Instructional design is a robust field that requires constant vigilance to new technology and methodology. If you don’t hone your craft and keep your skills relevant, then you run the risk of being left behind.

Now, for those of us in the field this isn’t threatening in the least bit. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! We are excited to see what new gadgets are available and what new theories are being developed in instructional design.

But maybe you’re not in this line of work yet and just exploring the field. If so, the infographic below (created by ATD) gives you a quick snapshot as to what skills are in demand for an instructional designer today, as well as the trends that exist in terms of design methodology.

Unsurprisingly, we see that the three most often used design models continue to be ADDIE, Bloom’s Learning Taxonomy, and KirkPatrick’s 4 Levels of Training Evaluation.

While these models are definitely effective, I sometimes wonder if they are used just because they are the most well known? Famous for being famous perhaps? Still, if I were to start a project right now, I’d probably use two of the three on this list in some capacity.

The infographic touches on something that often bothers me in terms of how our industry is viewed. Specifically, identifying instructional designers as a “jack of all trades”. While many instructional designers do enjoy wearing this hat, it’s something to consider staying away from, especially if you’re looking for higher paychecks.

For more reports related to the elearning industry as a whole, make sure to check out ATD Research.