Although ADDIE is the most commonly used instructional design model, the Agile approach to eLearning development is also being widely used by Instructional Designers and eLearning Specialists in all professional areas. The Agile methodology started as a software development process. It is characterized by the division of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans. Agile principles promote development, teamwork, collaboration, and process adaptability throughout the life-cycle of the project. 


In the world of software development, Agile was perceived as a new approach to quality and testing. As opposed to the Waterfall model, where the Testing phase always comes after the Development phase, in Agile, testing is done in the same iteration as programming. Agile is a project-oriented approach associated with agility in developing content. It is designed to compress development time and takes an entirely different approach to developing eLearning content in comparison to the ADDIE model. Simply put, Agile brings all the stakeholders and SMEs together in a scrum (meeting) session and forces them to agree on small chunks of the course. The accepted part of the puzzle is built in a short period, known as Iteration (typical iteration lasts two weeks), with any issues/changes addressed quickly. Once the chunk is developed and tested, the team then moves on to the next segment of the course.


Select the Play button and watch the first five minutes of this video to learn more about Agile.

Because in Agile, testing is done in every iteration, users can frequently use those new pieces of course to validate the value. After the users know the real value of the updated piece of courseware, they can make better decisions about the future of the course. Having a value retrospective and a re-planning session at the end of each iteration helps the team continuously adapt its plans and maximize the value of the final deliverable. 

This iterative practice also introduces a product mindset rather than the linear Waterfall mindset. One key downside with Agile is that documentation may be difficult since the prototyping and testing are happening simultaneously. 

Because of the short iteration style, Agile software development, has a strong connection with the lean startup concept, also known as the build-measure-learn feedback loop.


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