What does an instructional design technologist do?
Instructional design technologists are professionals who focus on the creation of curriculum for instruction solutions in companies. The technologists contribute to businesses' cost savings as they determine the opportunities of transferring facilitator lead training to eLearning. They create virtual assessments and offer feedback as well as recommendations to project teams. Their tasks may include collaboration with small and medium enterprises to better understand the systems and applications before documentation or training creation. Communication, people, and time management skills are necessary for this job.
Instructional design technologist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real instructional design technologist resumes:
- Contribute significantly to cost savings by identifying opportunities to transfer facilitator lead training to eLearning.
- Lead the virtualization of military training exercises and provide periods of instruction using virtual simulations.
- Apply the ADDIE model to design and deliver product and procedural training courses for large commercial card migration project.
- Develop alignment training materials including PowerPoint presentations.
- Develop interactive learning tools utilizing adobe captivate and PowerPoint.
- Used Sharepoint to upload course files.
- Load courses in Sharepoint for team review cycles.
- Format the HTML code so it conforms to require company standards.
- Design instructor-led training (ILT) and online courses using an ADDIE model.
- Design storyboards for various WBTs in revision and record training modules using Camtasia.
- Involve formatting of training material as well as ensuring accuracy, both technically and in HTML format.
- Collaborate with design team and SMEs to ensure consistency in flow of topics and appropriate level of material is covered.
- Communicate effectively with stakeholders, SMEs and team members to ensure core objectives are met and expectations exceed on every project.
- Develop modules for eLearning for credit base applications.
- Develop and validate computer-delivered training in the areas of mathematics and electronics on a part-time basis.
Instructional design technologist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Instructional Design Technologists are proficient in Customer Service, Professional Development, and Curriculum Design. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Decision-making skills.
We break down the percentage of Instructional Design Technologists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 16%
Developed and delivered Training Skills Delivery courses and Customer ServiceTraining programs for internal use.
- Professional Development, 10%
Facilitated online professional development modules for educators in the state of North Carolina.
- Curriculum Design, 7%
Conducted research on and determined future projects of curriculum design, development, implementation, and evaluation.
- Instructional Design, 6%
Work closely within the instructional design team taking strategic and operational direction from the Senior Director of Education Development.
- Subject Matter Experts, 5%
Designed and developed presentation for Train-the-Trainer Workshop enabling subject matter experts to understand and apply adult learning principles in classroom training
- PowerPoint, 4%
Developed interactive learning tools utilizing adobe captivate and PowerPoint.
Most instructional design technologists use their skills in "customer service," "professional development," and "curriculum design" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential instructional design technologist responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an instructional design technologist to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "instructional coordinators evaluate student test data and teaching strategies." Instructional design technologists often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "interviewed subject matter experts, super users and other stakeholders to gather technical data and to understand the roles and processes. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform instructional design technologist duties is communication skills. Instructional design technologists responsibilities require that "instructional coordinators need to clearly explain changes in the curriculum and teaching standards to school staff." Instructional design technologists also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "create training materials for a variety of public safety communication system. "
Decision-making skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of instructional design technologists is decision-making skills. This skill is critical to many everyday instructional design technologist duties, as "instructional coordinators must be decisive when recommending changes to curriculums, teaching methods, and textbooks." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "determined appropriate course structure and learning objectives as it pertains to adult learning theory. "
Interpersonal skills. For certain instructional design technologist responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "interpersonal skills." The day-to-day duties of an instructional design technologist rely on this skill, as "instructional coordinators need to be able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with teachers, principals, and other administrators." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what instructional design technologists do: "designed and facilitated interpersonal skills classes focused on employee development of emotional intelligence. "
Leadership skills. Another common skill required for instructional design technologist responsibilities is "leadership skills." This skill comes up in the duties of instructional design technologists all the time, as "instructional coordinators serve as mentors to teachers." An excerpt from a real instructional design technologist resume shows how this skill is central to what an instructional design technologist does: "developed and designed elearning life sciences, leadership and compliance/regulatory courses that are 508 and scorm compliant. "
See the full list of instructional design technologist skills
The three companies that hire the most instructional design technologists are:
- Universal Technical Institute8 instructional design technologists jobs
- Google5 instructional design technologists jobs
- UNC Health Care3 instructional design technologists jobs
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Compare different instructional design technologists
Instructional design technologist vs. Lead performance support analyst
A curriculum developer is responsible for managing instructional materials, providing recommendations to the teachers, and making adjustments to the current student's curriculum to adhere to the highest educational standards and policies. Curriculum developers also facilitate and offer assistance for any implemented procedures. They also manage and address concerns regarding the learning standards and consider recommendations for curriculum improvement. A curriculum developer must have extensive knowledge of the education system to plan out the necessary teachers' training and coaching.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an instructional design technologist are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "professional development," "curriculum design," and "instructional design." On the other hand, a job as a lead performance support analyst requires skills like "roi," "npv," "data integrity," and "state regulations." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
On average, lead performance support analysts reach higher levels of education than instructional design technologists. Lead performance support analysts are 28.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Instructional design technologist vs. Curriculum developer
A curriculum designer creates and implements educational programs in schools, colleges, and other organizations that offer training and educational services. They usually work with teachers and academic administrators in establishing guidelines, academic roadmaps, and policies. A curriculum designer is also responsible for creating lesson plans and learning materials, conducting research and assessments, establishing curriculum timelines, and analyzing feedback from students, teachers, and administrators. They also monitor the students' academic progress to be able to make curriculum adjustments or changes when necessary.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that instructional design technologist responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "curriculum design," "sharepoint," and "graphic design." But a curriculum developer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "cloud computing," "sql," "project management," and "javascript."
On average, curriculum developers earn a lower salary than instructional design technologists. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, curriculum developers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $65,147. Whereas instructional design technologists have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $75,235.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Curriculum developers tend to reach similar levels of education than instructional design technologists. In fact, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Instructional design technologist vs. Technology infusion specialist
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an instructional design technologist is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "professional development," "curriculum design," and "instructional design," while a typical technology infusion specialist is skilled in "chemotherapy," "usp," "syringes," and "catheter."
When it comes to education, technology infusion specialists tend to earn lower degree levels compared to instructional design technologists. In fact, they're 18.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Instructional design technologist vs. Curriculum designer
Types of instructional design technologist
Updated January 8, 2025
