Technical Training Doesn’t Happen in a Straight Line: The ADDIE Web

TL;DR

Designing technical training doesn’t follow a checklist; it’s an intricate process. Each phase informs the others, creating a dynamic approach that’s all about iteration and refinement. So, embrace the web—and trust that your training will be all the better for it.

If you know a thing or two about technical training and instructional design, you probably recognize the following image.

The ADDIE model depicted as a straight line

The ADDIE model, right? It’s the framework most little instructional designers are taught on the first day of school. First, you analyze, then you design, develop, implement, and evaluate.

A-D-D-I-E. Start at point A and end at point E, with everything falling neatly into place.

Easy-peasy, right? Well, not exactly.

The idea that instructional design is a linear process—where you check off each phase like a to-do list—is comforting. Finish one and move to the next. But in reality, It’s not that simple. Picture yourself trying to walk that straight path only to find it turns into a loop, a zigzag, and sometimes, a complete U-turn. Suddenly, instructional design feels like more of a roundabout than a road.

If you’re well versed in technical training and instructional design, you know no one thinks of ADDIE as a straight line anymore. Instead, you might be familiar with this version.

The ADDIE model depicted as a cycle

ADDIE isn’t a straight line. But is it a cycle? You finish the last phase and go right back to the beginning to fine-tune. That makes sense—things do come full circle in training.

Here’s the kicker: It’s not a cycle either.

These days, instructional designers see ADDIE as an interconnected web where every phase touches the others.

The ADDIE model depicted as a web

The Analyze phase doesn’t just lead to Design; it also influences Implementation. And while you're developing, you might realize you need to go back and analyze some more. You’re constantly weaving back and forth between phases, not ticking them off one by one.

The reality is every phase in ADDIE is linked. Your design influences how you'll develop. Your development affects implementation. Evaluation circles back to tweak everything from analysis to execution. It’s all connected in one big, messy, glorious web.

Here’s a personal anecdote to drive home the point: Once, while developing training for a corporate client, I made it all the way to the Implementation phase. I had videos and modules ready to go. I even had some fun little games to boost that engagement But during the first round of training, the feedback was eye-opening. The trainees weren’t understanding the content as expected, so I had to backtrack to the Design phase and re-think how the material was presented. Then, I had to revise the Development phase to fit the new approach. Finally, we implemented it again. Sure enough, things started clicking. It wasn’t a straight line—it was a loop and a web, all wrapped together.

So, if you’re developing technical training and feel like you're bouncing between phases, know that’s part of the process. Training doesn’t happen in a perfect, straight line. It’s a web where Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate all link to each other. And that’s OK—it’s what makes your training strong, flexible, and tailored to real-world needs.

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Have a complex training project coming up? Reach out to HF Innovations, and let's weave that web together to create effective, engaging technical training materials.