Developing design documents (3D) model

Definition

The Developing design documents (3D) model is a framework to discuss various kinds of instructional design languages and documents.

Boot (2005:26) argues that “production-related information is typically embedded in three types of building blocks for the production process: (a) design documents as input, (b) programming structures as throughput, and (c) learning materials as output.”

This "3D" model includes three major dimensions:

• stratification: Functionally different instructional and technical structures
• degree of elaboration: conceptual, specification or implementation
• formality: formal vs. informal

The model

3D model of design documentation

Stratification

Layers of instructional design

Gibbons (2000) argues that instructional designs are layered structures. Layering is a general design principle.

• Content layer
• Strategy layer
• Control layer
• Message layer
• Representation layer
• Media Logic layer
• Management layer

Each instructional design layer is the defined by:

• A specific set of design goals or problems
• Sets of layer-specific design structures, expressed in the terms of design languages
• Principles for the selection, arrangement, and mapping of structures within a layer
• Principles for the relation of structures across layers

(Layered View of Instructional Designs , retrieved 14:37, 18 October 2006 (MEST))

Elaboration

Boot (2005:27) adopts Fowler's three perspectives for which different levels of detail can be specified:

• A conceptual perspective, with more or less superficial and descriptive information;
• a specification perspective, with more or less comprehensive and detailed information,
• an implementation perspective with more or less technical and meticulous information

Formalization

Designers can choose to use formal design languages or not.

• formal
• informal

Links

• Layered View of Instructional Designs (A. Gibbons).

References

• Boot, Eddy (2005), Building-block solutions for developing instructional software, PhD Dissertation, Open Universiteit Nederland. PDF and PDF

• Boot, Eddy W.; Jon Nelson, Jeroen J.G. van Merriënboer, Andrew S. Gibbons (2007). Stratification, elaboration and formalisation of design documents: Effects on the production of instructional materials, British Journal of Educational Technology 38 (5), 917-933. [doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00679.x]

• Gibbons, A. S. (2003). What and how designers design? A theory of design structure. TechTrends, 47(5), 22-27. PDF (Access restricted)

• Gibbons, Andrew, S. and Erin K. Brewer, (2005) "Elementary principles of design languages and design notation systems for instructional design". In J.M. Spector, C. Ohrazda, A. Van Schaack, and D. Wiley (Eds.), Innovations to instructional technology: Essays in honor of M. David Merrill, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah NJ, pp. 111-129.

• Waters, Sandie, H. & Andrew, S. Gibbons (2004). Design languages, notation systems, and instructional technology: A case study: Educational Technology Research and Development, 52(2), 57-69. PDF (Access restricted)