designers (IDs) like me have seen a significant pay-off in utilizing AI, specifically Generative AI for all stages of the Instructional Design (ID) process. Opportunities for its application are seemingly endless and are only expected to grow in the years to come. Generative AI can be employed in every part of the ADDIE model, from drafting detailed questions for a subject matter expert to creating assessments for a learner.
It should be noted however, that Generative AI is not a time saver or a substitute for proper Instructional Design, and even when using it, a good ID must see it as a tool in their work box and nothing more. Generative AI must be used in the proper way, directed, observed and edited by an experienced L&D pro. Here is how to narrow down how to specifically use it:
1. Use Generative AI as a starting point for your training design.
Perhaps what first comes to mind when utilizing Generative AI for the ID process is the use of ChatGPT for creating the initial, raw material that a training will be based on. Using ChatGPT’s conversant AI, an Instructional Designer can place a directed prompt in either the form of a question or a statement and subsequently be given a variety of learner objectives and outcomes, based on the desired results of the training. On its own this is an extremely valuable timesaver, in our profession we spend hours structuring the beginning phase of a training. AI allows us to start working as soon as possible on the more “meaningful” parts of the design and development process.
That being said, objectives and outcomes produced by ChatGPT should be used for rough drafts only, and not as the definitive version. While it is excellent for getting an L&D pro started, giving them a page of ideas and content to work with when there was previously none. It is still up to an Instructional Designer to go through each objective and outcome created by Generative AI and edit, revise and perhaps rewrite what was said to appropriately align with what is intended in the training. Objectives and outcomes (what the learners are expected to accomplish during the training and what they can do after) are going to vary based on the project and client and will need to be tailored accordingly before and after client feedback.
ChatGPT can also be used to create an entire training outline from scratch within seconds. Beginning a course design is often the most challenging part of the ID process. It cannot be stated enough that a ChatGPT provided outline should be seen as a starting point for the design process
only and does not replace good Instructional Design work and best practices. Whatever is produced via Generative AI must be examined and audited to ensure that quality and accuracy is within stakeholder and learner needs.
One of the big concerns of Generative AI is its potential that it can be used as a crutch, and that Instructional Designers will become overly dependent on it without responsibly checking and ensuring the quality of the content that is produced. As the age-old adage goes, “Garbage in, garbage out.”
2. Create questions for a subject matter expert.
I have written before on the best ways to maximize your time with a Subject Matter Expert and Generative AI could be another asset to use when talking to SMEs. ChatGPT can be used to quickly draft content related questions that will make your time spent interviewing them as meaningful and effective as possible. Since SMEs provide us with essential information and clarify any ambiguity that we have when designing a course, it’s important to have the right types of questions prepared for the limited time available.
When you are going to use ChatGPT to create questions for a Subject Matter Expert, specificity counts. My strong recommendation would be to be as detailed as possible. Granted, you will most likely have to edit the questions that are produced to ensure complete accuracy, but you should structure the prompts entered in ChatGPT precisely. When prompting ChatGPT for SME questions, include things like the SME’s role, what they specialize in, information about the topic you are discussing, the profile of the learners, and finally the learning outcomes for the training.
Depending on your level of prompting, you can even go so far as to create an entire guide for how to conduct an SME interview. This might be especially useful if you are new to Instructional Design or the SME interviewing process in general, or if you need a refresher. ChatGPT can provide you with a guide to structure an interview, including what you want to accomplish after the interview, along with any relevant interviewing tips and tricks that guarantee you get the most out of any SME session.
3. Generate content related images.
A roadblock I often encounter during the development phase of the ID process is finding relevant images that suit the content I am creating. At times I can look for hours trying to find an appropriate image to no avail. Generative AI resolves this issue by crafting bespoke images based on prompts from the user. Since ChatGPT has been referenced several times already, while there are many image creators, it too is a free AI image generator that an Instructional Designer can use. Even generated images still require a high degree of specificity in the prompts that you enter, as the AI needs as much direction as possible to craft a custom image.
Be aware however of the fact that this is still an image constructed from AI and will have the common pitfalls of this kind of technology. AI generated images at times can appear exaggerated or not quite right, with a sense of unreality that does not suit the subject matter. It will be up to your discretion as an L&D pro to decide if the image is appropriate for the situation, or if you need to rely on a stock image instead.
Conclusion
Generative AI is a tool that has revolutionized Instructional Design, providing L&D teams the ability to create subject specific content within seconds. Generative AI tools will continue to progress and become increasingly more sophisticated and user-friendly. Even though it is extremely useful, we must be careful that AI does not replace the work that we should be doing as Instructional Designers, and it is up to us to ensure that anything created from AI is extensively reviewed for quality, accuracy and relevance. AI should be seen as a tool, or a supplement and not as a substitute for our best practices.