Episode 009 · Iterative design
Is ADDIE the problem, or is your plan too rigid?
What happens when new evidence challenges an approved plan? Test the tricky part early and discuss what should change before building the rest.
The idea
Leave room to learn something inconvenient.
We keep debating whether ADDIE is dead. A more useful question might be what happens when we discover a problem after the plan has been approved. Can we do anything with that information?
Sometimes watching someone use a system reveals a confusing button label rather than a knowledge gap. That changes the recommendation. It does not mean every new idea deserves a change in direction, but important evidence deserves a conversation.
Take it into your work
Three things to consider.
- Name the uncertainty early.
Be clear about what you think is happening and what you still need to check.
- Test the tricky part.
Let someone try an important decision before spending weeks polishing the entire experience.
- Bring the evidence back.
Explain what you learned, which part of the recommendation changes, and the implications for time and cost.
Try this
Check one assumption before you build the rest.
First
Write down one assumption that would change your recommendation if it turned out to be wrong.
Then
Test it with a few people, then discuss the evidence with stakeholders before continuing.
Take the thinking further.
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