Analysis of the instructional system design (ISD) to improve training product delivery to United States Army soldiers

The United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) has the challenge of delivering training products to Soldiers using a thirty year old Instructional System Design (ISD) model (SAT) that served the organization well when fully manned with personnel. Today the TRADOC organization is at 69% of its required strength. The lack of personnel has had a direct impact on the organization's ability to deliver training products. This study described the current reality of the ISD Process within the TRADOC and sought to answer the question of the continued viability of the 30 year old SAT process. The methodology used in this descriptive study included a questionnaire, interviews, and focus groups. As support for the continuation of the current SAT instructional design process was mixed, the following recommendations were made: management at all levels needs to understand the SAT process and to ensure its efficient implementation; all training leaders assigned to institutional training leadership positions in TRADOC should attend Senior Leaders Training Development Course prior to assumption of duties; funding and staffing should be increased; emphasize the evaluation function as a critical part of the ISD process; assign the Army Research Institute a study project comparing ISD methodologies. In the short-term it was recommended that more training developers be hired and trained and assigned to multi-disciplinary teams that use automated tools that will speed the SAT process and increase the emphasis on the evaluation of the SAT process as a part of the Quality Assurance Office mission in TRADOC and staffing increased in this critical area.