ATD, association for talent development

TD Magazine Article

Member Benefit

The Multidisciplinary Nature of ID

Cultivate skills from previous professions to strengthen your approach to instructional design.

By and

Mon Dec 02 2024

A spiral flipbook open on a table with the pages cut into thirds. Each of the cut sections, when turned, represents a different career options. The top third of each picture is a head and face; the middle third is a person's torso; the bottom third is pants and shoe options. On the left side of the book,  the top third is a face with hair in a bun and a hard hat; the middle is a chef's buttoned coat with a hand holding a cloche on a plate; the bottom (which is mid-flip, exposing black boots on the previous page) is blue jeans and white tennis shoes. On the right side, the top third (which is mid-flip, exposing a face with hair in a bun beneath from the previous image) has a French beret; the middle has a blouse and skirt beneath a  lab coat and a hand holding a beaker; and the bottom third is fireman pants with black rubber shoes. On the desk around the flipbook are a ruler, graph paper, construction paper, and a computer mouse.
Loading...

If you ask any instructional designer how they started their career journey, they will likely tell you that they worked in an unrelated field. Few instructional designers know about the role and pursue it as an intended career path. Rather, most people stumble upon instructional design by working on a project, taking a class, networking at a conference, or various other circumstances. Even though instructional design appears to be an insular profession, the experiences and knowledge from one's former career can blend with the design field to create a robust toolkit that can lead to amazing outcomes.

You've Reached ATD Member-only Content

Become an ATD member to continue

Already a member?Sign In

issue

ISSUE

December 2024 - TD Magazine

View Articles

Copyright © 2026 ATD

ASTD changed its name to ATD to meet the growing needs of a dynamic, global profession.

Terms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie Policy