A draft for application of Instructional Design

Let us say a major detergent manufacturer has factories at place ‘A’ and place ‘B’. The ingredients
are all centrally procured & supplied to both factories . Only packing operations are performed
manually ; all other activities being automated. While the sales & feedback on quality from place
‘A’ has been excellent ;at place ‘B’ there have been complaints of weight variation leaking packets
etc. What could be the problem ?

The major stake holders in the ‘X brand detergent ‘and primary issues in their perspective could be:

Owner : Competitors who could be magnifying minor teething troubles ;

Skills of the workmen ; storage facilities of dealers

Workers of the factory at place ‘B’ : Quality of machines used in packaging ; Inadequate training
at induction ; Bad working conditions & Wages

Dealers of the detergent at place ‘B’: Quality control & Technical Competence of place ‘A’
factory not enforced at ‘B’

Creditors to the business : Insufficient attention to factory at ‘B’

Buisness community & general public : Inadequate knowledge of market conditions at ‘A’ &
Practices of factory at ‘B’ not replicated at ‘A’

An industrial consultant has advised that the major issue was the skills of the workmen.

For an instructional designer the primary objective would be :

Identification of problem
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Needs & goals analysis Entry population analysis

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Task analysis

A great deal of sensitivity may be needed in resolving the issue since this appears to be a
performance problem. The “needs, goals & constraints” analysis should first help in establishing that
there is a need for training .Learner analysis can be simultaneously used to identify competencies .
This being an adult learning environment ‘Backward Design ‘ process would be the best solution .
This will focus on the desired results needed ; identify the methods for arriving at the results &
then design a training /learning or simulation programme to ensure the methods are applied

The worker being the major stake holder he would be earnest in resolving the issue . A
participatory role is thus encouraged .The final desired result being higher sales which means higher
profits leading to better wages - a major incentive. Enhancement of worker’s skills and
appreciation in the form of applying them to immediate tasks will be added incentives.

The following steps will illustrate the process to be followed in arriving at a training model :

1) Problem solving should begin with the learner (worker ) - trying out solutions at his task
level ; he should be given inputs to compare his task with the same done at place ‘A’.

2) Activation of learning process by recalling past experience or giving him the experience
through ‘simulation’ or other sources.

3) Demonstration by taking a peer group or core group to the plant at ‘A’ to learn the
actual task & make them the trainers for the plant at ‘B’

4) Application is encouraged i.e the learner is guided to apply the skills learnt ;
coaching being slowly withdrawn

5) Integration is facilitated : the new learner /trainers especially being encouraged to discuss
invent & create with the new knowledge .

This process will ensure satisfaction for all stake holders . Further what could become a major labour
confrontation would be resolved ethically. Financial interests will increase & be safe guarded . The
fact that a turnaround was made possible by the workforce itself will improve the industrial climate
& viability of similar projects.