ADDIE Model
ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implement, Evaluate) is a model of the ISD family (Instructional System Design). It has evolved several times over the years to become iterative, dynamic, and user friendy. ISD includes other models, such as the Dick & Carey (2004) and Kemp (Gustafson, Branch, 1997) models.
While the concept of ISD has been around since the early 1950s, ADDIE first appeared in 1975. It was created by the Center for Educational Technology at Florida State University for the U.S. Army and then quickly adapted by all the U.S. Armed Forces (Branson, Rayner, Cox, Furman, King, Hannum, 1975; Watson, 1981). The five phases were based somewhat on a previous ISD model developed by the U.S. Air Force (1970) called the Five Step Approach. It also has a lot in common with Bela Banathy's model.
As defense machinery was becoming more and more sophisticated, the educational background of entry level soldiers was becoming lower and lower. The potential solution to this problem was in the form of a 'systems approach' to training. The system selected for use by the Army was Instructional Systems Development (ISD), developed in 1975 by Florida State University. ISD is a comprehensive five phase process encompassing the entire training/educational environment. Although ISD is a systematic step-by-step approach, it has the flexibility to be used with both individualized and traditional instruction. - Russell Watson, 1981
The ADDIE or ISD model consisted of 19 steps that were considered essential to the development of educational and training programs (Hannum, 2005). The steps were grouped into five phases (Analysis, Design, Development, Implement, Evaluate) to facilitate communication of the ISD model to others. The steps, listed under their respective phases, are shown below:
The military, having a large number of instructional designers and a leader in training and learning, had a great influence in the corporate and educational world to adapting ISD or ADDIE like models.
Revised ADDIE Model
Six years later, Dr. Russell Watson (1981), Chief, Staff and Faculty Training Division of the Fort Huachuca, Arizona, presented a paper to International Congress for Individualized Instruction. In it, he discusses the ADDIE model as developed by Florida State University. His presentation contained a slightly revised model:
Watson's model was based on the one developed by Florida State University in that the five phases are the same, but the steps within each phase have been slightly modified (Branson, Rayner, Cox, Furman, King, Hannum, 1975).
This site uses a version that differs from the above two versions in that the steps have been changed to more accurately reflect the needs of today's organization. You can learn about it here.
ADDIE Model A model is a simplified abstract view of a complex reality or concept. Silvern defines a model as a “graphic analog representing a real-life situation either as it is or as it should be” (AECT, 1977). This makes ADDIE a model. While it has been pictured in several ways, the model below shows one popular way (U.S. Army, 2011, p62):
ADDIE has often been called a process model; however, this is only true if you blindly follow it (DeSimone, Werner, Harris, 2002). A much better way to use ADDIE is to think of it as a guide for gaining direct intuitive insight into a problem, for an example, see the right sidebar, ADDIE and the 5 Rules of Zen.
ID (Instruction Design) models differ from ISD models in that ISD models have a broad scope and typically divide the instruction design process into five phases (van Merriënboer, 1997). Note that some ISD models, such as the Dick & Carey ISD model, may not use the same terms, but will have the same concepts.
The Dynamics of ADDIE
When the ADDIE model first appeared in 1975, it was strictly a linear or waterfall model. For example, in October 1981, Russell Watson presented a paper and wrote,
The five phases of ISD are analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation and control. The first four are sequential in nature, but the evaluation and control phase is a continuous process that is conducted in conjunction with all of the others.
He included this diagram with the paper:
However, by 1984 the model evolved into a more dynamic nature for the other phases of the model. This was lead by the U.S. Armed Forces. For example, one U.S. Army (1984) training manual reads,
As the model shows, all parts are interrelated. Changes, which occur during one step of the model, affect other steps. In the ISD process, nothing is done in isolation, nor is all done in a linear fashion; activities of various phases may be accomplished concurrently.
The manual contains the following model that shows its evolving dynamic nature:
The U.S. Army is perhaps one of the most disciplined and structured organizations in the world; however, even they could not design training in such a linear manner, thus they evolved it into a more dynamic nature. Since the original ADDIE model was designed in an university, they took take a summative approach in order to evaluate the validity of the learning/training theory that was to be designed into the learning process. However, Instructional Designers who work in most organizations are far more concerned with actually producing an effective learning learning process to meet the need's of the business, thus they take a more formative approach in order to refine goals and evolve strategies during the entire ISD process.
In addition Merriënboer wrote in 1997 (p3):
The phases may be listed in a linear order, but in fact are highly interrelated and typically not performed in a linear but in an iterative and cyclic fashion.
In addition to evolving to a more dynamic structure, the last phase was changed from “Evaluation & Control” to simply “Evaluation” (Hannum, 2005). Thus, the model becomes ADDIE and not ADDIEC.
ADDIE The Acronym
While the ADDIE model has been around since 1975, it was generally known as SAT (System Approach to Training) or ISD (Instructional System Design). The earliest reference that I have been able to locate that uses the acronym of “ADDIE” is a paper by Michael Schlegel (1995), in A Handbook of Instructional and Training Program Design.
Schlegel writes:
This paper will utilize the generic Design Model of Analyze, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) is utilized, and provide detailed job aids in the form of rating sheets and checklists for each of the four major steps.
Extending ADDIE
The broad scope and heuristic method of ISD has often been criticized by others because it tells learning designers what to do, but not how to do it. Yet it is this broad and sketchy nature of ISD that gives it such great robustness. Merriënboer (1997, p3) notes that other ID and learning models can be used in conjunction with ISD.
Thus, ISD becomes a plug and play model — you add other components to it on an as-needed-basis. For example, the ISD model below has Action Mapping, 4C/ID, and Prototyping plugged into it for designing a robust learning environment for training complex skills:
ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implement, Evaluate) is a model of the ISD family (Instructional System Design). It has evolved several times over the years to become iterative, dynamic, and user friendy. ISD includes other models, such as the Dick & Carey (2004) and Kemp (Gustafson, Branch, 1997) models.
While the concept of ISD has been around since the early 1950s, ADDIE first appeared in 1975. It was created by the Center for Educational Technology at Florida State University for the U.S. Army and then quickly adapted by all the U.S. Armed Forces (Branson, Rayner, Cox, Furman, King, Hannum, 1975; Watson, 1981). The five phases were based somewhat on a previous ISD model developed by the U.S. Air Force (1970) called the Five Step Approach. It also has a lot in common with Bela Banathy's model.
As defense machinery was becoming more and more sophisticated, the educational background of entry level soldiers was becoming lower and lower. The potential solution to this problem was in the form of a 'systems approach' to training. The system selected for use by the Army was Instructional Systems Development (ISD), developed in 1975 by Florida State University. ISD is a comprehensive five phase process encompassing the entire training/educational environment. Although ISD is a systematic step-by-step approach, it has the flexibility to be used with both individualized and traditional instruction. - Russell Watson, 1981
The ADDIE or ISD model consisted of 19 steps that were considered essential to the development of educational and training programs (Hannum, 2005). The steps were grouped into five phases (Analysis, Design, Development, Implement, Evaluate) to facilitate communication of the ISD model to others. The steps, listed under their respective phases, are shown below:
The military, having a large number of instructional designers and a leader in training and learning, had a great influence in the corporate and educational world to adapting ISD or ADDIE like models.
Revised ADDIE Model
Six years later, Dr. Russell Watson (1981), Chief, Staff and Faculty Training Division of the Fort Huachuca, Arizona, presented a paper to International Congress for Individualized Instruction. In it, he discusses the ADDIE model as developed by Florida State University. His presentation contained a slightly revised model:
Watson's model was based on the one developed by Florida State University in that the five phases are the same, but the steps within each phase have been slightly modified (Branson, Rayner, Cox, Furman, King, Hannum, 1975).
This site uses a version that differs from the above two versions in that the steps have been changed to more accurately reflect the needs of today's organization. You can learn about it here.
ADDIE Model A model is a simplified abstract view of a complex reality or concept. Silvern defines a model as a “graphic analog representing a real-life situation either as it is or as it should be” (AECT, 1977). This makes ADDIE a model. While it has been pictured in several ways, the model below shows one popular way (U.S. Army, 2011, p62):
ADDIE has often been called a process model; however, this is only true if you blindly follow it (DeSimone, Werner, Harris, 2002). A much better way to use ADDIE is to think of it as a guide for gaining direct intuitive insight into a problem, for an example, see the right sidebar, ADDIE and the 5 Rules of Zen.
ID (Instruction Design) models differ from ISD models in that ISD models have a broad scope and typically divide the instruction design process into five phases (van Merriënboer, 1997). Note that some ISD models, such as the Dick & Carey ISD model, may not use the same terms, but will have the same concepts.
- Analysis
- Design (sometime combined with Development)
- Development or Production
- Implementation or Delivery
- Evaluation
The Dynamics of ADDIE
When the ADDIE model first appeared in 1975, it was strictly a linear or waterfall model. For example, in October 1981, Russell Watson presented a paper and wrote,
The five phases of ISD are analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation and control. The first four are sequential in nature, but the evaluation and control phase is a continuous process that is conducted in conjunction with all of the others.
He included this diagram with the paper:
However, by 1984 the model evolved into a more dynamic nature for the other phases of the model. This was lead by the U.S. Armed Forces. For example, one U.S. Army (1984) training manual reads,
As the model shows, all parts are interrelated. Changes, which occur during one step of the model, affect other steps. In the ISD process, nothing is done in isolation, nor is all done in a linear fashion; activities of various phases may be accomplished concurrently.
The manual contains the following model that shows its evolving dynamic nature:
The U.S. Army is perhaps one of the most disciplined and structured organizations in the world; however, even they could not design training in such a linear manner, thus they evolved it into a more dynamic nature. Since the original ADDIE model was designed in an university, they took take a summative approach in order to evaluate the validity of the learning/training theory that was to be designed into the learning process. However, Instructional Designers who work in most organizations are far more concerned with actually producing an effective learning learning process to meet the need's of the business, thus they take a more formative approach in order to refine goals and evolve strategies during the entire ISD process.
In addition Merriënboer wrote in 1997 (p3):
The phases may be listed in a linear order, but in fact are highly interrelated and typically not performed in a linear but in an iterative and cyclic fashion.
In addition to evolving to a more dynamic structure, the last phase was changed from “Evaluation & Control” to simply “Evaluation” (Hannum, 2005). Thus, the model becomes ADDIE and not ADDIEC.
ADDIE The Acronym
While the ADDIE model has been around since 1975, it was generally known as SAT (System Approach to Training) or ISD (Instructional System Design). The earliest reference that I have been able to locate that uses the acronym of “ADDIE” is a paper by Michael Schlegel (1995), in A Handbook of Instructional and Training Program Design.
Schlegel writes:
This paper will utilize the generic Design Model of Analyze, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) is utilized, and provide detailed job aids in the form of rating sheets and checklists for each of the four major steps.
Extending ADDIE
The broad scope and heuristic method of ISD has often been criticized by others because it tells learning designers what to do, but not how to do it. Yet it is this broad and sketchy nature of ISD that gives it such great robustness. Merriënboer (1997, p3) notes that other ID and learning models can be used in conjunction with ISD.
Thus, ISD becomes a plug and play model — you add other components to it on an as-needed-basis. For example, the ISD model below has Action Mapping, 4C/ID, and Prototyping plugged into it for designing a robust learning environment for training complex skills:
