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five letters that drive every training program design

ADDIE Instructional Design

5

Phases

Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate

TNA

The Step

Training Needs Assessment lives in Analyze

Iterative Loop

Evaluate feeds Analyze

a circle, not a line

The ADDIE Cycle

Each phase flows into the next. Evaluate sends the findings back to Analyze, restarting the loop.

ADDIEADDIEiterative
A

Analyze

Identify the need. Conduct TNA at org, task, and person levels.

D

Design

Specify objectives, sequence, methods. Storyboard the program.

D

Develop

Build content. Slides, exercises, modules, instructor guides.

I

Implement

Deliver. Launch. Conduct sessions. Run blended programs.

E

Evaluate

Measure outcomes vs objectives (Kirkpatrick). Loop back.

TNA Has Three Levels

level 1

Organization

Does the org need this?

execs, strategy

level 2

Task

What tasks need training?

process owners

level 3

Person

Who needs the training?

managers, individuals

Exam Traps

ADDIE is iterative, not linear

The Evaluate phase feeds back into Analyze for the next iteration. Treating it as one-and-done is the most common wrong-answer pattern.

Design ≠ Develop

Design is the blueprint (objectives, sequence, methods). Develop is the build (slides, e-learning, materials). Candidates conflate them.

TNA is part of Analyze

Training Needs Assessment is the activity inside the Analyze phase. It is not a separate phase outside ADDIE.

TNA has THREE levels

Organization, task, and person. Skipping any level produces training that misses the actual gap.

Plan first, build second

Design produces the plan. Develop produces the deliverable. Plan before you build.

Evaluate is not the end

Findings restart Analyze for the next iteration. Treat ADDIE as a circle, not a line.

1
Analyze the need

Survey customers, watch which dishes return, decide a new menu is needed.

2
Design the plan

Sketch the new menu. List dishes, prices, ingredients, sourcing strategy.

3
Develop the deliverable

Cook the dishes. Print the menu. Train the kitchen on the new prep.

4
Implement the launch

Roll out the new menu. Take orders. Serve customers.

5
Evaluate the result

Track sales, complaints, returned plates. Decide what to keep, change, remove. Then back to Analyze.

A-D-D-I-E. Analyze need. Design plan. Develop goods. Implement rollout. Evaluate result.
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Reviewed by Sarah L., PrepSolution Content Editor, HR
Sources verified against HRCI 2026 standards
Updated May 2026