Advanced capabilities - those knowledge, skills, and judgments demonstrated by experienced and expert designers. Applied to both competencies and performance statements.

Business case - The business-related reason for which a training or performance intervention is needed.

Competency - a knowledge, skill or attitude that enables one to effectively perform the activities of a given occupation or function to the standards expected in employment.

Cross-functional teams - teams in which instructional designers work with specialists from other fields, such as organizational development, and multi-media development and engineering.

Curriculum - the aggregate of modules or courses directed toward a common goal of a given organization. May also refer to a collection of required readings.

Delivery system - a means of organizing, presenting, or distributing instruction, typically employing a variety of media, methods and materials.

Domain - a cluster of related competencies. Other uses: a subject matter area.

Emerging technologies - new techniques, tools and equipment used in designing or delivering instruction, including virtual reality, electronic performance support systems, and multi-user object-oriented domains.

Essential capabilities - those knowledge, skills, and judgments that all designers should be able to demonstrate. Applied to both competencies and performance statements.

Evaluation - the process of determining the adequacy, value, outcomes and impact of instruction and learning.

Expertise - the level of knowledge and experience demonstrated by designers who are typically categorized as either novice, experienced, or expert.

Instruction - a planned process that facilitates learning.

Instructional context - the physical and psychological environment in which instruction is delivered or in which transfer occurs. Related Term: Learning environment.

Instructional design - systematic instructional planning including needs assessment, development, evaluation, implementation and maintenance of materials and programs.

Instructional goal - a general statement of learner outcomes, related to an identified problem and needs assessment, and achievable through instruction (Dick and Carey, 1996, pg. 23).

Instructional objective - a detailed description of what learners will be able to do having completed a unit of instruction (Dick and Carey, 1996, pg. 119). Related Term: learning outcome; behavioral objective; performance objective.

Instructional products - content-related items such as books, job aids, student and instructor guides, and web pages.

Instructional strategy - a general approach to selecting and sequencing learning activities. Related Terms: teaching methods.

Learner profile data - descriptions of the learner characteristics pertinent to instruction, including data such as age, skill level, education and work experience. Related term: target population characteristics.

Learning style - an individual's preferred means of acquiring knowledge and skills. Related term: Cognitive style, multiple intelligence.

Media - the means by which instruction is presented to the learner. Typically classified in terms of the perceptual channels employed, such as visual or auditory media.

Multi-media - the integration of various forms of media for instructional purposes. Typically involving computer graphics, sound, and text.

Needs assessment - a systematic process for determining goals, identifying discrepancies between optimal and actual performance, and establishing priorities for action. Related terms: Training needs assessment, needs analysis, front end analysis, task and subject matter analysis.

Performance improvement - the process of designing or selecting interventions which may include training directed toward a change in behavior, typically on the job. Related terms: Performance technology, human performance technology.

Performance statement - an explanation of activities comprising a competency statement.

Professional activities - conduct which enhances the skill and knowledge of the instructional design practitioner, including attending professional association meetings and conference, reading relevant texts, or networking with other practitioners.

Stakeholders - people with a vested interest in project outcomes.

Strategic plan - a process for allocating resources to achieve long-range organizational goals.

Subject matter expert - a content specialist who advises or assists the designer.

Target population - those persons for whom an instructional intervention is intended. Related term: The learners.

Transfer - the application of knowledge and skills acquired in training to another environment, typically a work setting.

Validation - the process of determining the extent to which competencies and performance statements are supported by the profession.

Visuals - visual symbols expressing ideas or conveying meaning, in the form of screen graphics, overhead transparencies, or other visual media.