IDS and their many hats, and when adding more heads

When a hat is not enough for identifiers

When people hear the title “educational designer”, they often imagine someone who simply writes content for training. But whoever has already worked on a learning and development solution (L&D) knows the truth: the educational designers (IDS) carry many hats.

From the screenwriter to the developer, to the AQ reviewer to the LMS administrator, and sometimes even to the voiceover artist, the educational designers juggle with a mixture of creative, technical and strategic responsibilities. It is not surprising that they are often called the Swiss army knife of the world L&D. But here is the question to a million dollars:

Is it always preferable to count on a multi-vidged person-or are the projects more effective when the roles are divided between specialists?

Let's decompose it.

All hats ID can wear

To really appreciate the versatility of a solid educational designer, take a look at the roles they often play in a project:

1. Screenwriter and screenwriter
   IDS develops the learning journey, writing clear and engaging scripts and storyboards that describe content, narration, activities and evaluations on the screen.
2. Developer Elearning
   Using tools, they give life to courses with interactivity and visual design.
3. Vocal talent
   In small teams, the ID can record a temporary or even final narration.
4. Quality insurance (QA)
   IDS tests their own work, or others, for accuracy, accessibility and technical bugs.
5. LMS administrator
   They can download, test and help courses in your learning management system (LMS)
6. User test facilitator
   IDs coordinate pilot tests and analyze the comments of real users.
7. Needs analysis driver
   Identifiers often start by identifying performance gaps, commercial objectives and public needs.
8. Expert in matters (SMEs)
   Sometimes ID is the SME, in particular when reuses internal documents or compliance content.
9. Project manager and communicator
   They juggle deadlines, stakeholder meetings and team collaboration.

It's impressive – and sometimes overwhelming. So, is this all-in-one model really beneficial for your project?

When an educational designer is enough

For small projects, the hiring of a versatile identifier that can manage several roles is effective and profitable. If the course is simple – for example, a 30 -minute compliance module with a tight chronology – a qualified educational designer can wear all the hats and do it quickly.

The advantages include:

1. Rationalized communication (one person with whom to coordinate)
2. Faster recovery time
3. Lower overall cost
4. Coherent voice and style throughout the project

Best for:

Short modules, internal audiences, simple updates or pilot programs with limited budgets.

When specialized roles make the difference

However, for complex learning and development solutions, the workload division between specialists can considerably improve the final result. Suppose your project includes a video based on a scenario, personalized animations, assessments and multilingual support. Asking a person to manage all of this could lead to professional exhaustion, delays or lower quality in the fields outside of their expertise.

Calling on specialists such as graphic designers, AQ testers, voice professionals or even a separate project manager allows each member of the team to focus on what they do best – and this results in:

1. Visuals, narrative and better quality interactivity.
2. Better alignment with commercial performance measures.
3. Aq more in -depth, reducing the risks of errors.
4. A stronger and more polished final product.

Best for:

Leadership development programs, product training, compliance courses for the external public or any project where the return on investment and commitment are essential.

Advice to decide which approach suits you

So, how do you decide to hire an educational designer or to build a complete project team? Here are some tips:

1. Define the scope and complexity of the project

If your training involves several modules, a personalized brand, a video and assessments related to commercial objectives, you will probably need more than one expert.

2. Consider your calendar and your internal bandwidth

Short deadline and no internal criticism? A team of specialists can work in parallel. For an internal deployment to the slower rate, a solo ID can be fair.

3. Think of performance results

The more strategic training, the more important it is to measure success through performance measures. High issues projects often justify a larger team to ensure the effectiveness of learning.

4. Do not underestimate AQ tests and user tests

Even the right lessons need in -depth tests. If you do not have an internal revision capacity, consider bringing an QA tester or a dedicated pilot coordinator.

5. Talk to your seller or consultant

They can offer packages on several levels or recommend hybrid models, such as associating a lead ID with support roles for development and AQ.

The essential: good talent = less stress + better results

At the end of the day, there is no unique answer. Some of the best learning and development solutions come from a single talented educational designer, while others greatly benefit from a team of collaborative specialists. If you are targeting the higher commitment of the learner, stronger retention and measurable performance improvements, consider the skills necessary to get there – and that they all live in one person or must be distributed in a team. Because when the right people are in the right roles? This is when your training project becomes a real success.

Originally published on April 19, 2025