Project Planning Methodologies |
| Click Here for Example |
Project management (PM) is “…a set of principles, methods,
tools, and techniques for the effective management of objective-oriented work
in the context of a specific and unique organizational environment” (Knutson
and Bitz, 1991, Pg. 2).
Instructional design is “the systematic and reflective
process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional
materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation” (Smith and Ragan,
1999, p. 2).
Managing an instructional design project is vastly different from creating the instruction or deliverables for it. As a current designer, manager, and PM for instructional design projects or initiatives, I find myself bouncing back and forth in these roles. In my opinion, if you are a strong instructional designer you will have difficulty making these transitions between the roles. A PM diving into the details of a designer’s work is required at times, but should be done sparingly. Regardless, a good instructional designer must have both competencies to a certain degree. If you are manager or supervising multiple instructional design projects, the PM competencies come to the forefront.
The example above provides a glimpse on how I establish
management of an instructional design project.
References
Knutson, J., & Bitz, I. (1991). Project management: How
to plan and manage successful projects. American Management Association, NY.
Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. L. (1998). Instructional
design (2nd ed.) New York: Merrill.
