One main task of an ID is to protect a project to its successful completion. The work of achieving this begins before even the first commitment is made. It begins with the client and the projected work. What's the true level of commitment to this project? What utility will it have upon creation? Does the instructor have the technological skills to carry off this endeavor? Do the administrators have the savvy and will to carry the project on to completion and then support it? If not, the strategy generally is to pass gently on the project, with supervisor approval, of course. Or if one is super optimistic, one could do some initial work and see what happens to it. Is it left to languish, or does it actually get used and integrated into a larger learning structure?

Instructional Design Roadkill

The instructional design freeway seems likely littered with the detritus of half-built projects, good intentions, unfunded grant proposals and shovelware. One of my colleagues had spent a year working on a project, but when a change in job status of one of the principals left the copyright in the air, her work on the project may have all been for nothing. No matter how much work goes into a grant proposal, the principals are the ones who have their names where it counts, and they make all major calls on applications. Extensive unbillable hours go into such work against tough odds, and such endeavors often end up as roadkill. Projects that have long collected dust, such as a faculty handbook languishing for years, don't seem to have a positive chance of getting instant revival - especially if the prior leadership left it for so long. One national project that I was involved in almost collapsed from political infighting and the foot-dragging of one of the PIs (who wouldn't deliver but kept promising). While the project did get saved and the deadline extension on the grant resulted in usable learning contents, I would put this in the roadkill category in the sense that administrators would avoid such projects. No one wants to fall into political muck.

Near Hits

Near-hits included a course build that showcased an LMS, and while it was elegantly built, it sat unused for almost half a year before someone realized that those managing the course hadn't set it up to go live. Since then, the course has showcased the LMS well and engendered some positive feedback from potential clients. Another challenge was a course built for faculty to learn how to teach online using the campus LMS, and while many signed on, the busyness of their schedules proved to be a major disincentive for most to continue past the halfway point in the online course.

Safe Road Crossings

Whether a project works is not an issue of experience per se. One encouraging recent success was the delivery of a high-profile course involving a well known football coach and a leadership professor that garnered accolades from higher administration and had thorough teaching-and-learning and didn't result in any embarrassing student postings. An abundance of caution went into the course design. The instructors had little experience in online learning, and the actual delivery methods were original - a mix of in-studio filming, a "talking heads" discussion approach, and a f2f cohort mixed with an online cohort. By sheer chutzpah and strong design, this project went off without a hitch. It may be said that the wise leadership of the lead faculty made this possible.

Knowing what to Save

An instructional designer has to know that he / she can't save everything. Plenty of good ideas have to be left like cuttings on the floor because the instructional design and the learning context cannot accept particular pieces. Whatever talents people bring to a situation must be grafted onto the existing structures - if it's to survive. It seems wise to always have a Plan B. However, when one project requires a Plan C or Plan D, that's a good sign that there are fundamental challenges with the project, and an escape plan may be preferred.