What is the ADDIE Model? How to use it to develop your team

The five phases of the ADDIE Model (and how to use them)

Let’s break down each phase and explore how you can use it to develop your team.

1. Analyse

The first step in the ADDIE model is all about understanding the needs of your team and your business. Ask yourself questions like:

• What skills or knowledge gaps do we need to address?
• What are the goals of this training? (e.g., boosting productivity, improving customer service, etc.)
• Who is the target audience, and what are their learning preferences?
• What desired change are we hoping to achieve from the training? 

For example, let’s say you run a sales team, and you’ve noticed a decline in performance. During the analysis phase, you might discover that your team struggles with new CRM software. The goal, then, could be to train them on how to use the software efficiently, reducing errors and improving sales tracking.

A core part of this phase also involves understanding your target audience (the trainees who will be undergoing your training) thoroughly. By noting characteristics such as their skill level, knowledge, and experience, this will allow you to tailor your training program to their needs and expectations.

By conducting a thorough needs analysis, you can create training programs that address the root of the problem rather than surface-level symptoms.

2. Design

Once you understand the problem you’re trying to solve and your goals, it’s time to design a solution. This phase focuses on planning the structure and content of your training program. Key considerations when planning a workshop or lesson include:

• Learning objectives: What do you want participants to achieve?
• Delivery methods: Will it be in-person, virtual, or a blend of both?
• Duration: How long will your training program be?
• Assessment strategies: How will you measure progress?
• Feedback: How will you obtain feedback from participants and what kind of feedback do you want to collect?

Following on from the example outlined in the Analyse phase, if your sales team needs to master the CRM software, you might design a series of short, hands-on workshops that include tutorials from an industry expert, practice exercises, and case studies of real-world scenarios.

Although it might seem optimal to make your program as comprehensive as possible, keep the design simple and aligned with your team’s day-to-day work. Overloading the program with unnecessary details can lead to disengagement, which is counterproductive to your learning objectives.

3. Develop

This phase is where your plan comes to life. It involves creating the actual training materials and resources based on the strategy and plan you created in the Design stage, such as:

• Slide decks or presentations
• Workbooks or handouts
• Interactive e-learning modules
• Role-play exercises
• Online courses
• Virtual or in-person workshops

Based on the questions proposed in the Design phase, consider whether you want to build your training program in-house or collaborate with an external learning provider. In both cases, an instructional designer is needed to ensure your learning product aligns with your prepared design specifications.

Decide where you want to host it (online or offline) and the software or tools you’ll need, such as video conferencing software like Zoom or a Learning Management System (LMS) to structure and organise your course content. 

Once you’ve created your course, workshop or other training solution, make sure to check for spelling/grammar errors, ease of navigation (how well learners are able to progress through the course) and content accuracy. You can test this by conducting pilots, product reviews and surveys with a team to identify room for improvement. 

Another example: For your CRM training, you might develop and film video tutorials that walk through key features, printable quick-reference guides, and a sandbox environment where your team can practice without fear of making mistakes. Test your materials with a small group before rolling them out to the entire team. This allows you to identify any confusing elements and make adjustments as needed.