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E is for EVALUATION

10/24/2025

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Measuring Impact and Looking Ahead

Welcome to our fifth and final installment in the ADDIE series. This month, we are shining the spotlight on the E in ADDIE, Evaluation.


For some instructional designers, Evaluation is an unfamiliar concept. For others, it is the foundation of everything they do. That is because Evaluation can be broad, powerful, and deeply connected with every part of the learning process.

Let’s take a closer look at what it is all about.


Levels of Evaluation

If you studied Instructional Systems Design, you might remember Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation, a framework
​that remains a cornerstone of the learning and development world today.


At Level 1, we gather learner feedback through end-of-course evaluations to learn how we can improve the experience.

At Level 2, we measure learning outcomes through knowledge checks and assessments to confirm two things:

  1. The content aligns with the objectives.

  2. Learners are truly gaining the intended skills or knowledge.


Level 3 looks beyond the classroom to see if learners’ behavior has changed as a result of the training.

Finally, Level 4 measures return on investment by determining if the learning experience delivered meaningful value
to the organization.


That is Evaluation in a nutshell, but it is also much more than that.

Evaluation vs. Analysis

In instructional design, Evaluation is all about looking back so you can move forward.
If that sounds familiar, it is because Evaluation shares similarities with Analysis, the first phase of ADDIE.
Both examine what was to improve what will be.

The difference lies in purpose.
Analysis identifies gaps to guide new learning solutions, while Evaluation measures
the effectiveness of existing ones.


Evaluation also extends well beyond courses. It can assess the success of entire programs or even organizations.
For example, a nonprofit might use Evaluation to confirm that grant-funded initiatives are meeting their goals,
with findings that directly impact future funding.


At D3, we have supported clients across this full spectrum. We integrate Kirkpatrick’s model, especially Level 2, into
every course we create, and we have also managed program and curriculum evaluations designed to
measure organizational success and impact.


Looking Ahead

As we wrap up our ADDIE series, we hope these posts have given you a deeper understanding of the instructional
design process and a fresh perspective on how each phase connects to create meaningful learning experiences.


At D3, we do not just follow ADDIE. We live it. From analysis and design to development, implementation, and
evaluation, our focus is always on creating effective, efficient, and beautiful learning solutions that make a real difference.


Thank you for joining us on this journey through ADDIE. Here’s to what comes next: more learning, more growth,
and more opportunities to make learning come alive.


(And do not forget to check out the infographic below for a quick refresher on the full ADDIE process!)

​
​Infographic Source: https://elearninginfographics.com/the-addie-model-infographic/
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    Author

    Teresa Davenport. M.S., established Davenport Design & Development (D3) in 1996 as an HR Consulting firm specializing in organizational development and instructional design services. 

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